Children born prematurely are more likely to have medical and social disabilities in adulthood, new research says. The factors can hinder the preemies from getting a well-paid job and starting a family, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Over the last four decades, the advancement in medical science has led to better survival in premature babies but studies suggest that it may come at the cost of disabilities and hurdles in adult life

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has awarded a nearly $5 million grant to the Johns Hopkins Children's Center for the establishment of a basic and translational research center that will consolidate research, treatment and care of adult and pediatric patients under one roof, speeding up the time between research and treatment.

"This center will be a marriage of all aspects of science and treatment, from basic science and clinical research to patient care and public health research, all part of the quest to treat and ultimately cure sickle cell disease," said lead investigator Dr. James F. Casella in a statement

Brain injuries from falling account for half of all elderly deaths, a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says. In 2005, brain injuries accounted for 50 percent of unintentional fall deaths and 8 percent of nonfatal fall-related hospitalizations among older adults.

Traumatic brain injuries, which are caused by a bump or blow to the head due to a fall, caused nearly 8,000 deaths and 56,000 hospitalizations in 2005 among Americans 65 and older, the study found

Abortion rates are rising the fastest in young girls in Britain, some of them barely teenagers, official figures show.

Figures released Thursday by the Department of Health indicate that as many as 84 children underwent abortions every week in Wales and England in 2007. The figures also showed that three out of these 84 kids were below 14 years of age

The United States has seen the highest jump in the percentage of underweight babies in the past 40 years, says a nationwide report released Thursday by Kids Count.

The report is troubling because underweight babies, born at less than 5.5 pounds, face the highest infant mortality rate and are at high risk of experiencing long-term disabilities