Latest fromPregnancy and Childbirth

High numbers claim 'virgin' births
Nearly one out of every 200 mothers in a US study claim to have got pregnant while a virgin - without the help of IVF.

Vitamin D push for NZ mums-to-be
Pregnant New Zealand women should be taking vitamin D supplements to help ensure their babies are not at risk of rickets, a new study has found.

Paper labels pregnant MP 'lazy'
The Sun newspaper in Britain has been forced to apologise after it included a pregnant MP in its list of the "laziest" politicians.

Babies: Smarter than we think
Cognitive development research is, like its subjects, still in its infancy, but it seems that our tiny tots are a lot smarter than science once gave them credit for. Angela Saini reports on the latest evidence — and argument — from the baby labs.

Anger at iPad baby bouncer
A new baby bouncer complete with iPad holder which has gone on sale is a sign of the drive to market digital products at younger children, an educational expert says.

Donation will help to keep babies safe
A simple device aimed at making sure babies are safe and protected while they sleep is set to help dozens of families in South Auckland.

Prem bubs receive special Christmas gift
Families of premature babies born over the Christmas period will receive a special gift from charity Early Buds.

Depression in the womb
Babies can 'contract' depression from their mothers while they are still in the womb, new research suggests.

Mum's post-baby pics panned
A fitness blogger has been slammed for posting a picture of herself in her underwear, showing off her flat tummy just days after giving birth.

Smoking while pregnant harms DNA
New research showing smoking causes severe DNA damage to the placenta will greatly motivate pregnant women to kick the habit, a quitting expert says.

Warnings over US twin epidemic
US doctors are reporting an epidemic of twins. Nearly half of all babies born with advanced fertility help are multiple births, new federal numbers show.

Baby taken in forced c-section
A pregnant Italian woman had her baby forcibly removed by caesarean section by British social workers.

Kerre McIvor: Help a hard sell to scared mums
A group of us went up to Kerikeri last weekend to run the Kerikeri Half Marathon.

Preterm birth link to obesity
Children born prematurely not only risk becoming overweight adults, but they may also hand a legacy of obesity to their own offspring, warn Auckland medical researchers.

Counting cost of hospital errors
A woman who died in childbirth and the death of a teenage boy who was sent home with a serious infection are two of almost 500 adverse events reported in NZ hospitals.

Death during childbirth third in family
Norman Gayo doesn't blame anybody for the death of his healthy young wife, Leah, who died in childbirth at Auckland City Hospital in April.

Call for stronger alcohol warnings
Strong warning labels should be placed on all beer, wine and spirits as part of a plan to stop pregnant mothers from drinking, MPs say.

Revealed: Plan to health-check mums
Making sure pregnant mums see a doctor within 10 weeks of conception should be a national priority, say MPs working to improve children's health.

China easing rule on one child
One of the totemic policies of China's Communist Party - the ban on families having more than a single child - has been relaxed in a historic shift by Beijing's new ruling regime.

Trust big help for parents of prems
Greg and Amy Hewgill know all too well the troubles faced by parents of preterm babies after watching their daughter connected to machines for the first 76 days of her life.

Stillbirth blamed on P lab
A court has heard a man was caught drink driving after his partner suffered a still birth - something the couple blamed on their house being previously used as a P lab.

Baby Lily settles in to family life
She was born 11 weeks prematurely and spent her first 76 days connected to an incubator, but now baby Lily Hewgill is home and progressing "full steam ahead".

Exercise boosts baby's brain
New research shows taking regular exercise when pregnant boosts a newborn baby's brain development.

Baby ready? Take the test
A candid parent test highlighting the high and lows of motherhood is taking the internet by storm after being reposted on countless mothering blogs.

Sharing the emotions of birth
We still don't know much about how labouring women experience that pivotal time when their bodies are working hard to push out their infants and deliver them into the world.

Boxing to birthing suite
Boxer Shane Cameron has his hands full with two big looming deadlines - his next fight and the birth of his son.

Risks of full-body swaddling
Parents who swaddle their baby should ensure the hips and legs have free movement, according to an expert worried about the increased popularity of the traditional full-body wrap.

Pregnancy timing 'terms' redefined
Obstetricians are getting more precise about exactly what determines a full-term pregnancy.