Are expectant pandas subject to ultrasounds in the bamboo thickets of China? Probably not.
Pregnancy
Eating Poppy Seeds in Pregnancy, an Ill-Advised Habit
The advice to stop eating once labor kicks in has always seemed a bit draconian to me. Giving birth is hard work; why not munch if you’re hungry?
Study O.K.’s Light Drinking During Pregnancy. Too Good to Be True?
A glass of wine or two a week — and not more than one large glass on any occasion — may be safe during pregnancy, according to a large study just published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Is “Birth Rape” for Real?
Giving birth is not a modest affair. After a lifetime spent covering up your privates, there they are, front and center, splayed out for any ole doc or nurse to see.
Pregnant? Flu Shots Protect Moms — and Their Babies
Roll up your sleeves, moms-to-be. It’s flu-shot season, and new research released Monday shows that babies whose mothers were vaccinated during pregnancy were less likely to get the flu or to be hospitalized with respiratory …
5 Pregnancy Taboos Explained (or Debunked)
Pregnant? Probably everyone has an opinion about what you should and should not be doing. So it might be hard to ditch that extra cup of coffee after lunch or give up the European vacation you were so looking forward to, but …
Study: Smoking During Pregnancy May Result in Uncoordinated Kids
As if you needed another reason to quit smoking — especially during pregnancy — consider that women who puff while pregnant may hobble their babies’ coordination and physical control.
How the First Nine Months Shape the Rest of Your Life
In this week’s TIME cover story, author Annie Murphy Paul writes: “What makes us the way we are? Why are some people predisposed to be anxious, overweight or asthmatic? How is it that some of us are prone to heart attacks, …
Giving Birth the IKEA Way: Do It Yourself
Apparently, the Swedes take their D-I-Y very seriously, and not just for oddly named furniture. A new mother from Sundsvall in Northern Sweden called her local newspaper to complain after she was asked to clean out her own …
Why It’s Harder For Older Women to Have Healthy Babies
No one likes being labeled, but celebrate your 35th birthday and get pregnant and you’re out of luck: like it or not, the letters “AMA” get slapped across your chart.
Diagnosing Postpartum Depression with a Brain Scan
Postpartum depression strikes about 15% of mothers in the first months after delivery, but it’s not clear yet which women are at risk. Now researchers at University of Pittsburgh report on a brain-imaging test that may identify …
Osama Bin Laden as Doting Granddad?
It was hard to know how to feel when I heard that a British surrogate carrying Osama bin Laden’s twin grandchildren had lost the pregnancy in a bizarre, somewhat incomprehensible attack in Syria.
Survey: Cesarean Sections Are More Likely at For-Profit Hospitals
Pregnant and hoping to avoid a cesarean section? Chances are you’d be better off checking into a nonprofit hospital, according to a new survey released by California Watch.