Australian scientists discover new treatment for pre-eclampsia

JULIA MEDEW Australian scientists are confident they have discovered a treatment for pre-eclampsia, a condition that kills 60,000 pregnant women each year.

What pregnant women need to know about kick counting

CATHERINE RODIE Kick counting is one measure that pregnant women can take to reduce the risk of stillbirth.

What is gestational diabetes?

JO HARTLEY Around 5-10 per cent of women are affected by gestational diabetes.

After three months of cancer treatment, Olivia looks forward to being a mum

RACHEL BROWNE Thirroul marketing executive Olivia O'Leary was looking forward to the birth of her first baby when she received some terrible news.

How to make decisions while pregnant - don't ask me

JO HARTLEY  It's not just been the bigger things that have me frozen in indecision in pregnancy. It's the day-to-day things too.

Herbs for pregnant women and new mums

Jane Wrigglesworth Double-blind studies have proved herbs really do help during pregnancy.

Claims a common antidepressant killed newborn

LIAM MANNIX A commonly-prescribed antidepressant may be implicated in the death of a day-old baby, a Victorian coroner has heard.

See this dance teacher's incredible hip hop dance moves at 7 months pregnant

Suzi Catchpole Having a 27 week baby bump can often signal the end of vigorous dancing for mums, at least for a while. It's no barrier for Californian dance teacher and photographer Christina Litle, however, who is dancing as enthusiastically as ever even at 7 months pregnant. 

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10 mocktails for an alcohol free Christmas

CATHERINE RODIE Facing the holiday season with a bun in the oven can mean passing up some Christmas traditions. But whip up one of these delicious 'mocktails' and all you will be missing out on is a Christmas hangover.

How I survived breast cancer while pregnant

JULIA MEDEW It was last thing Rebecca O'Donnell expected at 30 weeks' pregnant. One morning, while putting on her bra, she felt a pea-sized lump in her right breast.

What are pregnant women Googling?

CATHERINE RODIE Pregnancy is a huge change for any woman, so it's natural we'll have questions - and turn to Google to ask them.

Pregnant woman refused seat on train

LETITIA ROWLANDS Anyone who has travelled by public transport when pregnant knows sometimes it is not the most pleasant of experiences.

Physios warn pregnant women not to crunch like Michelle Bridges

CATHERINE RODIE Experts are urging pregnant women not to do exactly as Michelle Bridges does when exercising, or they risk developing rectus abdominus diastasis.

The hidden harm of foetal alcohol syndrome disorder

Staff writers Experts believe many children diagnosed with ADHD might actually have FASD and that the number of people suffering from the condition across the country could be as high as 500,000.

Medications pregnant women should take, avoid, and think about

Treasure McGuire There are actually very few medications that must be absolutely avoided during pregnancy.

Women giving birth to a son keep some of his Y chromosomes

Carl Zimmer It was an experiment doomed to failure - they were looking for male cells in female bodies. And their search was stunningly successful.

Pregnant students face social stigma, lack of support and career dilemmas

Sophie Gallagher It was the moment a moment Kate Bullen will never forget. The successful 22-year-old was kicking goals at university, had become a board director of her student union, and was busy planning her bright future. And then she found out she was pregnant.

Double Trouble: When to finish up work?

JULE SCHERER A couple of weeks ago Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer announced that she is expecting identical twin girls in December.

8 facts about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Caterina Giorgi and Sarah Ward How much do you know about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders? Test your knowledge with these facts.

TRAVEL ADVICE

Pregnant travellers need to check insurance conditions

JOHN COLLETT Expectant travellers risk having their travel insurance rendered worthless because of the tight restrictions on mothers-to-be.

Why you need to be careful after handling chilli

LETITIA ROWLANDS From leaving your car keys in the fridge to forgetting what you need as soon as you step into the supermarket, baby brain gets blamed for a host of mishaps when a woman is in the later stages of pregnancy.

Can you reverse a positive group strep B result without antibiotics?

Dr Erin Bowe Many expectant mums are routinely tested for group B strep (GBS) in the third trimester of pregnancy - but not all choose antibiotic treatment.

Mum's brave battle for unborn triplets amid cancer diagnosis

Cydonee Mardon Bree O'Malley has a cancer diagnosis, a rare blood condition, kidney and liver failure and other complications. And she is pregnant with triplets.

How your birth month affects your health

Ana Swanson A new study suggests that the month you were born has a connection with the diseases you might develop in your lifetime.

How my pregnancy cured me

Heidi van Dort For a handful of women, pregnancy brings a cure for conditions they suffered long before they conceived.

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Innovative surgery repairs mum's heart while pregnant

First time mum Katie Dickens faced more hurdles than most to bring her baby girl into the world.

How a mother's intuition saved her unborn baby's life

Staff writers Baby Theo is now a happy, healthy eight-month-old, but his mother will never forget how close she came to losing him.

The pregnancy itch that should never be ignored

LETITIA ROWLANDS When Lisa McNally developed a terrible itch at 28 weeks pregnant, her doctor assured her was normal. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

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The fascinating world of twins

Jule Scherer In the first couple of weeks since we learned that we're having twins, I've become an "expert" (of the shallow Google kind) on the subject.

'I missed my baby's birth and was close to death'

Makira Hill Michaela McNally didn't just miss the birth of her baby girl, but also the precious first week of little Maggie's life.

Pregnant women urged to get flu shots

As the winter chill starts to arrive, NSW Health is urging pregnant women to get their flu shots.

How belly bands can help during pregnancy

Some pregnant women swear by belly bands, but are they really useful and safe?

Essentials your child needs to grow

CATHERINE RODIE What does your baby need to grow up healthy? The experts give their advice.

How pregnancy probiotics can help you and your baby

CATHERINE RODIE New research suggests that taking specific pregnancy probiotics could be the answer to a range of common pregnancy side effects.

Pigmentation in pregnancy

JO HARTLEY Women can experience many unexpected changes in pregnancy, including darker pigmentation known as "the mask of pregnancy".

Stillbirth, miscarriage and infertility is no April Fools' joke

Melanie Hearse Faux pregnancy announcements have long been a go-to April Fools joke. This year a meme popped up to deliver a lecture about the insensitivity of the prank - but opinion is divided on its validity.

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4D scans show how smoking affects babies still in the womb

Sarah Knapton The harmful effects of smoking during pregnancy on unborn babies may be seen in tiny movements in their faces using 4D ultrasound scans, research has found.

Super fit model Sarah Stage defends her pregnancy body

LETITIA ROWLANDS Model Sarah Stage has defended her pregnancy body after critics claimed her slim figure at eight-and-a-half months pregnant wasn't "normal".

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Pregnancy and your blood type

Brooke Tasovac The blood type and Rh factor of a pregnant woman and the father of her baby has all kinds of implications for their unborn child.

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Breakthrough genetic testing now available in Australia

LETITIA ROWLANDS Pregnant women will for the first time have access to locally analysed, accurate, non-invasive pre-natal genetic testing when the first Australian clinic to offer the services opens its doors next week.

Twins saved by surgery before birth

AMANDA DUNN Just 15 weeks into her first pregnancy and carrying twins, Jo and her husband Troy were given a terrible choice: terminate the pregnancy, or have surgery on the twins in utero in an attempt to save their lives.

Dads wear empathy bellies to 'experience pregnancy'

LETITIA ROWLANDS Mums-to-be exhausted from the physical demands of pregnancy often lament how they wish men would have more appreciation of the difficulties that come with being heavily pregnant.

Indigenous midwives break down the barriers

Fiona McGill A culturally sensitive midwifery service has gained the trust and respect of Aboriginal women.

Paying pregnant women to quit smoking pays off, study says

Karen Kaplan Researchers have identified a common substance that makes smokers much more likely to kick the habit - money.

5 pregnancy myths that just won't go away

Angela Tufvesson When you're expecting, it often seems like everyone is keen to offer advice about what you should and shouldn't do in the interests of your health and wellbeing.

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Passing on taste: how your mum’s diet affects what you eat

Emma Beckett and Zoe Yates Our parents teach us what to eat, but this process begins well before the fight to get toddlers to eat their vegies - even back in the womb.

Study links pollution exposure to autism

Michelle Fay Cortez Women who are exposed to high levels of air pollution during their third trimester of pregnancy may be twice as likely to have an autistic child, a study found.

Pregnant women warned about non-medical ultrasounds

LETITIA ROWLANDS Most mums-to-be consider it one of the best parts of pregnancy - taking a peek as your growing baby wriggles and kicks during ultrasound examinations.

The dangerous new trend of glucose challenge test refusal

Stacey Gladman A dangerous trend is seeing more mothers-to-be declining a relatively simple and painless test to check for gestational diabetes.

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Being mindful of the bumps: app to help pregnant women and new mums

LETITIA ROWLANDS Mental health support organisations BeyondBlue and the Smiling Mind have launched Mind the Bump, an app which aims to help manage the stress of pregnancy.