For the estimated 83,000 women who will be diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer in 2010, participation in clinical trials offers an opportunity both to ensure that future patients benefit from the most up-to-date treatments and increased survival rates and to potentially improve the health of current patients. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists supports the efforts to raise awareness about gynecologic cancers and participation in clinical trials-a main focus of this year's Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month (GCAM) in September.
Gynecologic cancers originate in the female reproductive organs including the cervix, ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, and vulva. "Raising awareness of gynecologic cancers is extremely important because every woman is at risk," said Richard Waldman, MD, president of The College. "As ob-gyns, we have a responsibility to educate our patients about the very real threat of these cancers, which will kill approximately 28,000 women in the US this year alone."
In addition to raising general awareness of gynecologic cancers, this year's GCAM highlights the critical role of clinical trials in the prevention and treatment of disease. These trials are a key step in the discovery process that leads to the development of new therapies and advances in medicine.
Women who participate in clinical trials make an extremely valuable contribution to scientific knowledge. They also may gain access to new research treatments before they are widely available and can benefit from having their health closely monitored on an ongoing basis. They often have easy access to the clinical trial team, obtain expert medical care at leading health care facilities, and are able to raise questions and concerns during treatment. Some women who participate in a clinical trial report feeling empowered because they are taking an active role in decisions regarding their health. It can also be a way of paying-it-forward and helping those who will struggle with that disease in the future.
Despite the importance of participating in clinical trials, only three percent of adults do so. That rate is even lower among low-income women and minorities, groups that have disproportionately higher rates of cancer-related deaths.
"The thought of trying a novel approach instead of a more tried-and-true therapy may be frightening when you're dealing with an illness," Dr. Waldman notes. "But considering participation in a clinical trial may be wise for cancer patients-it could be a choice that saves your life."
Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF), which sponsors GCAM, urges women diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer to learn more about clinical trials. The GCF's Women's Cancer Network website is a comprehensive and educational resource on gynecologic cancers. Women can find out about clinical trials that are currently enrolling, take a free 15-minute online risk assessment to learn about their personal risk of developing cancer, and more. A tool-kit designed to help community members set up local awareness events is also available.
Source:
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
четверг, 15 декабря 2011 г.
четверг, 8 декабря 2011 г.
Orthopedics Surgeons At Rush University Medical Center Performe Total Knee Replacement Surgery On Live, Online Computer Webcast
Orthopedic surgeons at Rush University Medical Center performed a Total Knee Replacement surgery which could be viewed online.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard A. Berger performed the surgery which featured the use of the knee replacement shaped to fit a woman's anatomy The webcast was moderated by Dr. Aaron G. Rosenberg, also from Rush. Berger and Rosenberg were two of the 12 surgeons who sought to address shape-related differences of a woman's knee by developing the new prosthesis.
Questions from both surgeons and the general public were sent in via email during the broadcast. The webcast was sponsored by The Zimmer Institute.
The procedure uses a Zimmer Minimally Invasive Solutions ™(MIS) sub-vastus approach and requires an incision of only 9 to 14 cm, compared with 20 to 30 cm used in a standard knee replacement arthroplasty. Among the goals of this minimally invasive technique are shorter hospital stays, lower blood loss, faster rehabilitation and a more cosmetically appealing surgical scar.
Knee replacements have long been available in many sizes, but merely using a different size for women doesn't resolve anatomical differences. Various studies show that women's knees significantly differ in shape from men's knees. Pioneering research conducted for Zimmer precisely maps out those differences and is the foundation for the design and development of the Gender Solutions Knee.
"Knee implants have been functioning very well for men and women, but we want to meet women's unique needs by making knee replacements that feel, fit and function even better," says Rosenberg. "The implant is the best of both worlds. It's based on the current implant we use, a highly successful implant with great mechanics and 10 years of clinical success. Only the shape of this new implant is different, to make it feel more natural."
When placing traditional implants, some surgeons accommodate women's differences by removing more bone or repositioning the implant during surgery, but their ability to make the implant precisely conform to the patient is limited. The Gender Solutions High-Flex Implant was designed so the surgeon can more closely match the female patient's knee anatomy.
"Mounting research indicates that a woman's knee is not simply a smaller version of a man's knee. The differences involve the bones, ligaments and tendons in the joints," says Rosenberg. "Women can wear men's clothing and shoes, but most prefer clothing and shoes made for them. It's the same with knees, and it makes perfect sense to design knee implants with women in mind, particularly considering that women are by far the majority of the knee replacement patient population."
Nearly two-thirds of the more than 400,000 annual knee replacement patients are women, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, and the numbers continue to increase each year. Research shows that while both women and men vastly underuse knee replacement, women are three times less likely than men to undergo the procedure, although they suffer from more knee pain and resulting disability.
The Gender Solutions High-Flex Knee, the first of several gender innovations to come from Zimmer, is based on the company's more than 20 years of clinical success with total knee implants. Further, it can be placed using Zimmer MIS Procedures, which typically offer smaller scars, shorter hospitalization and quicker rehabilitation and recovery; and safely accommodates high flexion (up to 155 degrees), which is necessary for many activities, such as climbing stairs, sitting in a chair, gardening and golfing.
The knee joint is composed of three bones: the end of the femur (thighbone), the top of the tibia (shinbone) and the patella (kneecap), which are all held together by tendons and ligaments and cushioned by cartilage. Knees can become painful, due to arthritis, injury and infection, which cause deterioration of the cartilage. When the cartilage is gone, the bones of the knee grind against each other, wearing away and typically causing severe pain. Total knee replacement involves removing the portion of bone that is damaged and resurfacing the knee with metal and plastic implants.
For more information on orthopedics at Rush
Contact: Mary Ann Schultz
Rush University Medical Center
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard A. Berger performed the surgery which featured the use of the knee replacement shaped to fit a woman's anatomy The webcast was moderated by Dr. Aaron G. Rosenberg, also from Rush. Berger and Rosenberg were two of the 12 surgeons who sought to address shape-related differences of a woman's knee by developing the new prosthesis.
Questions from both surgeons and the general public were sent in via email during the broadcast. The webcast was sponsored by The Zimmer Institute.
The procedure uses a Zimmer Minimally Invasive Solutions ™(MIS) sub-vastus approach and requires an incision of only 9 to 14 cm, compared with 20 to 30 cm used in a standard knee replacement arthroplasty. Among the goals of this minimally invasive technique are shorter hospital stays, lower blood loss, faster rehabilitation and a more cosmetically appealing surgical scar.
Knee replacements have long been available in many sizes, but merely using a different size for women doesn't resolve anatomical differences. Various studies show that women's knees significantly differ in shape from men's knees. Pioneering research conducted for Zimmer precisely maps out those differences and is the foundation for the design and development of the Gender Solutions Knee.
"Knee implants have been functioning very well for men and women, but we want to meet women's unique needs by making knee replacements that feel, fit and function even better," says Rosenberg. "The implant is the best of both worlds. It's based on the current implant we use, a highly successful implant with great mechanics and 10 years of clinical success. Only the shape of this new implant is different, to make it feel more natural."
When placing traditional implants, some surgeons accommodate women's differences by removing more bone or repositioning the implant during surgery, but their ability to make the implant precisely conform to the patient is limited. The Gender Solutions High-Flex Implant was designed so the surgeon can more closely match the female patient's knee anatomy.
"Mounting research indicates that a woman's knee is not simply a smaller version of a man's knee. The differences involve the bones, ligaments and tendons in the joints," says Rosenberg. "Women can wear men's clothing and shoes, but most prefer clothing and shoes made for them. It's the same with knees, and it makes perfect sense to design knee implants with women in mind, particularly considering that women are by far the majority of the knee replacement patient population."
Nearly two-thirds of the more than 400,000 annual knee replacement patients are women, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, and the numbers continue to increase each year. Research shows that while both women and men vastly underuse knee replacement, women are three times less likely than men to undergo the procedure, although they suffer from more knee pain and resulting disability.
The Gender Solutions High-Flex Knee, the first of several gender innovations to come from Zimmer, is based on the company's more than 20 years of clinical success with total knee implants. Further, it can be placed using Zimmer MIS Procedures, which typically offer smaller scars, shorter hospitalization and quicker rehabilitation and recovery; and safely accommodates high flexion (up to 155 degrees), which is necessary for many activities, such as climbing stairs, sitting in a chair, gardening and golfing.
The knee joint is composed of three bones: the end of the femur (thighbone), the top of the tibia (shinbone) and the patella (kneecap), which are all held together by tendons and ligaments and cushioned by cartilage. Knees can become painful, due to arthritis, injury and infection, which cause deterioration of the cartilage. When the cartilage is gone, the bones of the knee grind against each other, wearing away and typically causing severe pain. Total knee replacement involves removing the portion of bone that is damaged and resurfacing the knee with metal and plastic implants.
For more information on orthopedics at Rush
Contact: Mary Ann Schultz
Rush University Medical Center
четверг, 1 декабря 2011 г.
Women Dominate Hospitalizations For Chest Pain With No Known Cause
Women are more likely than men to be hospitalized for chest pain for which doctors cannot find a cause, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. In 2006, there were 477,000 admissions of women to U.S. community hospitals for unspecified chest pain compared with 379,000 admissions for men.
Unspecified chest pain is usually characterized by a feeling of pressure, burning, or numbness. Although it is not clear why women receive this diagnosis more than men, there is some evidence that heart disease develops differently in women than men and that symptoms may be different. Medical experts believe that physicians may not always be aware of this gender difference.
The federal agency also found that men were more likely to be hospitalized for heart disease or heart attacks than were women in 2006.
Specifically:
- Women made up 56 percent of all admissions for unspecified chest pain, but only 38 percent of all admissions for coronary artery disease.
- Roughly 451,000 women, compared with 747,000 men, were hospitalized for coronary artery disease. This disease results in narrowing of the arteries.
- Heart attacks, which are usually caused by heart disease, sent 269,000 women to hospitals, compared with 406,000 men. Women made up 40 percent of all admissions for heart attacks.
- Hospitalizations for congestive heart failure were roughly the same for women (565,000) and men (534,000).
- Hospitalizations for irregular heart beat were also similar for women (379,000) and men (369,000).
This AHRQ News and Numbers summary is based on data in HCUP Facts and Figures, 2006, which provides highlights of the latest data from the 2006 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a part of AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. The report provides data on leading reasons for hospitalization, such as arthritis, asthma, childbirth, cancer, diabetes, depression, and heart conditions, on procedures performed on hospital patients, and on related topics.
AHRQ
Unspecified chest pain is usually characterized by a feeling of pressure, burning, or numbness. Although it is not clear why women receive this diagnosis more than men, there is some evidence that heart disease develops differently in women than men and that symptoms may be different. Medical experts believe that physicians may not always be aware of this gender difference.
The federal agency also found that men were more likely to be hospitalized for heart disease or heart attacks than were women in 2006.
Specifically:
- Women made up 56 percent of all admissions for unspecified chest pain, but only 38 percent of all admissions for coronary artery disease.
- Roughly 451,000 women, compared with 747,000 men, were hospitalized for coronary artery disease. This disease results in narrowing of the arteries.
- Heart attacks, which are usually caused by heart disease, sent 269,000 women to hospitals, compared with 406,000 men. Women made up 40 percent of all admissions for heart attacks.
- Hospitalizations for congestive heart failure were roughly the same for women (565,000) and men (534,000).
- Hospitalizations for irregular heart beat were also similar for women (379,000) and men (369,000).
This AHRQ News and Numbers summary is based on data in HCUP Facts and Figures, 2006, which provides highlights of the latest data from the 2006 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a part of AHRQ's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. The report provides data on leading reasons for hospitalization, such as arthritis, asthma, childbirth, cancer, diabetes, depression, and heart conditions, on procedures performed on hospital patients, and on related topics.
AHRQ
четверг, 24 ноября 2011 г.
Washington Post Examines Program In India To Promote Safer-Sex Messages
The Washington Post on Monday examined a project in India in which health workers "re-spin" safer-sex messages to emphasize the pleasure-related benefits of such practices. The initiative was launched by Anne Philpott, founder of the Pleasure Project. According to the Post, Philpott began the program after promoting female condoms in India, Sri Lanka, Senegal and Zimbabwe as an "erotic accessory." In addition, over the last four years she has "pushed the pleasure principle at AIDS conferences in Bangkok, Sri Lanka and Mexico," the Post reports. "The whole debate about safe sex has been conducted around fear, danger, disease and death," Philpott said, adding, "It is negative. We forgot the pursuit of pleasure. We have to put the sexy back into safer sex." According to Philpott, safer-sex messages often are treated in a "clinical manner or like a teacher wagging their finger." She added that it is "more effective" when health workers find "creative ways to incorporate pleasure and desire into the sexual-health dialogue."
Health workers are using the approach to promote the female condom in India, and the government plans to increase female condom distribution among 200,000 sex workers, two years after the product was introduced limitedly in the country, the Post reports. According to a study by the National AIDS Control Organization, sex workers said they were able to persuade clients to use protection by citing the potential for enhanced pleasure. In addition, the Post reports that the number of nongovernmental organizations using the "pleasure rationale to promote safe sex is slowly growing in India." Arushi Singh, a resource officer for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which trains health educators in South Asia, said, "Talking about disease and fear haven't worked very well. People believe they are in a safe relationship and that disease does not apply to them." She continued, "But pleasure applies to everybody."
As part of such efforts, a youth festival called Project 19 was held last month to raise awareness about sexual health and HIV in the country. According to the Post, the festival was "unique" because it invited "bashful attendees to talk about pleasure" -- a rare move in the country, where talking about sex "can be an uphill task in India's traditional and patriarchal society." Volunteers also led a game in which they asked visitors to describe their first impression of the female condom. "We tell the sex workers to have fun with the female condom," Kavita Potturi, national program manager with Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust, said, adding, "We tell them, 'You spend money on makeup, jewelry, jasmine flowers for your hair. This female condom is another ornament for you.'"
According to the Post, 15 years after launching a national HIV/AIDS campaign, the Indian government is "still confronting the basic challenge of getting people to even utter the word 'condom.'" One advertisement campaign, called "Say Condom Freely," is addressing the issue by urging people to talk about the condom without fear of stigma (Lakshmi, Washington Post, 3/2).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2009 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Health workers are using the approach to promote the female condom in India, and the government plans to increase female condom distribution among 200,000 sex workers, two years after the product was introduced limitedly in the country, the Post reports. According to a study by the National AIDS Control Organization, sex workers said they were able to persuade clients to use protection by citing the potential for enhanced pleasure. In addition, the Post reports that the number of nongovernmental organizations using the "pleasure rationale to promote safe sex is slowly growing in India." Arushi Singh, a resource officer for the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which trains health educators in South Asia, said, "Talking about disease and fear haven't worked very well. People believe they are in a safe relationship and that disease does not apply to them." She continued, "But pleasure applies to everybody."
As part of such efforts, a youth festival called Project 19 was held last month to raise awareness about sexual health and HIV in the country. According to the Post, the festival was "unique" because it invited "bashful attendees to talk about pleasure" -- a rare move in the country, where talking about sex "can be an uphill task in India's traditional and patriarchal society." Volunteers also led a game in which they asked visitors to describe their first impression of the female condom. "We tell the sex workers to have fun with the female condom," Kavita Potturi, national program manager with Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust, said, adding, "We tell them, 'You spend money on makeup, jewelry, jasmine flowers for your hair. This female condom is another ornament for you.'"
According to the Post, 15 years after launching a national HIV/AIDS campaign, the Indian government is "still confronting the basic challenge of getting people to even utter the word 'condom.'" One advertisement campaign, called "Say Condom Freely," is addressing the issue by urging people to talk about the condom without fear of stigma (Lakshmi, Washington Post, 3/2).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2009 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
четверг, 17 ноября 2011 г.
MIDIRS Announces Over 15 Million Units Of Information Delivered To Maternity Health Care Professionals Worldwide In 2008, UK
UK maternity charity MIDIRS, renowned for its evidence-based information resources for health care professionals, announced that a total of 15,792,079 units of information had been delivered to customers during 2008.
Despite a downturn in the number of full-time practising midwives in the UK and the continuing economic crisis that has seen a decline in consumer confidence over the past 12 months, MIDIRS determination to meet its mission of assisting in the improvement of maternity care by producing and delivering a range of practical resources based on the best evidence-based information available, has paid off.
Andy Fisher, MIDIRS Business Manager said: 'There are huge demands on health care professionals at the moment, which has made MIDIRS doubly committed to supporting them in their practice and studies by providing improved information services which are both practical and affordable. Considering that 2008 was a challenging year in many respects, we are delighted that MIDIRS logistical performance during the last 12 months has remained positive'.
Source
MIDIRS
Despite a downturn in the number of full-time practising midwives in the UK and the continuing economic crisis that has seen a decline in consumer confidence over the past 12 months, MIDIRS determination to meet its mission of assisting in the improvement of maternity care by producing and delivering a range of practical resources based on the best evidence-based information available, has paid off.
Andy Fisher, MIDIRS Business Manager said: 'There are huge demands on health care professionals at the moment, which has made MIDIRS doubly committed to supporting them in their practice and studies by providing improved information services which are both practical and affordable. Considering that 2008 was a challenging year in many respects, we are delighted that MIDIRS logistical performance during the last 12 months has remained positive'.
Source
MIDIRS
четверг, 10 ноября 2011 г.
"Cosmetic Surgery And The Use Of Antidepressant Medication"
It has been proven that plastic surgery can improve self-esteem, but can it also act as a natural mood enhancer? A significant number of patients stopped taking antidepressant medication after undergoing plastic surgery, according to a study presented at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) Plastic Surgery 2006 conference in San Francisco.
"Plastic surgery patients are taking a proactive approach in making themselves happier by improving something that has truly bothered them," said Bruce Freedman, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and study author. "While we are not saying that cosmetic plastic surgery alone is responsible for the drop in patients needing antidepressants, it surely is an important factor."
In the study, 362 patients had cosmetic plastic surgery - 17 percent or 61 patients were taking antidepressants. Six months after surgery, however, that number decreased 31 percent, down to 42 patients. In addition, 98 percent of patients said cosmetic plastic surgery had markedly improved their self-esteem.
All of the patients, who were primarily middle-aged women, had an invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedure such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck or facelift. The authors did not identify any other major life changes that may have affected patients' use of antidepressants.
"We have just begun to uncover the various physical and psychological benefits of plastic surgery," said Dr. Freedman. "By helping our patients take control over something they were unhappy about, we helped remove a self-imposed barrier and ultimately improved their self-esteem."
For referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery visit plasticsurgery/ where you can also learn more about cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,000 members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Note: The study "Cosmetic Surgery and the Use of Antidepressant Medication" is being presented in electronic format, Sunday, Oct. 8 - Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco.
Contact: LaSandra Cooper
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
"Plastic surgery patients are taking a proactive approach in making themselves happier by improving something that has truly bothered them," said Bruce Freedman, MD, ASPS Member Surgeon and study author. "While we are not saying that cosmetic plastic surgery alone is responsible for the drop in patients needing antidepressants, it surely is an important factor."
In the study, 362 patients had cosmetic plastic surgery - 17 percent or 61 patients were taking antidepressants. Six months after surgery, however, that number decreased 31 percent, down to 42 patients. In addition, 98 percent of patients said cosmetic plastic surgery had markedly improved their self-esteem.
All of the patients, who were primarily middle-aged women, had an invasive cosmetic plastic surgery procedure such as breast augmentation, tummy tuck or facelift. The authors did not identify any other major life changes that may have affected patients' use of antidepressants.
"We have just begun to uncover the various physical and psychological benefits of plastic surgery," said Dr. Freedman. "By helping our patients take control over something they were unhappy about, we helped remove a self-imposed barrier and ultimately improved their self-esteem."
For referrals to ASPS Member Surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery visit plasticsurgery/ where you can also learn more about cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,000 members, the society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Note: The study "Cosmetic Surgery and the Use of Antidepressant Medication" is being presented in electronic format, Sunday, Oct. 8 - Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco.
Contact: LaSandra Cooper
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
четверг, 3 ноября 2011 г.
Mother Gives Birth To Twins With Different Fathers, US
11-month old Dallas-born twins Justin and Jordan have different fathers, a phenomenon known as heteropaternal superfecundation that is so rare there
are only a handful of documented cases in the world.
Their parents Mia Washington and her fianc?©e James Harrison went public with their news last week when they contacted FOX4 to tell their
story.
Admitting she was having an affair with another man at the time the twins were conceived, Washington said she was shocked that it had happened to
her:
"I have twins, but they're by different fathers," she told the TV news company.
Washington and Harrison noticed that the twins had different facial features and decided to have a paternity test. They went to Dallas DNA Lab Clear
Diagnostics who said they had never seen a result like this before and that there was a 99.999 per cent chance that Justin and Jordan were fathered by
different men.
The highly probable result is that Jordan is Harrison's biological son and Justin's biological father is the man Washington had an affair with.
Lab Clear Diagnostics' president Genny Thibodeaux described the news as "very crazy", and "most people don't believe it can happen".
Dr Chris Dreiling, from the Paediatric Association of Dallas, who has not met the family, told Fox News that a woman can release more than one egg
during ovulation, and if she has intercourse with more than one partner at around that time, then sperm from different partners can fertilize each egg:
"Because sperm cells take a while to travel and eggs take a while to travel there can be an overlap," said Dreiling, explaining that it was a very rare
event and likely to be "the only time that we will ever see this occur in the city of Dallas".
Harrison said he will bring up the two boys as his own. He said he has forgiven his fianc?©e and promised to stay with her.
He said they are taking it day by day, "it's going to take time to build that trust like we had", he added.
Washington said she felt wary at first, thinking he would try but then give up and leave. But she said that has not happened.
"James is a good man; he's a great father and genuinely loves both of the twins," said Washington, adding that as far as she was concerned he was the
father of both boys because "he's the one there every morning when they get up and every night when they go to sleep".
Washington said she regrets her mistake and wants other people to know that this can happen.
"Don't put yourself in my shoes, because it can hurt and it does hurt, but you still have to go on with life". She had this advice for other women:
"Be careful about starting an affair - look what happened to me. Think hard about the consequences first, because the most
bizarre things can happen when you least expect it!"
Washington said she will tell her sons about their different DNA when they are old enough to understand. She has no plans to tell the other father,
although she did say "if when he is older Justin wants to meet his real dad then that's his decision".
Although rare in humans, heteropaternal superfecundation is more common in other animals such as cats and dogs, a fact that is well known to
professional breeders. Some kennel clubs for instance allow the registration of litters to more than one male dog or "sire", a phenomenon called
"multi-siring", and you can purchase DNA test kits from them for that purpose.
Sources: myFox DALLAS/FORTWORTH, Daily Mail, American Kennel Club.
: Catharine Paddock, PhD
are only a handful of documented cases in the world.
Their parents Mia Washington and her fianc?©e James Harrison went public with their news last week when they contacted FOX4 to tell their
story.
Admitting she was having an affair with another man at the time the twins were conceived, Washington said she was shocked that it had happened to
her:
"I have twins, but they're by different fathers," she told the TV news company.
Washington and Harrison noticed that the twins had different facial features and decided to have a paternity test. They went to Dallas DNA Lab Clear
Diagnostics who said they had never seen a result like this before and that there was a 99.999 per cent chance that Justin and Jordan were fathered by
different men.
The highly probable result is that Jordan is Harrison's biological son and Justin's biological father is the man Washington had an affair with.
Lab Clear Diagnostics' president Genny Thibodeaux described the news as "very crazy", and "most people don't believe it can happen".
Dr Chris Dreiling, from the Paediatric Association of Dallas, who has not met the family, told Fox News that a woman can release more than one egg
during ovulation, and if she has intercourse with more than one partner at around that time, then sperm from different partners can fertilize each egg:
"Because sperm cells take a while to travel and eggs take a while to travel there can be an overlap," said Dreiling, explaining that it was a very rare
event and likely to be "the only time that we will ever see this occur in the city of Dallas".
Harrison said he will bring up the two boys as his own. He said he has forgiven his fianc?©e and promised to stay with her.
He said they are taking it day by day, "it's going to take time to build that trust like we had", he added.
Washington said she felt wary at first, thinking he would try but then give up and leave. But she said that has not happened.
"James is a good man; he's a great father and genuinely loves both of the twins," said Washington, adding that as far as she was concerned he was the
father of both boys because "he's the one there every morning when they get up and every night when they go to sleep".
Washington said she regrets her mistake and wants other people to know that this can happen.
"Don't put yourself in my shoes, because it can hurt and it does hurt, but you still have to go on with life". She had this advice for other women:
"Be careful about starting an affair - look what happened to me. Think hard about the consequences first, because the most
bizarre things can happen when you least expect it!"
Washington said she will tell her sons about their different DNA when they are old enough to understand. She has no plans to tell the other father,
although she did say "if when he is older Justin wants to meet his real dad then that's his decision".
Although rare in humans, heteropaternal superfecundation is more common in other animals such as cats and dogs, a fact that is well known to
professional breeders. Some kennel clubs for instance allow the registration of litters to more than one male dog or "sire", a phenomenon called
"multi-siring", and you can purchase DNA test kits from them for that purpose.
Sources: myFox DALLAS/FORTWORTH, Daily Mail, American Kennel Club.
: Catharine Paddock, PhD
Подписаться на:
Сообщения (Atom)