Are serotonin reuptake-inhibiting antidepressants safe in pregnancy? We want the answer to be yes, because a lot of young women take these drugs, and some would be lost without them; and in fact two large case-control studies from North America are reassuring. They look specifically at exposure to SSRIs in the first trimester: contrary to earlier suggestions, there is no increase in the risk of craniosynostosis, omphalocele or heart defects. It is just possible that certain specific SSRIs may be associated with a small increase in risk for certain malformations – for example, sertraline and septal defects, or paroxetine and ventricular outflow stenosis, but the absolute numbers are tiny.

It is impossible to go through life as a doctor and not get a needlestick injury. This study shows that it is barely possible (1%) to go through surgical training in the USA without stabbing yourself, and that most of these incidents go unreported, though injuries in relation to high-risk patients are usually confessed and investigated. Unfortunately this paper does not interest itself in anything as hard as actual outcomes.

A couple of patients in your list of 2000 are likely to have an arteriovenous malformation of the brain, which unlike a purely arterial malformation, may result in intracranial bleeding rather than subarachnoid haemorrhage. It usually happens between the ages of 20 and 40. This straightforward account tells you all you need to know about the subject, including the latest microsurgical techniques.