Childbirth News and Research

Latest Childbirth News and Research

Online interactive world map of maternal health

Researchers from the University of Southampton have helped construct an online interactive world map which gives stark facts and figures about the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and following the birth of their child.

20 Nov 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

New This Week In The Kaiser Global Health Policy Tracker: The President's Malaria Initiative announced a new focus country and USAID released a new fact sheet on the agency's reform initiative. Kaiser's Policy Tracker provides a timely single reference point for the latest information on congressional and administration action on global health.

20 Nov 2010

UNICEF report identifies factors helping, hindering efforts to drive down FGM/C in five African countries

A report released on Thursday by UNICEF highlights the recent progress made in reducing the practice of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) despite ongoing social pressures to continue the practice in five African countries, Deutsche Presse-Agentur/M&C reports (11/18).

19 Nov 2010

New online interactive world map gives facts about maternal health

19 Nov 2010

Urgent action needed to address urban health inequities

A new report published today by WHO and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) shows for the first time how ill-health is linked to poverty in cities, and not just among the poorest urban populations. It calls for policymakers to take action targeting health inequities.

18 Nov 2010

Children's heart disease affects mental health of mothers

Mothers of children with severe heart disease are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than mothers of healthy children, even once any medical interventions are over.

18 Nov 2010

Active management of third stage of labour leads to less blood loss

Active management of the third stage of labour means that women lose less blood than with a more expectant approach, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, in conjunction with Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

17 Nov 2010

Researchers find additional work of oxytocin hormone

New human research suggests the chemical oxytocin dubbed the "cuddle hormone" because of its importance in bonding between romantic partners and mothers and children also influences feelings of well-being and sensitivity to advertising.

15 Nov 2010

Mutual accountability on women's and children's health goals essential to Millennium Development Goal success

This year, governments, foundations, businesses, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations and health care professional associations publicly pledged more than $ 40 billion* to improve maternal and child health and save million of lives.

12 Nov 2010

mHealth Alliance annual summit kicks off with $1M HP donation, discussion of improving maternal, child health

The mHealth Alliance on Monday at its summit in Washington, D.C., "announced a two-year $1 million aggregate donation from HP" aimed at furthering the alliance's goal of delivering quality health care "at the furthest reaches of wireless networks and mobile devices," mobihealthnews reports.

10 Nov 2010

Undergraduate students win Gates Foundation grant for low-cost ultrasound system

A team of University of Washington undergraduate students was among 65 research groups that today learned they had won one of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's $100,000 Grand Challenges Explorations grants.

10 Nov 2010

New research shows psychoprophylaxis can help tocophobic men

New research, presented in a doctoral thesis from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet, shows that psychoprophylaxis can help men with tocophobia (fear of childbirth).

9 Nov 2010

Mobile technology improves diagnosis and treatment for mothers, newborns and children

Simple mobile technology, like basic cell phones, can be used to save the lives of mothers in childbirth, and improve the care of newborns and children, reaching underserved populations in remote areas.

9 Nov 2010

White House Health Advisor Emanuel visits U.S. government-funded health programs during 3-nation African trip

The global fight against malaria could cut prevalence rates of malaria to one in 20 fevers by 2017, Special Advisor on Health Policy to the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget Ezekiel Emanuel said in an interview in Dakar, Senegal, Bloomberg reports.

2 Nov 2010

Largest annual Pregnancy Wellness report distributed to millions

MediaPlanet published the largest Pregnancy Wellness report distributed to millions with the help of The American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG), The March of Dimes, in support of Prematurity Awareness Month this November and with Every Little Bottom Campaign, Huggies, Best for Babes, and Peggy O'Mara, Mothering Magazine and much more.

30 Oct 2010

Slivers of frozen ovaries allow for childbirth later in life

According a US fertility expert, young women should freeze parts of their ovaries if they want to postpone motherhood until later in life. This advice came from Dr Sherman Silber at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting in Denver.

28 Oct 2010

Study demonstrates changing levels of nitrite and nitrate in breast milk

Ask someone in the know to list the substances in breast milk that make it the ideal food for newborns and you may hear about proteins that guard against infection, fats that aid in the development of the nervous system and carbohydrates that promote the growth of healthy bacteria. But, you may not hear too much about the nitrite and nitrate in breast milk and their contributions to developing gastrointestinal, immune and cardiovascular systems.

27 Oct 2010

FDA approves Roche's real-time PCR COBAS TaqMan HCV Test, v2.0

Roche announced today that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the real-time PCR COBAS® TaqMan® HCV Test, v2.0. Clinical research organizations have depended on COBAS® TaqMan® technology to support hepatitis C pharmaceutical trials and development.

25 Oct 2010

Opinions: U.S. aid for Haiti delays; U.S. Medical Education Initiative

In a Washington Examiner opinion piece, Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) writes about U.S. aid to Haiti and addresses allegations that he is holding up funding The situation in Haiti is confusing, but there are some things we know. First, we know that immediately after the earthquake the United States responded quickly and compassionately with aid and relief.

25 Oct 2010

Motherhood helps women grow their grey matter: Study

According to the latest research motherhood helps women grow their grey matter. The study was conducted by scientists at the National Institute of Mental Health in Maryland and it showed that the brains of new mothers substantially gained in nerve cells while they coped with the steep learning curve of dealing with a newborn. Also in a bizarre way, mothers who ‘gushed’ the most about their babies showed the greatest growth in key parts of the brain.

24 Oct 2010