Friday briefing: How the Free Birth Society’s ​philosophy ​contributed to a ​preventable ​death

In today’s newsletter: The Guardian’s new podcast, The Birth Keepers, explores how a global network promoting unassisted childbirth has shaped women’s decisions​ around childbirth. One mother’s story stands as a stark warning

One in five women in England say their concerns were ignored during childbirth, survey finds

Women say fears were dismissed and help was unavailable at crucial moments during labour

Parasite cleanses: why are so many people obsessed with intestinal worms?

Probably the most disgusting online trend of 2025, this has led to pictures of people’s excrement all over the internet. Please make it stop ...

The truth about the ‘gender care gap’: are men really more likely to abandon their ill wives?

It’s one thing facing a major diagnosis; it’s quite another dealing with your partner pulling away. But does the stereotype match the reality?

Death of Irish mother in ‘free birth’ reveals how poor maternity care is pushing women towards extreme influencers

Women in Ireland and the UK linked to Free Birth Society among scores around world to have suffered loss or serious harm after births

If toxic humility is a thing, I definitely have it. But perhaps there’s another way

We’re taught that modesty is good and pride is bad. This ignores the fact that telling ourselves we’re OK is actually beneficial, writes Emma Beddington

I got an epidural for all three of my births – none of them worked as expected

Here’s what you should know before getting an epidural – and why it might not provide full pain relief as expected

Rage rooms: demand is surging – and 90% of customers are women

Venues designed for people to smash things up safely are seeing an enormous rise in bookings. But why? And what explains the pronounced gender gap?

The loneliness fix: I wanted to find new friends in my 30s – and it was easier than I imagined

It is said to be harder to make friends as you age. But I found that a mix of apps and other tools, as well as a happy attitude, led to a world of potential new pals

Five key findings from our investigation into the Free Birth Society

Year-long investigation into multimillion-dollar business exposed serious concerns, from dangerous medical claims to FBS-linked stillbirths