Childbirth News and Research

Latest Childbirth News and Research

Elective Caesarean births put babies at three times the risk of dying

Researchers in the U.S. say that babies born by Caesarean section rather than normal birth, are three times more likely to die.

7 Sep 2006

All pregnant women have at least one kind of pesticide in their placenta

Human beings are directly responsible for more than 110,000 chemical substances which have been generated since the Industrial Revolution.

1 Sep 2006

Obstetric fistula: Guiding principles for clinical management and programme development

The World Health Organization (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and supermodel Liya Kebede has highlighted the plight of millions of women and girls living with obstetric fistula.

1 Sep 2006

A look at available birthing methods

The Washington Post on Tuesday examined five birthing methods available to pregnant women.

24 Aug 2006

Women's health policy highlights

Highlights recently released from journal articles on women's health issues

24 Aug 2006

HIV treatment access reaches over 1 million in sub-Saharan Africa

WHO HIV/AIDS Director Dr Kevin De Cock reported that the number of people receiving HIV antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa has surpassed 1 million for the first time, a ten-fold increase in treatment access in the region since December 2003.

16 Aug 2006

Understanding postpartum depression critical to improving care for mothers and infants

Physicians should screen mothers for postpartum depression regularly for at least a year following childbirth to better identify women who develop symptoms throughout the year and those whose depression persists, University of Rochester Medical Center researchers say.

26 Jul 2006

Childbirth experience can be improved with the help of a trusted friend

A recent study shows that women who received continuous support in labor by a female support person trained as a "lay doula" had significantly shorter labors, lower cesarean rates, and higher APGAR scores for their newborns.

19 Jul 2006

Growing spinal cord nerves after injury

In tests on rats, researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Michigan have developed a treatment that helps spinal cord nerves regrow after injury.

18 Jul 2006

Study shows high survival for patients with torn aortas who get surgery

Nearly three years ago, actor John Ritter collapsed on the set of his sitcom, the victim of a rare but often deadly condition called aortic dissection - a tear in the largest blood vessel in the body.

11 Jul 2006

'Love hormone' oxytocin may help battle stress

According to new research a hormone that relaxes women during childbirth and breastfeeding has other uses.

21 Jun 2006

New push to tackle priorities in sexual and reproductive health

Leaders of the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, are coordinating action to reverse the global trend of deteriorating levels of sexual and reproductive health and reduce the adverse impact on mothers, babies and young people.

20 Jun 2006

Female genital mutilation exposes women and babies to significant risk at childbirth

Women who have had Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) are significantly more likely to experience difficulties during childbirth and that their babies are more likely to die as a result of the practice.

4 Jun 2006

Abortion pill in trouble again

Clostridium sordellii is a rare germ that has killed four women who took the abortion pill RU-486 and has also been implicated in the deaths of at least 11 other women following childbirth or miscarriage.

11 May 2006

When it comes to mothers and babies, top spot to be is Sweden

According to a report by the U.S. charity Save the Children, Scandinavian countries lead the stakes when it comes to the top countries to be a mother, while Australia along with the Netherlands ties for 7th place and countries in sub-Saharan Africa dominate the bottom tier.

10 May 2006

Music may be a good complement to pain-relief drugs

Medication is the best, first choice to treat pain following surgery, but music may be a good complement to pain-relief drugs, according to a new review of clinical studies.

18 Apr 2006

Breast implants not associated with an increased risk of cancer

Implants were associated with a decrease in breast cancer risk and an increased lung cancer risk, but these results likely reflect the lifestyles and smoking habits of the women in the study rather than an effect of the implants themselves, the authors conclude.

18 Apr 2006