Children whose mothers take iron supplements while pregnant don’t have higher IQs than those whose mothers didn’t take iron pills, a study from Australia shows.

Animal studies have shown that…

Techniques used in fertility treatments may increase the risk of a complication during pregnancy, Norwegian scientists said on Thursday.

They found what they believe is the first evidence to show…

The “rhythm method” may kill off more embryos than other contraceptive methods, such as coils, morning after pills, and oral contraceptives, suggests an article in…

An obstetrician well known for his care of and research into multiple-birth pregnancies has found that dietary changes can affect a woman’s chances of having twins, and that her…

Louis Pasteur said that “chance favors the prepared mind.” For Prof. Nava Dekel of the Weizmann Institute’s Biological Regulation Department, some completely unexpected results of biopsies performed on women with…

Women who have their labor induced or are given medication to stimulate contractions are at greater risk of developing chorioamnionitis, an infection of the placental tissues and amniotic fluid,…

Looking for yet another reason to stay svelte? Labor can be longer for obese pregnant women, a new Saint Louis University study finds.

The research, presented at the annual meeting of…

Despite state laws requiring that every pregnant woman be offered HIV testing multiple times during pregnancy, about 20 percent of women reach their third trimester without it, according to a review…

The transition from fertilized egg to newborn baby requires an incredibly complex network of genes, proteins and biochemical signals that scientists are only beginning to understand. Most of the…

Responding to actor Tom Cruise’s purchase of an ultrasound machine to monitor his fiance’e's fetus, California lawmakers voted on Thursday to restrict sales of the machines.

The California Assembly voted 55-7…

Hepatitis A infections in pregnant women are associated with high rates of complications and preterm labor, according to Israeli researchers.

While the disease is the most common type of acute hepatitis, there…

Women who gain weight between pregnancies have an increased risk of developing recurrent disorders marked by high blood pressure in a second pregnancy, researchers from Iceland report.

Dr. Sigrun Hjartardottir of…

A compelling connection exists between colicy babies and postpartum depression, according to a study conducted by a Brown Medical School professor and Rhode Island Department of Health family health experts.

The…

The causes of the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the United States, spina bifida, are not well understood. And, there is no cure.

The most recent…

For women who’ve previously had a preterm delivery, having sex during early pregnancy does not affect the likelihood of having another preterm birth, new research shows.

Cutting back on physical activity,…

Beatrice Riobe has played her part in giving France the second highest birth rate in Europe.

Riobe has nine children aged 4 to 19: her case is rare and this…

Among women pregnant for the first time, antioxidant vitamins supplementation does not appear to curb the risk of developing preeclampsia - that is, pregnancy-related high blood pressure and kidney impairment…

Doctors writing in the BMJ express concern over the apparent increase in preterm births.

Research from Denmark, published on bmj.com in February, found that preterm deliveries increased by 22%…

Congenital rubella syndrome, a birth defect caused by the rubella virus (also known as German measles), has practically been eliminated in the U.S., according to a statement published…

Children born as a result of assisted reproduction technologies are generally well adjusted, survey results suggest.

However, children who lack a genetic link to one of the parents - by reason…

There is good evidence that fetuses cannot feel pain, says an expert in this week’s BMJ.

Proposals to tell women seeking abortions that their unborn child will feel pain, or to provide pain…

The medical and environmental risks often associated with premature birth affect the attention abilities of premature children all the way throughout adolescence, researchers report in the journal Child Development.

There’s still no way to choose the sex of your baby, but Dutch researchers say they have found a way to better predict whether an expectant mom…

Children born to teenage mothers who were iron deficient early in their pregnancies were less active at age 3 than the children of…

Treatment with the antiviral drug valacyclovir, sold as Valtrex, curbs recurrent bouts of genital herpes in pregnant women, a study shows. Moreover, no safety concerns were identified in mothers, fetuses,…