‘I asked three times for an epidural’: why are women being denied pain relief during childbirth?

A new report concludes that women are not being given epidurals and not being fully informed about pain relief by NHS trusts. Does a belief in natural births lie behind this?

Climate nightmares: how to reassure a child who is anxious about the planet

One in five children aged eight to 16 have nightmares about the state of the world. Here’s how adults can help

Sex education: ‘We can’t let teachers perpetuate a homophobic or transphobic narrative’

New guidance will leave many children in England ignorant about consent, forced marriage and LGBTQ+ issues, say young activists

‘Health workers are too scared to enter’: the fight to treat HIV in a São Paulo favela

Young people with HIV in Brazil’s poorest favelas often have no support, but in Boi Malhado, one team is determined to provide vital help

Young and forever sick: ‘They didn’t see me as a person who had dreams’

More than a third of young Australians live with one or more chronic illnesses – but growing up in fear of death can have its upsides

From the Black Death to coronavirus: a brief history of quarantines

It has been used to contain epidemics for thousands of years – and is a crucial response to the current health crisis, too. But when did quarantining people begin?

‘People think I bathe in asses’ milk’: how Towie’s Gemma Collins became a podcast hit

She went from selling cars to starring on reality TV – and now fronts a smash-hit podcast. But 10 years in the tabloid line of fire hasn’t been easy

Ulcerative colitis: bacteria findings raise hopes for new treatment

Sufferers found to have low levels of gut microbes that convert bile acids into other substances

The Guardian view on inequality and health: a matter of life and death

Editorial: It is unfair that in England people in different social circumstances experience avoidable differences in health, wellbeing and length of life. But this is a political choice

The Victoria’s Secret ‘woke’ rebrand is only skin deep

Other lingerie brands have embraced less prescriptive beauty ideals and diversity. Victoria’s Secret is scrambling to keep up, says Priya Elan, the Guardian’s deputy fashion editor