Health secretary to investigate allegations of women denied epidurals

Matt Hancock ‘concerned’ by reports of pain relief refused during childbirth by NHS trusts

Welsh parents lose opt-out for sex, relationship and religious education

Government confirms parents will no longer be able to exclude children from lessons

How might A&E departments without targets work? Look to sexual health clinics

Accident and emergency makes the headlines. Meanwhile, under-reported services are collapsing through lack of funding, says the Guardian’s Polly Toynbee

Male rape survivors suffer in silence. We need to help them talk

Gender norms compound the trauma for men who are victims of rape and sexual abuse. It’s time to give them support, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones

Half of British women ‘have poor sexual health’

Research highlights need to reverse cuts to sexual health services, experts say

Those of us with anorexia who are pregnant need greater support

National health guidelines ignore new mothers who have a history of eating disorders, says Ché Ramsden

Trying to be happy could make you miserable, study finds

Westerners who put high value on happiness tend to show greater signs of depression

We need to redefine manhood. Our warped ideas are causing a mental health crisis

Our society reinforces the worst kinds of masculinity – and I’ve seen it ruin lives, says poet and writer JJ Bola

The wellness industry is selling you the myth that a healthy life is expensive

Ignore the wild claims for seaweed wraps and spin classes. Real wellbeing is about fun, fairness and relationships, says GP Margaret McCartney

I used to scoff at self-help. Then I found out it works

I thought simple life advice was a step towards narcissism – until I started listening to an upbeat California podcast, says writer and critic Alex Clark