A roundup of the week's other health news in brief
Mothers-to-be still believe in old wives’ tales
Mothers-to-be in Britain still mistakenly believe that eating a curry brings on labour, according to a new survey out today.
Almost one in five (18 per cent) women think wolfing down spicy food will help induce labour, while 38 per cent believe raspberry leaf tea is the answer.
Other “old wives’ tales” frequently thought to be true include not being able to start exercising during pregnancy (39 per cent) and that sleeping on your back can harm the unborn baby (25 per cent).
The survey also found that 13 per cent of women believe they are having a boy if they carry the baby “all at the front” while 7 per cent think drinking coffee in pregnancy affects their baby’s skin.
The poll, of more than 1,200 women, was carried out by the charity Tommy’s and Johnson’s Baby.
Company claims world’s thinnest cochlear implant
A company says it has produced the world’s thinnest cochlear implant to improve hearing.
The Cochlear Nucleus 5 System is 3.9mm thick and 40 per cent slimmer than previous implants and is easier to fit, according to the makers, Cochlear.
Cochlear implant surgeon Gerard O’Donoghue, professor of otology and neurotology at the University of Nottingham, said: “The launch of the Cochlear Nucleus 5 System represents a quantum leap forward in hearing implant technology.
“The new slim design makes for minimally invasive surgery techniques and reduces operating time, which is highly advantageous when implanting infants and young children.
“Many young children are now receiving implants simultaneously in each ear, so that reducing operating time has never been more important.
“The new design also means that the implanted electronics can barely be seen beneath the skin, which is cosmetically very pleasing.”