Fertility & Pregnancy

Brazil Health Conference Rejects Abortion in Suggestions for Government Reported November 21, 2007 Brasilia, Brazil (LifeNews.com) -- Delegates to a national health conference in Brazil have rejected including abortion in a list of health care policy recommendations for the nation's government. Abortion advocates have been working overtime there … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding Babies Good for their HeartsReported November 07, 2007 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Breastfeeding your babies can protect their hearts as they get older. A new report from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center finds breastfed babies are less likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) when they’re adults compared to babies that are bottle-fed. … [Read more...]

UNICEF: Extreme Risks for Pregnant Women and Newborn Babies in Developing Countries Reported January 15, 2009 TORONTO, ONTARIO - Women in the world's least developed countries are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than women in developed countries, according to UNICEF's latest The State of the World's Children report, … [Read more...]

Certain Fruit Juices Shown to Have Strong Antioxidant QualitiesMarch 19, 2007 The benefits of specific types of fruit juice to fight against disease have been documented in a number of medical studies. Now, BBC News reports that a team of scientists from Glasgow University have identified purple grape, cranberry and apple juice as … [Read more...]

Smoking in pregnancy damages baby's chromosomesMar 08, 05 Mothers who smoke when they're pregnant may cause genetic damage in their babies, findings from a new study suggest. In fact, one common type of chromosome damage linked to maternal smoking is known to increase the risk of blood cancers. While smoking is known to have a number of … [Read more...]

Crohn's and PregnantReported April 23, 2009 ROCHESTER, Minn. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- More than half a million Americans have Crohn's disease -- a chronic inflammatory condition of the intestinal tract that causes stomach pain, diarrhea, low energy and joint pain. Many women worry the condition will keep them from becoming mothers, but new medicine is helping them have … [Read more...]

Diabetes Drug Slows Early Puberty in Girls Reported June 23, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – There’s new help for young girls who are at risk of going through puberty early and developing insulin resistance – a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. A new report shows the diabetes drug metformin delays the onset of menstruation and decreases the development of insulin resistance. The … [Read more...]

Mom's stress can put unborn baby at risk Reported August 12, 2008 If you're pregnant, think twice before taking on an extra project at work. Severe stress, even in the short term, might almost double the risk of having a stillbirth -- although stillbirths are rare. Stress has been linked to premature birth, high blood pressure and other health … [Read more...]

Abortion must always be about choice Reported December 18, 2007 THOSE with moral objections to abortions should not have abortions. Neither should they be allowed — in a free and democratic society — to impose their particular moral beliefs on others, nor have those beliefs imposed through the law. The fundamental point to … [Read more...]

Many mums smoke through pregnancy: report   Reported June 03, 2009 Many Australian women who smoke don't quit during pregnancy, a study shows, and when they cut back it's only by a couple of cigarettes a day. Queensland researchers studied the smoking prevalence among a group of more than 260 pregnant women at an antenatal clinic. They found 37 per … [Read more...]

Brazil Offers Morning-After Pill to Poor July 12, 2007 SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Brazil's government has added "morning after" pills to its newly expanded birth control program in hopes of helping poor people reduce unwanted pregnancies and dangerous illegal abortions. Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao announced the addition a month after … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding Better for Girls Reported June 04, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) – New information reveals breast milk may benefit girls more than boys, especially when it comes to preventing respiratory infections. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center followed 119 premature babies from Buenos Aires through their first year of life and found girls were protected more by … [Read more...]

High dietary fibre may reduce risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women Reported September 14, 2008 High dietary fibre may reduce risk of high blood pressure in pregnant womenEating a high-fibre diet can improve cholesterol levels and may reduce the risk of preeclampsia in pregnant mothers, according to a study in the American Journal of Hypertension. Preeclampsia is … [Read more...]

Cervix Size Affects Cesarean Birth Odds Reported March 28, 2008 ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Cesarean deliveries in the United States are increasing at an alarming rate. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, they’ve doubled within the last decade. Now, a new study says the size of a woman’s cervix halfway through her pregnancy may play a role in … [Read more...]

CT Scans on Pregnant WomenReported March 19, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Although they are potentially hazardous to a developing fetus, the use of CT scans on pregnant women has more than doubled in the last ten years. Used to capture internal images, radiologic imaging like nuclear medicine, CT, fluoroscopy and plain-film x-ray can help doctors diagnose potentially … [Read more...]

Diabetes Linked to Postpartum Depression?Reported March 02, 2009 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A first of its kind study discovered pregnant women and new mothers with diabetes were approximately 55 to 60 percent more likely to experience postpartum depression. Investigators at Harvard Medical School and the University of Minnesota School of Public Health gathered the research. … [Read more...]

Non-invasive screening 'halves Down's Syndrome births'June 30, 2007 Offering non-invasive screening to all pregnant women can half the number of children born with Down's Syndrome (DS), new research has found. Researchers from Denmark's Kennedy Institute found that the number of children born in the country with the condition dropped by 50 … [Read more...]

Alcohol Dependence Delays Childbearing Reported August 25, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Women with alcohol dependence (AD) may end up having fertility problems. A new study from Washington University School of Medicine finds alcohol use in both teenage and adult females can cause reproductive dysfunctions. AD in women is associated with delayed reproduction. Reproductive … [Read more...]

Age doesn’t affect physical and emotional health during pregnancy   Reported July 11, 2009 It is a socially conceived notion that older women have more problems in coping up with pregnancy, as compared to younger women. A recent study has revealed that first-time ‘older’ mums-to-be can cope with pregnancy, just the way younger mums-to-be do. The … [Read more...]

Maternal death rare in Australia Reported May 12, 2008 Australia continues to have one of the lowest maternal death rates in the world, according to a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). The report, Maternal deaths in Australia 2003–2005, shows that over the three years from 2003–2005, only … [Read more...]

The Baby Blues ... Or Something Else? Reported November 14, 2005  ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Many women suffer from postpartum depression after pregnancy. Sometimes, however, the baby blues is actually a different disorder. Mary Ellen Lukasiewicz, a mother of three, says, "I would have him sitting on my lap watching TV or reading, and I'd have a thought … [Read more...]

Largest Canadian survey on menopause reveals treatment gapsJune 21, 2007 An unprecedented 2.7 million Canadian women – or one in six – will reach menopause over the next decade. Today, more women than ever face the many disruptive symptoms that can accompany the transition towards this major life event. However, a new national survey on menopause – … [Read more...]

Young women in China too shy to ask for contraceptives November 11, 2007 Young women want more information, but need private and anonymous family planning because of judgemental attitudes surrounding premarital sex and particularly premarital pregnancy. Encouraging contraceptive use among young migrant workers in China to prevent pregnancy and … [Read more...]

Diabetes Risks Could Start in the Womb Reported May 12, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Babies with low birth weight caused by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) are at risk for developing adult-onset, type 2 diabetes. Using a rat model, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia found the expression of a gene that is critical for proper functioning of … [Read more...]

Non-invasive screening 'halves Down's Syndrome births'June 30, 2007 Offering non-invasive screening to all pregnant women can half the number of children born with Down's Syndrome (DS), new research has found. Researchers from Denmark's Kennedy Institute found that the number of children born in the country with the condition dropped by 50 … [Read more...]

Another Reason Not to Smoke While Pregnant: Birth DefectsReported August 17, 2007 FRIDAY, Aug. 17 (HealthDay News) -- One of the first things every new parent does is count the baby's fingers and toes. But, women who smoke during pregnancy may be in for an unhappy surprise, because smoking increases the odds that a baby will be born with finger or toe deformities. Just a … [Read more...]

Australian Women Become Mothers Only When Nearing Thirty Reported December 18, 2008 Australian women become mothers only when nearing thirty, and the average age of first-time mothers is around 28 years. The 16th annual report on pregnancy and childbirth in Australia released on 9 December by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare … [Read more...]

Mothers-to-be 'more willing to accept pain' than doctors Reported August 26, 2008 Mothers-to-be will also accept greater physical risks than clinicians to avoid medical intervention, researchers have found. Experts said that many doctor's view could be "biased" by their experiences in dealing with complex deliveries. For the study, … [Read more...]

Baby Blues Reported August 05, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research provides insight into the disabling depression experienced by many new mothers and may lead to better treatment. Postpartum depression has been linked to changes in steroid hormone levels in the brain, but experts believe other factors also contribute to the condition. Researchers recently observed in … [Read more...]

Bleak Outlook for Preemies Reported January 6, 2005 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- The prognosis for very premature babies is not good. A new study shows most infants born before 26 weeks gestation have moderate or severe mental impairment. Prematurity is a common and serious problem. The number of preterm births is rising each year, … [Read more...]