Dog bites data: how likely are you to get bitten?

One in six of those admitted to hospital for a dog bite is a child aged under 10. See what the data says

I got wildly conflicting breastfeeding advice from 12 midwives

Annalisa Barbieri: Some health professionals really know their stuff and do care – but they are in the minority

Your five worst medical nightmares

From a doctor amputating the wrong leg, to a woman given the wrong baby, it seems hospital treatment does not always go to plan. Luckily, though, mistakes are rare, as Leo Benedictus reports

Sugar is behind global explosion in type 2 diabetes, study finds

Researchers say link between consumption of sugar and diabetes is independent from obesity

NHS recognises that mindfulness meditation is good for depression

Mia Hansson: Scientists have now discovered how mindfulness meditation can give patients control over levels of depression, anxiety and chronic pain

IVF for women over 40 doesn’t address the root of the problem

Katherine Baldwin: Involuntary childlessness is a growing blight on our society. How can we help people to make the most of their early fertility?

There’s no need for this obesity epidemic hysteria

Charlotte Cooper: Forty years of fat activism has shown that people with high body weights can stay healthy without dieting

Prince’s charity lobbied government to water down homeopathy criticism

Foundation for Integrated Medicine persuaded officials to neuter advice about homeopathy on the NHS Choices patient website

Tapping into online communities brings dramatic results in health

The internet offers innovative approaches for targeting specific communities, as one sexual health service found. Rachel Carrell explains

Female genital mutilation questions could be raised by midwives

Campaigners say move to raise issue with pregnant women from communities that practise it could protect unborn girls at risk