Scans capture sweeping reorganisation of brain in pregnancy

MRIs taken from before conception until two years after birth show some short-lived changes and some lasting years

Want: Sexual Fantasies, edited by Gillian Anderson review – intriguing survey of desire

Inspired by research for her role in Sex Education, the actor has collected a rich picture of modern women’s sexuality through clandestine contributions

The invisible toll of life with polycystic ovary syndrome

The overlooked emotional and psychological effects of PCOS are creating a silent mental health crisis

‘Plus-size people face a lot of barriers’: the campaigners helping larger walkers to enjoy the great outdoors

From being properly kitted out to planning a walking route up Mam Tor, our writer finds her feet and her tribe in the Peak District

Want by Gillian Anderson review – let me be your fantasy

The star’s compendium of X-rated female wish-fulfilment makes for compelling, if not entirely candid, reading

‘Everybody is celebrated’: Notting Hill carnival’s push for plus-size positivity

Body confidence group hope to remind people the festival has always been a celebration of freedom

Pregnant people and fetuses not being protected from wildfire risks – report

Researchers say public health officials not doing enough to share warnings and safety information with health workers

No wonder young single women are lonelier than ever. Where is their community?

I learned a crucial lesson when I moved abroad: fighting loneliness is all about finding meaningful connections, says author Georgina Lawton

‘It felt shameful’: the profound loneliness of modern motherhood

The mothers of babies and young children often experience extreme isolation – and all the health problems that accompany it

The end of menopause: would women be healthier and happier if they menstruated for ever?

The ovaries affect everything from metabolism to mood – so some scientists are on a quest to slow their ageing process