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Obstetrics
Time for change in the world of contraception?
Something is changing when it comes to contraception. Lots of people aren’t using it. In The Guardian, columnist Martha Gill observes that when contraception has...
Common painkiller in pregnancy tied to ADHD risk – US study
Children may have a higher risk of developing ADHD if their mothers used paracetamol – also known as acetaminophen – during pregnancy, adding weight...
Some hormonal contraceptives linked to clots – Danish study
A team of researchers has suggested that some progesterone-only hormonal contraceptives may carry similar clot risk to certain combined pills, according to their study.
The Danish...
Steroids in pregnancy tied to brain disorder risks – Danish cohort study
Scientists from Denmark who analysed data from more than 1m births have suggested that children exposed to glucocorticoids prenatally may have an increased risk...
AI analysis IDs warning signs for stillbirth, newborn issues
An artificial intelligence (AI) based analysis of almost 10 000 pregnancies has discovered previously unidentified combinations of risk factors linked to serious negative pregnancy...
SA mental health and motherhood guidelines ineffective without resources
In South Africa, mothers and pregnant women suffer from high levels of mental health issues, with at least one out of every three experiencing...
Hysterectomies still not clear-cut for most women
Aside from C-sections, hysterectomies are still the most common surgical procedure among women, but most women who undergo the procedure don't understand their full...
Rare embolism sees mother 'die' for 45 minutes in triplet birth
A mother from Texas says she has no recollection of giving giving birth to triplets after she was declared “clinically dead” for 45 minutes...
Chewing gum linked to drop in preterm births – randomised Malawi study
Results from a study in Malawi showed that chewing gum containing xylitol, a naturally occurring alcohol sugar, was associated with a 24% reduction in...
Babies' reduced sugar intake leads to lower later chronic disease risk – UK study
Children whose sugar consumption was restricted during their first 1 000 days after conception had up to 35% less chance of developing type 2...
Vitamin D in pregnancy helps children’s bones – UK analysis
Children whose mothers had taken extra vitamin D during pregnancy continue to have stronger bones at age seven, say researchers from University of Southampton...
Criticism over updated menopause guidelines
New guidelines which recommend women with menopause symptoms be offered hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a first-line treatment, not therapy, have been slated by...
Triplets becoming less common in the US
Giving birth to triplets, quadruplets or even more has become increasingly less common in the United States, the decline being particularly noticeable in mothers...
Milestone as pregnant women included in SA TB drug trial
Pregnant women are typically excluded from clinical trials of new tuberculosis medicines, leading to a lack of solid scientific evidence on how best to...
Updated stroke guidelines highlight risks for women
New guidelines for preventing strokes spell out, for the first time, the risks faced by women, noting that pre-term births and conditions like endometriosis...
Tygerberg faces C-section backlog crisis
The backlog of pregnant women awaiting elective Caesareans at Tygerberg Hospital’s maternity ward has increased, according to staff, who say that while the waiting...
RSV deaths now preventable in SA, local experts say
South African experts say the implementation of prevention strategies, combined with public engagement and collaboration between stakeholders, could significantly reduce the high rates of...
Heart defect risk for babies conceived through IVF – Swedish study
Babies conceived through certain fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilisation, are more likely to have major heart defects, although cases are still rare, researchers...
More risk of lupus, diabetes if periods stop early – Finnish study
Women with premature ovarian insufficiency, whose periods stop before 40, have a much greater risk of severe autoimmune diseases like diabetes and lupus, according...
Alcohol consumption linked to rising cancer cases – US study
Adults under 50 have been developing breast cancer and colorectal cancer at increasingly higher rates over the past few decades, and alcohol use may...
Pregnancy rates after ‘tubes tied’ higher than thought – US study
American researchers have found that rates of pregnancy after tubal sterilisation may be higher than previously expected, according to their analysis of national survey...
Kenyan project cuts labour ward staff burnout
High-quality care during childbirth is critical for preventing maternal and newborn deaths, with alarming figures showing that an estimated 800 women die every day...
Eastern Cape women's lives at risk in maternity wards, commission finds
The conditions in Eastern Cape maternity wards are so dire that they are contributing to patients’ and infants’ deaths, says a report from the...
Almost 120 000 girls give birth in one year
The number of young girls and teenagers having babies remains constant in South Africa, with more than 2 700 girls aged 10 to 14...
SA experts probe links between placenta and premature births
The socio-economic benefits of finding a blood test that can predict premature births – and prevent these – are incalculable, writes Professor Clive Gray...
First trimester Covid exposure, jab, not tied to birth defects risk
Neither Covid-19 infection nor vaccination during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with increased risk of major birth defects, found a study of...
New fertility drug boosts IVF success rate – Spanish study
Scientists have suggested that a new drug could help improve the odds of successful IVF treatment, after initial trials showed it boosted the rate...
Experts call for change to skin-tone biased Apgar score
A growing body of experts is calling for changes to the Apgar score – the tool assigned to infants immediately after birth to measure...
Rat soup, oracles and traditional birth attendants …
In Lagos, traditional birth attendants are helping to connect women and babies with modern maternity treatments – and although doctors may not always agree...
New Eastern Cape Health MEC vows to fix distressed hospitals
East London’s Frere Hospital has a drastic shortage not just of 18 midwives and nurses but also of beds in its maternity section, which...
Extreme heat in pregnancy can affect future life of baby – SA review
Climate change is a massive public health threat, with increasing temperatures being linked to deteriorating health, especially in vulnerable populations and including pregnant women...
UK flags risks of epilepsy drug during pregnancy
After a major safety review triggered by a recent study in Europe, Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MRHA) has prohibited the dispensing of migraine...
Heat in sub-Saharan Africa tied to miscarriage risk – UKZN study
A study by University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) scientists has found evidence linking maternal heat exposure – during the month before conception – with miscarriage,...
Rahima Moosa Hospital again under fire over patient treatment
Gauteng Health has denied allegations that a pregnant patient was badly treated or forced to sleep in chairs and on the floor at Rahima...
Florida passes law allowing C-sections out of hospitals
American doctors have warned of safely risks after a law recently passed in Florida that will allow some Caesarean sections to take place outside...
Second antibiotic not needed after C-section – Pretoria study
A local study that investigated the impact of kefazolin plus metronidazole compared with kefazolin alone on postpartum infection rates in women undergoing Caesarean section...
EMA suspends preterm birth drugs over possible cancer risk
The European Medicine Agency’s safety committee has recommended the suspension of the marketing authorisations for medicines containing 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHPC) in the European Union, after reviews...
Written consent now a must for pelvic exams at US hospitals
American hospitals must now obtain written informed consent from patients before they undergo intimate physical exams, including those performed under anaesthesia – otherwise they...
UK inquiry hears of mothers' maternity trauma
A British parliamentary inquiry into birth trauma has called for a national plan to improve maternity care, declaring that good care is “the exception rather than the...
SA’s 'too high' Caesarean birth rate must be reversed
Although a Caesarean section can save the lives of mother and baby – and is essential in complicated labours or if the baby is...