Sickle cell disease not always a barrier to pregnancy

For women that carry a genetic disease – such as the blood disorder sickle cell disease – pregnancy may seem an unrealistic ambition. Apart from the fears of would-be parents that their child may inherit the disease, a condition like sickle cell disease makes a...

One step closer to pregnancy post-cancer

For young women facing chemotherapy as part of a range of treatments for breast cancer, the question of fertility post-treatment is of particular concern. But the results of a phase III clinical trial mean that women might be able to have their cancer treated, and...

A confusing state: treating mental illness during pregnancy

Many women suffering from a mental disorder, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, control their condition using antipsychotic drugs. But if a woman taking this type of medication wants to have a baby, there aren’t many standard answers from the medical...

The stigma of taking medications for sickness in pregnancy

A good friend of mine developed appendicitis at week 17 of her pregnancy. She had an anesthetic, the appendix removed via surgery, and then she was pumped full of both IV and oral painkillers and anti-emetics. At no point during her weeklong stay in the hospital did...

Putting pregnant women at the heart of its advice

It’s no secret that women and men are different, which is why medical advice must always take these differences into account. So when the American Heart Association published its latest set of guidelines in late 2013, it prepared a separate set of guidelines for...