Dr. Drew On Call

We’re getting into the heart of the flu season -- and the World Health Organization says pregnant women are a priority when it comes to getting the vaccine.

Health experts believe pregnant women are especially vulnerable because their immune systems are taxed by the growing fetus. The flu can make them very sick and even cause death. It can also lead to premature births and birth defects.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) said this week that if women had greater access to over-the-counter birth control pills, it could reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies in the United States.

Although the ACOG noted that the pills have the potential to increase the risk of blood clots in some women, they believe the benefits of taking the drugs outweigh the risks, reported My Health News Daily.

New research published in the journal Nature suggests that turning down the lights at night may prevent depression.

As mentioned in U.S.News & World Report this week, the study was done with mice because they have the same type of special photosensitive retinal cells (ipRGCs) in their eyes as human-beings do.