Shari Roan

LOS ANGELES -- Deaths from pregnancy-related causes, which usually occur around the time of childbirth, have risen dramatically in the United States in the last decade. In a report released Tuesday, a committee investigating such deaths in California cited an increase in cesarean-section births as a major contributor to the disturbing trend.

The report was issued by the California Pregnancy-Related and Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review, a committee of experts who investigated the increase in maternal mortality. Deaths related to pregnancy in California have risen from 8.0 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1999 to 14.0 deaths per 100,000 births in 2008. The report reflects only data from 2002 to 2003 but shows a marked change in the safety of giving birth in California, especially for black women and poor women.

LOS ANGELES -- Colic is a nightmare -- for baby and parents. The condition, in which an infant cries inconsolably, is poorly understood and there is no surefire treatment. That's why parents often turn to complementary and alternative medicines for help. But a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics finds evidence is lacking that CAM therapies are effective.

Researchers in England pooled the results of 15 studies that looked at CAM therapies for colic. All of the studies were randomized, controlled trials, but all also had flaws in design or methodology.

Overall, the studies suggested that some therapies may help soothe colicky babies. These include fennel extract, mixed herbal tea (containing chamomile, vervain, licorice, fennel and balm-mint) and sugar solutions. But, the authors of the paper said, "all trials have major limitations" that make it hard to verify benefits.

LOS ANGELES -- Sleep deprivation just isn't a good idea for most people. Besides the increase in accidents and poor work and school performance due to the fatigue, a new study shows sleep loss can also lead to skewed thinking and bad decisions.

This must be why students who pull an all-nighter studying for an exam often believe they did great on the test -- that is, until the grade comes in. Researchers found that a night of sleep deprivation boosts production of brain regions that assess positive outcomes and minimizes the parts of the brain that analyzes negative outcomes. What this is means is that tired people may make riskier choices in decisions that involve avoiding loss and pursuing gain.

LOS ANGELES -- A child's fever is scary for parents. It doesn't matter how high the temperature is. If it's low, you're worried it's going to rise. If it's high, you're worried about why it's so high and what you should do about it.

But parents should take a deep breath, pediatricians advised in a report published Monday. Many times, parents overreact to a child's fever, they said. A fever is one of the most common reasons that parents take their children to the doctor, but visits may not be necessary. Nor are over-the-counter fever-reducing medications needed in all cases.

LOS ANGELES -- Knee replacement surgery has become common in the last 30 years, and more younger people with bad knees are considering the surgery. A study presented Wednesday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting may reassure them that the replacement should hold up for a long time.

LOS ANGELES -- Breast cancer survival rates have improved in recent years, and women have more treatment choices, including -- in cases of early-stage cancer -- the opportunity to forgo chemotherapy. A new study shows, however, that women who undergo chemotherapy experience more symptoms in the year after surgery.

LOS ANGELES -- Women do not suffer mental health problems such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of having an abortion, researchers reported Wednesday.

The study, published by Danish scientists in the New England Journal of Medicine, adds to a growing body of scientific literature that has failed to find abortion causes psychological problems, as some abortion opponents have asserted.