Preeclampsia is a condition brought about by high blood pressure. If your blood pressure rises way beyond the normal level and doesn’t come down for some time, it can lead to convulsions, disorder in heart and kidney function in both mother and fetus; it may even result in death. Full story

It's not just overweight women who may face conception problems. According to Australian scientists, desired pregnancy may not be reached due to a man’s weight. It was the first evidence of how a man’s weight is linked to fertility problems. Full story

A recent study warns expectant mothers against taking folic acid supplements during the latest stages of pregnancy: those supplements have been found to be linked with asthma. Full story

Bangladeshi Siamese orphans Trishna and Krishna, who are yet to become three years old, were born with conjoined heads, common blood vessels and brain tissues. Full story

Increased direct TV exposure and household TV use can damage a positive childhood development and interaction with parents. The research conducted by scientists from Tulane University is one of the few to look at the link between TV exposure and aggression in young children. Full story

Smoking while bearing a child may affect the fetus adversely, providing for attention deficit disorders and unruly behavior in the child in future, warns the new study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Full story

A new study published in Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology showed how anxiety during pregnancy can affect the weight of newly born babies and the gestation period. Women with severe or chronic anxiety fell in the group with higher risk. Full story

British scientists say that parents may keep their children out of troubles by allowing them to drink some alcohol at home. Teenagers who try to fetch alcohol by themselves are more likely to engage in violence-related situations or other forms of illegal behavior. Full story

A study recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology advises pregnant women to go for ear acupuncture if they experience pain in the pelvis and in the back near the base of the backbone. This is a frequent pregnancy complaint which requires a good treatment course yet to be worked out. Full story

A pacifier may save a lot of problems without being detrimental to your baby’s health and development if used reasonably. The study of babies in Patagonia, Chile, showed babies sucking a pacifier or their fingers past the age of three were three times more likely to have speech development problems. Full story

Experts raise the alarm: children are turning into sex objects at preschool age. By age six, girls need branded clothes, at seven they want their hair styled, at eight they start dieting, and by eleven they engage in sexual contacts or sexually explicit conversations. Full story

The 31-year-old passenger of AirAsia jumbo jet on flight from Penang to Kuching (Malaysia) gave birth to a baby boy as the plane was at the height of about 2000 feet (600 meters). The baby was delivered by a doctor who happened to be on board and was assisted by flight attendants. Full story

Everyone knows about comfort eating. But after researchers from King's College London did a series of studies, it has become clear what kind of stress some people are trying to eat away. Full story

A study recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reports that individuals whose childhood was stressful and harrowing are going to have a significantly shorter lifespan. Whereas the average life expectancy comes up to about 79 years, those who underwent negative childhood experiences are apt to die at the age of around 61 years, that makes nearly 20-year difference. Full story

Scientists used to think that the immune system of the baby in the womb can successfully dispose of any offender that passes through the placenta – but the latest discoveries seem to be refuting that belief. There are 17 existing cases of mothers and their babies sharing the same kind of cancer, namely melanoma and leukemia, and the question of why it should have happened this way isn’t answered properly yet. Full story

Indulging in liquorice-rich diet on the part of the expectant mom can influence the fetus, negatively shaping his intelligence and behavior in future life, as the new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology informs. The research showed that mothers who liked to take much liquorice with their meals gave birth to children who displayed impaired cognitive functions in terms of memory and spatial awareness. Full story

A recent study reports that life expectancy is rising all over the world, and these days children born in the countries with a high level of civilization may well be expected to live to be a hundred! Researches conducted in Germany and Denmark reveal that in a number of countries life expectancy grew beyond scientists’ estimations. Full story

A study in a recent issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health links the popularity of children in school with their health when adults. The research showed that school popularity lessens the risk of such health problems as diabetes and various heart dysfunctions. Full story

A series of researches has led Polish scientists to sad conclusions that air pollution levels directly impact fetus growth. For instance, even small increase in air pollution levels (like the difference between the lake air and the busy street air) will reduce the weight of newly born by 5-7 percent below normal. Full story

American government has become concerned over revised statistic about the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders. According to the new data, one in 91 children suffers from autism. In response, experts urge efforts to provide autists with lifelong support. Full story

If an expectant mom takes antidepressants during first three months of pregnancy, her baby may be born with heart defect, with the risk increasing by 80 per cent. If she takes more than one antidepressant, the risk quadruples. The so called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are usually prescribed to those suffering from depression. The most recognizable of those is Prozac. Full story

A survey, which involved 4245 Canadian school children, discovered direct association between the body mass index and satisfaction with their body. Girl displayed linear response, as the skinnier they are the happier they feel. Full story

British Heart Foundation has launched a campaign called Eat Smart aimed at children. The survey conducted by the foundation revealed that three out of four children have no idea about the effects of unhealthy eating. Full story

Physicians warn that pregnant women are in the risk group for developing severe health problems during the flu season. So in this year marked by swine flu threat, they have to be even more on the alert. Dr. Keith Reeves from Methodist Hospital in Houston says that physicians don't want pregnant women to be panicked by this virus, but they do want women to be more responsible for taking precautions typical for the flu season. In particular, women should be vaccinated. Full story

A recent study published in the Pediatrics magazine reports that over one-third of pictures in women's magazines portray babies sleeping in dangerous positions. Moreover, two thirds of photos show babies in dangerous sleep environments. The study was supervised by Rachel Moon and Joyner - SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) researchers from the Children's National Medical Center, USA. Full story