Lifestyle News Briefs

• Children of pregnant women who use flea-and-tick sprays and foggers have twice the risk of developing brain tumors than might normally be expected, according to researchers at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
• Air fresheners typically contain a fiber blotter saturated with chemicals. When mice were exposed to 25% of a freshener blotter, they suffered severe sensory irritation, significant neurological effects, and irritation of the lungs similar to that seen in human asthma patients. When exposed to 50% of a blotter, the animals died. Researchers recommend that people be very wary of permitting air fresheners in their surroundings.
• Air New Zealand is providing all first and business class travelers on international flights with aromatherapy kits. The kits include a nasal gel to counteract dry cabin air, a wake-up gel, a sleep-promoting gel, plus creams for foot massage and skin rehydration.
• A new study from Yale found that women who use an electric blanket during the time of conception and in early pregnancy had a 1.74 times greater risk of miscarriage than women who did not.
• Manufacturers of silicone breast implants claim a failure rate of only 0.2–1.1%, but FDA investigators contend that the integrity of breast implants deteriorates greatly over time. New research has found that the proportion of women who could expect to have their implants intact after 8 years was 89%; after 12 years, 31%; and after 20 years, only 5%.

An estimated 1–2 million American women have had breast implants—20% for reconstruction after mastectomy, and 80% for "cosmetic augmentation."  Based on information in: Environmental Health Perspectives, Nov 1997; Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients, Feb/Mar 1998; Alternative and Complementary Therapies, Feb 1998; Epidemiology, Jan 1998; The Lancet, 11-22-97