Fertility & Pregnancy

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...]

Girl could give birth to her sister July 4, 2007 A seven-year-old girl could one day give birth to her biological half-brother or half-sister after her mother became the first woman to donate eggs to her infertile daughter. Melanie Boivin, 35, from Montreal, has placed 21 of her eggs on ice for Flavie Boivin to use when she grows up. … [Read more...]

Women stressed during pregnancy have unhappy kids Reported December 03, 2008 Sydney (IANS): Women stressed during pregnancy were more likely to have children with a higher risk of developing behavioural and emotional problems. Researchers analysed data from more than 1,700 children in the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study, … [Read more...]

Benefits of Natural Birth Reported September 08, 2008 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- One of nature’s strongest bonds is the one shared between a mother and her child. New research suggests mothers who deliver vaginally may have a heightened bond with their babies compared to mothers who deliver via caesarean section (c-section). Researchers found mothers who delivered their babies … [Read more...]

Breastfeeding Decreases Risk of Diabetes Reported November 23, 2005   (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Type 2 diabetes mellitus affects nearly 9 million adult women in the United States. New research, however, may help lower that number. According to a recent study, women who breastfeed longer have a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Alison M. Stuebe, M.D., from Brigham … [Read more...]

Birth-control pills, low birth weight linkedReported March 09, 2009 Women who get pregnant within a few weeks of taking birth-control pills seem much more likely than others to have low birth-weight or premature babies, concludes a new Canadian study that deals with one of the most widely prescribed classes of drugs. The findings suggest couples should consider using … [Read more...]

Women who have abortions face numerous health issues Reported July 04, 2008 Our nation's highest civilian honour has been bestowed upon Dr. Henry Morgentaler, thereby granting him official recognition for his contributions to health care and humanitarian work in Canada. Uh huh. So what exactly are those contributions? Dr. (I use this term loosely) Morgentaler made abortion … [Read more...]

New moms need more time to breastfeed November 24, 2007 Chinese women should be given more maternity leave to better breastfeed their babies, in line with World Health Organization recommendations, a leading pediatrician suggests. Mothers feed their babies during a breastfeeding campaign in Indonesia's Java province August 14, 2007. … [Read more...]

Detecting Danger in NewbornsReported August 22, 2007 TORONTO, Canada (Ivanhoe Broadcast News) -- Fetal anemia is a dangerous pregnancy complication that can wreak havoc on unborn babies. Detecting the condition in the womb is vital, but it takes an invasive procedure to do so. Now, there may be an easier way to spot the condition in moms and babies. Little Warren is … [Read more...]

Gender-bending chemical timebomb fear for boys' fertility Reported May 23, 2009 Chemicals in food, cosmetics and cleaning products are 'feminising' unborn boys and raising their risk of cancer and infertility later in life, an expert warns today. Professor Richard Sharpe, one of Britain's leading reproductive biologists, says everyday substances are … [Read more...]

'Don’t drink' warning for pregnant womenMarch 18, 2007 Women will be told not to drink alcohol while pregnant or when trying for a baby, under Government plans to stick warning labels on bottles of booze. Health ministers have met drinks industry bosses to encourage them to label bottles of wine, spirits and beer with a message of … [Read more...]