Studies conducted by Harris Interactive in August 2005 for the American Society for Microbiology and the Soap and Detergent Association find that while 91-percent of American adults say they always wash their hands after using public restrooms, only 83-percent actually do.

Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 people at six public attractions in four major cities, observing whether they washed their hands after using the restroom. Ninety percent of the women observed washed their hands, compared to 75-percent of men

Norwegian scientists studying the health records of 43,000 men and women have shown that smoking less than five cigarettes daily triples the risk of dying of heart disease or lung cancer.

"In both sexes, smoking 1-4 cigarettes per day was associated with a significantly higher risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease and from all causes, and from lung cancer in women," said Dr Aage Tverdal of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo

Norwegian scientists studying the health records of 43,000 men and women have shown that smoking less than five cigarettes daily triples the risk of dying of heart disease or lung cancer.

"In both sexes, smoking 1-4 cigarettes per day was associated with a significantly higher risk of dying from ischaemic heart disease and from all causes, and from lung cancer in women," said Dr Aage Tverdal of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo

Doctors warn that obesity increases a pregnant women's risk of miscarriage and other serious, even life-threatening complications such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

They say the higher the body mass index a woman has, the higher the chance of a Caesarean section

According to a group of London-based fertility specialists the increase in women over 35 having children is cause for some alarm.

They say the best age for pregnancy remains 20 to 35