* Congenital heart disease is less common in infants whose mothers take multivitamins early in pregnancy (Am J Epidemiol, 2000; 151: 878-4), according to US research. The reduction in risk was only seen in those who began taking vitamins before or at the very start of pregnancy. No benefit was found when vitamin supplementation began after the first month of pregnancy.

* Women who exercise more than three hours a week are 31 per cent less likely to have gallstone surgery than less active women. However, even moderate exercise can produce benefits. An average of two to three hours of recreational exercise per week can reduce your risk of surgery by as much as 20 per cent (N Engl J Med, 1999; 341: 836-7).