To mark the second annual World Prematurity Day, there is both encouraging and discouraging news about premature birth trends.
Pregnancy
Pollutants Linked to Lower Fertility in Both Men and Women
It makes sense that what we’re exposed to can affect our health, including our fertility. And the latest research shows exactly how much.
11.7%
Study: Four Treatable Conditions Cause Most Pregnancy-Related Infections
Pregnancy-related infections are one of the leading causes of death among pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries — but most of these infections are treatable and preventable, researchers say.
Mom’s Exposure to Mercury Linked to Kids’ ADHD Symptoms
Aside from occupational exposure, most people are exposed to mercury by eating fish — yet eating fish is good for moms and babies. So, what are pregnant women to do?
New York City Offers Plan B to High School Students
In Jan. 2011, New York City quietly launched a pilot program to dispense free prescription contraceptives, including birth control pills and the morning-after pill, Plan B, to students at more than a dozen public high schools in the city.
What Does Dad’s Job Have to Do with Baby’s Birth Defects?
A study draws some unexpected links between a father’s job — mathematician, for example, along with office workers and artists — and a greater likelihood of birth defects in his offspring
Why Having a Large Baby May Raise Your Risk of Breast Cancer
New research shows that women who have larger babies have more than twice the risk of breast cancer, compared with mothers who give birth to smaller infants.
Marissa Mayer: Is the Yahoo! CEO’s Pregnancy Good for Working Moms?
The Silicon Valley executive is expecting her first child, a boy, in October. Is it inevitable that the way she handles her pregnancy, maternity leave and new motherhood will play a role in how her job performance is assessed?
Study: Children Born Too Early Have Lower Reading and Math Scores
Children born too early show lower test scores in school, according to a new study published in Pediatrics.
Would You Give Birth in an MRI Machine? A German Mom Did
It’s not clear why a 24-year-old German woman agreed to give birth amid the deafening knocks and thuds of an MRI machine. But doctors were psyched to gain real-time insight into how babies are born.
Why Women Who Fear Childbirth Spend More Time in Labor
Women who fear childbirth just got something else to worry about: a recent Norwegian study found that women who were scared of giving birth ended up spending more time in labor, about 8 hours versus 6.5 for women who weren’t afraid.
Midwife Mania? More U.S. Babies than Ever Are Delivered by Midwives
In 2009, midwives delivered 8% of babies born in the U.S. — an all-time high. The most midwife-friendly state? New Mexico, where midwives bring 24% of all babies into the world