Monday, October 04, 2010

"Fetal origins" headline FAIL

"At Risk From the Womb"?  Really, Nicholas Kristof/New York Times?  I bet you a million bucks that the embryo/fetus would be at much bigger risk without a womb.  And, a womb is not really a decision-making entity, so when you say "at risk from the womb" you are implying "at risk from the woman in charge of the womb, so wouldn't it would be better if somebody else were in charge because she might make bad decisions or be stressed out or something."   And, the actual information in the story makes it clear that, in fact, it's stuff outside the womb that there is evidence affects "fetal outcomes"--floods, war, environmental pollutants.  So I think your headline writers need to step away from the blaming-the-lady-with-the-womb party. 

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