pregnant-pauses.com

It’s the question that most distresses new parents: why is our baby crying?
Well, scientists working on a monitor that can interpret crying may just have the answer.

New research from Australia confirms that swine flu hits pregnant women particularly hard - especially if they have asthma, obesity or diabetes.
 While more than three-quarters of the women in the study had been treated with oseltamivir (Tamiflu), two-thirds had been sick for at least 48 hours before getting the drug.

Babies born to teenage mothers are more likely to die in the early weeks of life than those of older women, a major report has found.
The latest figures from the British enquiry into maternal and child health (Cemach) show that women under the age of 20 “have a significantly higher rate of neonatal death” (at [...]

Chemicals in shower curtains, vinyl flooring and children’s toys could increase the risk of having a baby with a low birth weight, scientists say.
A study has shown a link between phthalates - common chemicals used to soften plastics - and the health of newborns.

Babies born at 37 or 38 weeks are considered to be full term, but new research suggests they have slightly lower IQs than those who arrive after 40 weeks.
The research suggested babies born at 37 or 38 weeks also had a slightly higher chance of dying in early infancy.

German doctors say celebrity mothers like Victoria Beckham and Nicole Kidman who lose their baby weight in a flash are setting a bad example to ordinary women.
While many celebrities regain their pre-pregnancy figures with ease, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care says ordinary women should take the long view.

Women should have babies between the ages of 20 and 35 or risk missing out on motherhood, doctors say.
They are concerned about infertility rates among those who delay pregnancy as well as the risks faced by older mothers and their babies.

Many women are unaware of the risks of delaying motherhood, leading doctors say.
Britain’s Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists will this week publish evidence about the increased medical risks for older mothers as well as the rapid decline in fertility.

Parents are too quick to switch their children to front-facing car seats, a team of UK doctors has warned.
They say mounting evidence suggests it is safer for children to use a rear-facing seat until the age of four and parents should be advised accordingly.

Health professionals must ensure pregnant women taking the heroin substitute methadone avoid any illicit drugs, a Swiss study suggests.
They found that the combination increased the toxins transferred to the foetus.