The Institute of Medicine has just released updated national recommendations for the number of pounds a woman should gain during pregnancy for optimum health to herself and her baby.  This set of revised recommendations is the first the institute has…

New parents may be surprised to learn how thoroughly their newest bundle of joy is examined.  According to a report released today by the March of Dimes, babies born in all 50 states and the District of Columbia get tested…

A still-unnamed California mother made global headlines earlier this week when she gave birth to octuplets.  Her 8 babies, 6 boys and 2 girls, were born during the 12th week of pregnancy and, although painfully small, their doctors say they…

Many a new mother suffers the ravages of postpartum depression just when her new baby demands the most attention.  Until recently, there’s been little physical evidence to determine which mothers are most at risk of developing this debilitating condition but…

In the United States every year, more than 530,000 babies are born before reaching the 37th week of gestation. That’s about 12.7% of all births in the US, District of Columbia (DC), and Puerto Rico, a rate that the March…

The committee of experts advising the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) commissioner released a report that says the FDA is wrong about the safety of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical compound used throughout the bottle-manufacturing industry.  Plastic baby bottles…

A recent study conducted at the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute indicates a connection between a woman’s emotional well-being during early pregnancy and the chance she will deliver a child prematurely. These preterm births, occurring before the 37th week of pregnancy,…

According to a statement released today from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States falls at #29 in rank for the number of infants who die during their first year of life. Topping the list,…

When expectant mothers enjoy a diet rich in fish, their babies are more likely to develop better, physically and cognitively, than babies born to mothers who eat less fish. When babies are breastfed for a substantial length of time, their…

When a woman experiences premature labor during pregnancy, she may be given an intravenous treatment of magnesium sulfate as a means of delaying labor and preventing premature delivery.  A new study reveals the treatment may come with an added bonus…

An exhaustive study that spanned the globe reveals an increased risk, by 20%, a child born by Cesarean section (C-section) will develop type 1 diabetes before turning 15.  Headquartered at Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland, the research team reports 2.3…

Describing their findings as a "little shocking," researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine say amniotic fluid infections occur at a much higher rate than previously imagined and these same infections seem to be a trigger that causes premature…

According to a survey of 2,064 adults selected at random, parents are turning more and more often to retail clinics for the medical attention their children need.  And they say the main reason why they do so is because it’s…

Nobody would argue that the arrival of a new baby is a time when cleanliness is critical but a new study suggests too much of a good thing can leave your child gasping for breath.  Seems asthma has a tendency…