SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Pregnant Mothers and Depression / Anti

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Pregnant Mothers and Depression / Anti-depression Drugs to Carry Stronger Warning / Kyoto Protocol¹ To B...
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Broadcast: Tuesday, November 09, 2004

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VOICE ONE:

Welcome to Science in the News in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty².

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Sarah Long. This week: a plan for limiting climate change moves one step closer to enactment³ as an international treaty and American officials agree to increase warnings on antidepressant drugs.

VOICE ONE:

 
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But first, how deep sadness in a pregnant woman or new mothers could affect her baby.

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VOICE ONE:

A new study examines how depression in pregnant women can influence the health of their babies. Earlier studies showed that ten to fifteen percent of pregnant women and new mothers in Western nations suffer from depression. Other studies have shown that almost two times as many women in developing countries have this problem.

Atif Rahman of the University of Manchester in England led the new study. His team linked depression in Pakistani women to lower weight in their babies during the first year of life. It also linked depressed⁵ mothers with the emotional health and development in their babies.

VOICE TWO:

Doctor Rahman's team studied six hundred thirty-two women from areas with small populations near the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The women were in good physical health and in the last three months of pregnancy⁶.

One hundred sixty of the women were identified as depressed. They had lost interest and pleasure in normal life. They always felt sad or tired. They had problems eating or sleeping. They felt guilty and thought about killing⁷ themselves.

VOICE ONE:

The depressed women were compared with one hundred sixty women with normal emotional health. Health workers then weighed and measured the babies of both groups of mothers. They did this when the babies were born. They also examined the babies at ages two, six and twelve months.

At these times, the health workers studied the emotional health of the mothers. Babies whose mothers remained depressed grew considerably⁸ less than the babies of the other women. In addition, the babies of the depressed mothers were more likely to suffer from the intestinal⁹ problem, diarrhea.

Doctor Rahman says the environment in poor countries may make it difficult to care for a baby. For example, water must be boiled. Supplies must be cleaned before use. A depressed mother may find it harder to do these things.

VOICE TWO:

Doctor Rahman plans an effort to help depressed mothers in Pakistan next year. For ten years, that country has employed health workers called "lady health workers." They visit new mothers and babies for up to a year. The workers offer advice about health and cleanliness.

Doctor Rahman plans to add to this program. He wants the lady health worker to provide special help to the mother. The worker will listen sympathetically to her problems. The worker also will give the mother a few easy things to do. Then, on the next visit, she may be able to tell the mother that she has helped her baby's growth. The program will be tested over several years to learn if it is a success.

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VOICE ONE:

The United States Food and Drug Administration has ordered drug makers¹⁰ to place strong warnings on all antidepressant drugs. The announcement comes a month after an advisory¹¹ committee agreed that recent studies showed a need for the strengthened warnings.

F.D.A. officials say the studies found that some children and young adults who use the drugs have an increased risk of suicidality. The officials describe suicidality as thoughts or actions involving taking one's life.

The increased risk of suicidality was identified in short-term testing of nine antidepressant drugs. More than four thousand four-hundred young people took part in a total of twenty-four studies. They suffered from major depressive disorder¹², obsessive-compulsive disorder or other mental health problems.

VOICE TWO:

The results showed an increased risk of suicidality during the first few months of treatment. Those taking antidepressant drugs had a four percent risk of suicidality. That is two times greater than those taking a harmless substance, or placebo¹³. No suicides were reported during the studies.

The new warnings will appear on containers for all antidepressant drugs. They will be written in heavy black letters, surrounded with a black line.

These "black box" warnings will inform patients that antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and actions in children and young adults. It will advise health care providers that patients should be watched closely for any unusual changes, such as worsening of depression, excitability or suicidality.

Family members and caregivers are advised to watch for these changes every day. These changes should be reported to the patient's doctor.

VOICE ONE:

The Food and Drug Administration also says it plans to develop a medication guide for patients. F.D.A. officials say patients will receive this MedGuide every time they receive antidepressant drugs or when there is a change in the amount they should take. The MedGuide will inform the patient of drug risks. Also, it will state if the drug is approved for young people.

The black box warnings and patient medication guide are the strongest warnings that the federal government can order without banning the drugs. Officials say computer users can read the warnings on F.D.A.'s Web site, www.fda.gov.

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VOICE TWO:

The President of Russia has signed a bill confirming his country's approval of the Kyoto Protocol. The signing clears the way for the agreement to come into force early next year.

The Russian government announced that President Vladimir Putin signed the bill last Thursday. Both houses of the Russian parliament approved the Kyoto Protocol last month.

The Kyoto Protocol aims to reduce the amount of pollution released into the environment. Some scientists say carbon dioxide and other industrial gases are to blame for climate changes around the world. The scientists say such gases build up in the atmosphere and trap heat below. They say this results in increasing temperatures and rising sea levels.

VOICE ONE:

The Kyoto Protocol was negotiated in nineteen-ninety-seven at an international conference in Kyoto, Japan. It requires industrial nations to reduce the amount of industrial gases released, or emissions¹⁴, to below the levels of nineteen-ninety.

Nations responsible for fifty-five percent of the world's industrial emissions must approve the agreement before it can go into effect. By last month, more than one hundred twenty nations had approved the agreement. These nations represent forty-four percent of all industrial emissions.

The European Union and many industrial nations have already approved the Kyoto Protocol. They will receive credit for their own emissions if they invest in cleaner technologies in developing nations. Developing nations will not have to meet the emissions requirements of the agreement.

VOICE TWO:

Russia's approval became necessary after the United States rejected the Kyoto Protocol. The United States produced thirty-six percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions in nineteen-ninety.

In that year, Russia produced about seventeen percent of all carbon dioxide emissions. For years, Russia had delayed approval of the Kyoto Protocol because of economic concerns. Recently, however, the European Union pressured Russia to accept the treaty. In exchange, the E-U agreed to support Russian membership in the World Trade Organization.

Russia will now report its approval of the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations. Ninety days later, the terms of the agreement will take effect.

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VOICE TWO:

This program was written by Lawan Davis, Jill Moss¹⁵ and Jerilyn Watson. Cynthia Kirk was our producer. And, our engineer was Dwayne Collins. I'm Sarah Long.

VOICE ONE:

And I'm Bob Doughty. We would like to hear from you. Write to us at Special English, Voice of America, Washington, D.C., two-zero-two-thirty-seven, U.S.A. Or listeners with computers can send electronic messages to [email protected]. Join us again next week for Science in the News in VOA Special English.

1 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

2 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

3 enactment   

n.演出，担任…角色；制订，通过

参考例句：

• Enactment refers to action.演出指行为的表演。
• We support the call for the enactment of a Bill of Rights.我们支持要求通过《权利法案》的呼声。

4 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

5 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

6 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 considerably   

adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上

参考例句：

• The economic situation has changed considerably.经济形势已发生了相当大的变化。
• The gap has narrowed considerably.分歧大大缩小了。

9 intestinal   

adj.肠的；肠壁；肠道细菌

参考例句：

• A few other conditions are in high intestinal obstruction. 其它少数情况是高位肠梗阻。 来自辞典例句
• This complication has occasionally occurred following the use of intestinal antiseptics. 这种并发症偶而发生在使用肠道抗菌剂上。 来自辞典例句

10 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

12 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

13 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。

14 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

15 moss   

n.苔，藓，地衣

参考例句：

• Moss grows on a rock.苔藓生在石头上。
• He was found asleep on a pillow of leaves and moss.有人看见他枕着树叶和苔藓睡着了。