The Observer view on best medical practice for pregnant women
The ideal birth is the one that is safest for mother and baby
Midwives to end campaign to promote ‘normal births’
Official body calls for shift in language and approach in attempt to stop making mothers feel like failures
NHS maternity wards in England forced to close 382 times last year
Figures obtained by Labour reveal ‘appalling’ treatment of women, largely due to staff shortages and lack of beds and cots
Don’t infantilise pregnant women. Tell them how tough breastfeeding can be
Of course British attitudes need to change, but let’s be honest, telling women about how wondrous breastfeeding can be is to tell only half the story, writes Guardian journalist Lizzie Davies
I had an emergency caesarean and now I’m terrified of sex
I gave birth eight months ago after surgery and am scared that intimacy with my partner will cause the wound to split open
‘Midwifery is a calling, not just a profession’: childbirth stories around the world
Midwives provide vital, often life-saving support to women and babies during delivery. From Bangladesh to Rwanda, Canada to Malawi, mothers share their experiences of care in childbirth
Can mindfulness reduce fear of labour and postpartum depression?
Anxiety about labour – and what might come afterwards – causes stress for expectant mothers and increases risk in childbirth. But there could be a natural solution
‘I can’t forget the horror of my son’s birth’
Despite medical advancements, childbirth is a major cause of post-traumatic stress disorder – and yet nobody talks about it. Leah McLaren tells the harrowing story of the arrival of her second child – and her fight for treatment and support
Royal Institution’s new director Sarah Harper: we must show gold standard for science
Second woman to be appointed in RI’s 218-year history identifies role, in era of fake news, to supply trusted data across many issues from health to climate change and robotics
How artificial wombs will change our ideas of gender, family and equality
Science has shown what’s possible with lamb foetuses. For humans this could revolutionise birth, solving inequalities and raising new ethical dilemmas