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Twins can be identical (from one fertilised egg that splits) or non-identical (from two separate eggs). Identical twins are the same sex as they have the same genes. Non-identical twins can be the same sex or one of each. Fertility treatments make twins more likely. Non-identical twins tend to ‘run in families’ and some ethnic groups have a higher proportion of twins than others – this is because the tendency to release more than one egg at ovulation may be inherited. More...

More than 50,000 Bugaboo baby strollers are being recalled, 4,440 in Canada, due to fall and choking hazards. Health Canada and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have announced a major recall involving the carry handles on Bugaboo Cameleon and Donkey strollers/prams — more than 50,000 in North America, 4,440 in Canada. More...

Fertility clinics across the U.S. are prescribing a medication with a seriously concerning safety profile and no proven benefits. When Susan Manning, a 39-year-old woman just a few weeks into her first pregnancy, wrote to tell me she had been put on the steroid dexamethasone to prevent a miscarriage--and to ask whether she should be worried about taking this drug--at first I could not even process what she was saying.  More...

Mothers who smoke during pregnancy put their children at greater risk of psychotic symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations, a study suggests.A UK survey of 12-year-olds found those whose mothers had smoked were 20% more likely to suffer such problems.  More...

A lot of women and a lot of books have said in the past that you need to gain between 10 and 35 pounds to have a good and healthy baby, and that's not at all true," he said. "If a woman has a (body mass index) of 30, or (weighs) greater than say about 210 pounds ... they don't have to even gain more than five to 10 pounds for the whole pregnancy."  More...

Women who have their first baby at an advanced maternal age may be more at risk of complications, says a recent UK study. The team at the University of Cambridge found women who started menstruation early, from the age of 12 onwards, were more likely to require medical assistance during childbirth such as forceps, or a Caesarean section.  More...

Early detection and treatment of ectopic pregnancies will produce better outcomes. Ectopic pregnancy is a condition in which the fertilised egg (embryo) is implanted outside the uterine cavity. Its occurrence varies in different countries but it is estimated to occur in about one in 100 pregnancies. More...

Pregnancy is a time when moms-to-be will hear lots of advice. But how much of the information is a pregnancy myth or truth? MYTH OR TRUTH: Heartburn means a hairy baby. It's one of the oldest wives tales in the book: if you have bad heartburn during pregnancy, you can look forward to a baby with a full head of hair More...

Each factsheet has information on how a particular contraceptive works, how effective it is, its pros and cons, and where it's available More...

A 41-year-old woman with a history of miscarriages and 13 failed cycles of IVF treatment has given birth to a baby through a pioneering egg-screening technique. More...

Parents of babies often wonder about the best time to introduce cow's milk into their child's diet. Expert recommendations vary from 9-12 months, with most leaning towards the one year mark, but virtually all child nutritionists agree that giving cow's milk to a child under nine months of age would be unwise. More...

Ear wax protects the ear by trapping dust, bacteria and other microorganisms, and other foreign particles to prevent them from entering and damaging the ear. Ear wax also helps protect the delicate skin of the ear canal from becoming irritated when water is in the canal. The wax usually makes its way to the opening of the ear, where it falls out or is removed by washing.> More...