Search Results

Overview of Obesity Facts about obesity Overweight and obesity together make up one of the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S. Obesity is a chronic disease that can seriously affect your health. Overweight means that you have extra body weight. Obesity means having a

Scars What is a scar? A scar is the body's natural way of healing and replacing lost or damaged skin. It's often made of fibrous tissue. Scars may form due to infections, surgery, injuries, or inflammation of tissue. They may appear anywhere on the body. A scar may look flat

Labor What is labor? Labor is when the uterus contracts again and again to help the cervix open (dilate) and to thin (efface). The contractions get stronger with time. This causes the baby to move through the birth canal. Labor usually starts 2 weeks before or after the estimated

Viral Hepatitis Overview What is hepatitis? Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. The liver is located in the upper right part of the belly (abdomen). Hepatitis can be caused by a virus that leads to damage of liver cells. Hepatitis has 2 types: Acute hepatitis. This type

Congenital Heart Disease According to the American Heart Association, about 9 of every 1,000 babies born in the U.S. have a congenital heart defect. This is a problem that occurs as the baby's heart is developing during pregnancy, before the baby is born. Congenital heart defects

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) What are sexually transmitted infections (STIs)? STIs are infections passed from person to person through sexual contact. They may also be called STDs for sexually transmitted diseases. Millions of new cases are diagnosed every year in the U

Rett Syndrome in Children What is Rett syndrome in children? Rett syndrome is a rare genetic developmental and neurological disorder. It almost exclusively affects girls. Children with this disorder often develop normally for their first 6 to 18 months. After that, they start to

Acquired Hypothyroidism in Children What is hypothyroidism in a child? Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone. The condition is more common in adults. But it’s the most common thyroid disorder in children. Not enough thyroid hormone leads to

MRSA Infection in Children What is MRSA in children? Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is a type of bacteria. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a staph infection that has become resistant to many antibiotics commonly used to treat staph infections. MRSA is usually

Fanconi Anemia in Children What is Fanconi anemia in children? Fanconi anemia is a blood disorder. The bone marrow either doesn't make enough blood cells or it makes abnormal blood cells. Bone marrow is the spongy material inside bones. It makes white and red blood cells, and