This Week in Health: Most of us use Facebook to creep on our ex

Location of study: Canada

Results: Feeling not quite over your last breakup? According to a recent study, it doesn’t look like social media will help you heal any quicker. In fact, researchers from Western University report that a whopping 88 percent of Facebook users “creep” on ex-partners. “Even those who did not actively attempt to view an ex-partner’s Facebook profile found themselves inadvertently doing so when content the ex-partner posted appeared in their news feeds,” Anabel Quan-Haase, a Western University professor, said in a press release.

Significance: Above all, researchers say the most significant finding was that most people became particularly stressed out when they saw content their ex-partner had shared on Facebook. This often prompted those in mid-breakup to review the digital history they shared with their ex. Dwelling on these memories typically led to confusion surrounding the split.

Location of study: U.S.

Study subjects: Over 4,600 HIV-positive adults

Results: New research is igniting optimism among HIV experts worldwide. According to a recent study, starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) ahead of World Health Organization guidelines could dramatically improve overall health. More specifically, it may significantly reduce the risk of developing AIDS. What’s more is the study also found that earlier ART was associated with decreased likelihood of transmitting HIV to uninfected people.

Significance: “We now have clear-cut proof that it is of significantly greater health benefit to an HIV-infected person to start antiretroviral therapy sooner rather than later,” Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a press release. “Moreover, early therapy conveys a double benefit, not only improving the health of individuals but at the same time, by lowering their viral load, reducing the risk they will transmit HIV to others.”

Location of study:Sweden

Results: In most countries, cutting a newborn’s umbilical cord within 10 seconds of birth is the norm. Now new research is spotlighting the potential benefits of delayed cord clamping, also known as DCC. Researchers say that leaving the umbilical cord in place for those few extra minutes allows blood to continue flowing into the baby’s circulation. This, in turn, provides the newborn with extra blood, which appears to stave off iron deficiencies later down the line. A newer study now suggests that DCC is associated with better fine motor skills years later.

Significance: According to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, a standard time to wait before cutting the umbilical cord has yet to be established. However, the ACOG does recognize the benefits of DCC for preterm infants. In addition to increasing blood volume, leaving the cord attached for 30 to 60 seconds after birth can possibly cut the risk of intraventricular hemorrhage in half.