Women with poor mental health ‘have 50% higher risk of preterm birth’

Study of more than 2m pregnancies in England found link between severity of mental health difficulties and adverse outcomes at birth

I’m doing the Edinburgh fringe at full-term pregnancy – and not just because I’d paid the deposit

Pregnancy is a privilege but is also weird, awkward and difficult. The cathartic nature of standup helps us consider the confusion of imminent parenthood

My sister is drinking heavily while pregnant. How can I help her stop?

Excessive alcohol consumption puts the baby at risk so she needs urgent professional support – but approach her with compassion

How early is too early to be discharged from hospital after giving birth?

A longer post-birth stay in the wards could help many mothers, even if research remains inconclusive

Matrescence by Lucy Jones review – smashing motherhood myths

A thrilling examination of what it means to become a mother challenges assumptions in bravura fashion

More than one in 10 women struggle to bond with their baby, survey shows

73% of surveyed women say they received no information on bonding in first weeks after giving birth

Access to contraception has got harder in England, top doctor says

Lesley Regan, women’s health ambassador for England, says ‘destructive’ changes to NHS system in 2012 are failing women

Gene genius: how the placenta project is unlocking the secrets of our cells

The Human Cell Atlas is already helping to ensure safer pregnancies, and scientists believe it will help them understand many other conditions

What is Primodos and why were 100 UK families seeking compensation?

Concerns about birth defects first raised in 1960s but evidence for causal link to pregnancy test remains contentious

UK families lose bid for compensation over Primodos pregnancy test drug

High court rules there is insufficient new evidence of causal link between hormone-based test and birth defects