By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Why women in Europe may suddenly start getting pregnant
a7f09e716ad356915df10e683a30a09fc043f56e6ad719ae25918faca6750943
Soccer fans in Britain are pressuring families to get pregnant so they can take their paternity leave next summer during the Euro soccer competition. Here's what that means. - photo by Herb Scribner
Theres a new trend among soccer fans in Britain: Women are being encouraged to get pregnant now in hopes of taking maternity leave in time for next summers Euro 2016, a mini-sized version for the World Cup that pits European countries against each other in a soccer tournament, The Bristol Post reported.

Soccer fans have supported this trend on social media, encouraging families to get pregnant this fall so that theyll receive time off in nine months, around the time the Euro tournament kicks off, The Bristol Post reported.

The forward-thinking fans have calculated that there is nine months until the competition, and, by conceiving now, parents across the UK will be free to watch the footie thanks to maternity and paternity leave, The Bristol Post reported.

Though this movement is somewhat tongue-in-cheek theres no official data about whether or not partners are purposefully getting pregnant in time for the Euro it does say something about pregnancy trends and how people tend to get pregnant because of social pressures from friends, coworkers and family.

Data show that women are more likely to get pregnant when their friends do, which I wrote about in November of last year. Researchers from Bocconi University and the University of Groningen found that the likeliness of a woman getting pregnant increases within two years of when her friend got pregnant.

Friends are an important learning source, Nicoletta Balbo, a postdoctoral fellow at Bocconi University, said in a press release. Becoming a parent is a radical change. By observing their friends, people learn how to fulfill this new role."

Fertility may also spread among co-workers, as was reported last year. In fact, a 2010 study found that co-workers, especially when they were of similar pay scale and age, have a strong influence in inspiring their co-workers to grow their families.

A larger study from the University of Texas looked at pregnancy trends and found the holiday season is peak time for conception. Thats why families are more likely to get pregnant in December. In fact, 9 percent of American conceptions occur in the last month of the year, according to The Daily Beast.

The studys researchers said December is such a popular month because the weather keeps people indoors and the holiday festivities inspire people to grow their families, The Daily Beast reported.

Of course, theres no benefit to having a baby in one season over another. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association found that all months leave newborns vulnerable to contracting certain long-term health issues. Babies born in the summer months who were conceived in winter were more likely to develop heart disease issues, the study said.

So though events, seasons and friendships may inspire you to get pregnant, the final decision is up to you.

To help decide if youre ready or not, WebMD has some has some essential facts and questions you may want to consider before trying to conceive.
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
93cbd7a5475cccd1cee701424125d3abaa9b4beaa58d3663208f656cbbbd7661
A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.