How and why preterm birth happens is still unclear, in part because research on pregnancy tends to focus on developmental biology.
Moral injury can occur when someone must act against their values – but also when they cannot act in line with their values.
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Medical workers navigate their own moral and religious beliefs, professional standards, the law and the realities of clinical work – which can be especially complicated in abortion care.
Holly High, Ed Annand and baby Gadsby.
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Freebirth is frequently misunderstood and misrepresented. Discussions of freebirth often emphasise risk but women are most concerned with maternity services and obstetric violence
A mother provides ‘kangaroo care’ for her premature baby in a paediatric ward in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
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A free birth is when a woman chooses to have a baby, usually at home, without a registered midwife or doctor in attendance. It’s much riskier than a planned home birth.
From patronising language to non-consensual surgical interventions, the mistreatment of women during childbirth is common – so why do so few women complain?
Expecting parents and those with infants have new options to consider to protect against RSV.
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Women described feeling dehumanised, powerless and violated. Some experienced psychological and emotional abuse, while others were threatened and yelled at.
According to the CDC’s latest numbers, 65% of pregancy-related deaths occur in the first year following childbirth.
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Many pregnant women who request planned caesarean deliveries are simply told no, despite guidelines advising doctors who disagree to offer referral or transfer care.
What mattered most to mothers using Nigeria’s free maternal health services was that their babies were healthy.
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With the introduction of free maternal healthcare, Nigeria appears to have got more women using health facilities, but there are more hurdles to cross.
Cesarean sections have become more common in the U.S.
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Most women in the US give birth lying flat on their back, anesthetized. An obstetrician investigates why this is and whether this is always the best approach.
James Young Simpson’s Caesarian forceps, Hunterian Museum, Glasgow.
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Childbirth used to be a terrifying ordeal. But women were surrounded by others – mothers, aunts, sisters – who brought love and experience. But midway through the 19th century, this changed.
Demand for midwifery services across Canada is now much greater than midwives can currently provide.
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The benefits of midwifery for women and babies globally are clear. In Canada, innovations in midwifery centres and services are tempered by low pay and high rates of burnout.