Fertility & Pregnancy

Abortion - No Longer a Taboo SubjectJuly 14, 2007 BUENOS AIRES - Capitalising on a more favourable public opinion, an alliance of civil society organisations in Argentina presented to Congress a draft law Monday for the legalisation of abortion in a country where illegal abortions are the main cause of maternal mortality. On the … [Read more...]

A women's health specialist In Papua New Guinea says a poorly manufactured birth control pill could result in unwanted pregnancies. Radio Australia's Firmin Nanol reports that the professor of gynaecology at the University of PNG's Medical School says a birth control pill being given to women is of poor quality. Professor Glen Mola says the pill, Planak, made in Indonesia … [Read more...]

Ten per cent of pregnant women victims of violence - study Reported August 13, 2008 Almost 10 per cent of pregnant woman are victims of violence during pregnancy, putting their unborn children at risk, new research suggests. Two studies from of Auckland University, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and … [Read more...]

China's One-child Policy Reveals Complexity, Effectiveness July 15, 2007 Science Daily — The first systematic examination of China’s fertility policy and practice reveals that, despite government exemptions in rural areas, 63 percent of Chinese couples are strictly limited to one child. Furthermore, the policy has proven remarkably effective, with … [Read more...]

CMV Vaccine for NewbornsReported October 29, 2007 MINNEAPOLIS (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Most adults have had the virus known as CMV, or cytomegalovirus, and they probably didn't even know it. But if an unborn baby is infected with the virus -- through his or her mother -- the consequences are very serious. CMV is the second leading cause of mental retardation, after Down … [Read more...]

Depression Increases Preterm Delivery Risk Reported October 24, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research reveals there may be a significant link between depression during pregnancy and preterm delivery. Preterm delivery (delivery at less than 37 weeks gestation) is the leading cause of infant mortality and morbidity. It’s also the leading reason behind medical expenditure … [Read more...]

Fish benefits outweigh risks for pregnant women, study finds Reported September 10, 2008 Pregnant women who want to eat the best diet for their babies worry about fish. Fish are rich in DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid essential to brain growth, but many of the most commonly eaten fish are contaminated by mercury, a toxin that can damage the developing … [Read more...]

Domestic Violence Underreported by Doctors Reported November 25, 2005   (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research shows many doctors are not keeping track when patients report domestic violence. Researchers from Harvard in Boston along with several other institutions across the country analyzed the content of doctors' reports on patients who reported domestic violence in a … [Read more...]

Abortion and breast cancer - get the word out - NCI StudyMarch 7, 2007 There is probably no more hotly debated topic today than abortion. And a lot of people are tired of hearing about it. The bottom line tends to be that most people want to do what they want without consequence. But that is just not reality. ALL choices have … [Read more...]

New Law to Provide for Free Birth ControlJuly 10, 2007 BUENOS AIRES - The Argentine Congress passed a new law on reproductive health that provides for free birth control methods and advice to women nationwide, and will help prevent teen pregnancy, back-alley abortions, cancer of the reproductive system and breasts, and the spread … [Read more...]

Few docs ask about alcohol in pregnancy Reported May 15, 2008 Few pediatricians routinely ask about alcohol use during pregnancy and only 12 per cent give advice consistent with national health guidelines, a study has found. Professor Elizabeth Elliott said a four-year national investigation of foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) by the Australian … [Read more...]

Warnings Botox can cause birth defects Reported January 27, 2009 Botox can cause birth defects, women contemplating the anti-wrinkle treatment have been warned. The Cosmetic Physicians Society of Australasia (CPSA) on Tuesday urged its members to stick to national guidelines for the use of Botox. It follows reports last month of a case in … [Read more...]

Predictive Pain Tests Good Before Surgery Reported October 26, 2005   (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Simple tests before surgery can predict the intensity of pain patients will have and how much medication they will need after the surgery. Peter H. Pan, M.D., from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., says, "Requirements for pain medication and the … [Read more...]

Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy, USA 2002 Alcohol use during pregnancy is associated with health problems that adversely affect the mother and fetus; no level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy has been determined safe. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is recognized as the foremost preventable condition involving neurobehavioral and developmental … [Read more...]

Preeclampsia is a disorder that affects up to 300,000 women in the United States each year. The disease is characterized by high blood pressure and protein-rich urine in expectant women, and it can cause serious harm to both mother and child. With three kids ages 12, 4, and 2, Charis Johnson has her hands full -- but she’s not complaining. “My kids, are my world,” Charis … [Read more...]

C-sections Risky for Mother and BabyReported November 01, 2007 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Women who want to schedule a C-section may want to re-think that decision. New research from Latin America shows non-emergency caesarean births double the risk of illness or death compared to giving birth vaginally. Researchers looked at data from 97,307 deliveries in eight Latin American … [Read more...]

Use of morning-after pill doubles if sold over counter, study findsTuesday, March 29, 2005 Making the so-called "morning-after pill" available without a prescription has more than doubled demand for the drug in British Columbia, and suggests that emergency contraception is greatly underused in the rest of the country, according to a new … [Read more...]

Emergency Contraception Does Not Reduce Unintended Pregnancy Rate July 15, 2007 Science Daily — The "morning after pill" may be a good option for individual women in crisis, but advance access to emergency contraception is no antidote for the national problem of unintended pregnancy. Contrary to the fears of critics, the presence of Plan B does not … [Read more...]

Fish oil in pregnancy cuts asthma risk Reported July 09, 2008 Mothers who take fish oil supplements in late pregnancy could reduce the chance of their child developing asthma, a new study claims. Currently in Ireland, around 20% of children are affected by asthma. The findings also indicate that fish oil supplements lower the risk of pre-term … [Read more...]