Daily Press Monitoring

Press coverage will be kept on this page for a week. If you are looking for an article that appeared in the papers more than a week ago you can contact Caroline Partis on 020 7772 6305 or email cpartis@rcog.org.uk who may be able to locate it for you. Please be aware that website links may expire after a period of time.

* NOTE: The RCOG is not responsible for the content of external websites. Copyright of each news article below belongs to the individual media channel. Please seek permission before reproducing content.

Thursday 2 Spetember

Birth timing and cerebral palsy risk

Medical News Today (01/09/10) Cerebral Palsy risk linked to pre and post due date births compared to 40 week terms

Breast and ovarian cancers

Reuters (01/09/10) Surgery prevents breast cancers in high-risk women

Home birth

BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour (02/09/10) Home births

International (India) – birth story

Daily News and Analysis (02/09/10) 33-year old gives birth to headless baby at Pune hospital

International (India) – cord blood banking

Times of India (01/09/10) ‘Preserve cord blood, secure your child’s health’ Miscarriage
Guardian (01/09/10) ‘There are cases of women having 15 miscarriages and never having a baby’

Neonatal deaths

Nursing Times (01/09/10) Infant deaths prompt deep clean at UCH

Newborn screening

Daily Mail (02/09/10) A hug, the sugar-free way to ease baby’s pain
Guardian (02/09/10) Newborn babies should not be given sugar as pain relief, says study
Independent (02/09/10) A smile may not mean your baby is happy
Mirror (02/09/10) Pain relief is not so sweet
New Zealand Herald (02/09/10) Study finds babies’ smiles may not be all they seem
Press Association (02/09/10) Sugar ‘does not relieve baby pain’
Scottish Daily Record (02/09/10) Sugar solution as pain relief for babies does not work, say scientists
Virgin Media (02/09/10) Sugar ‘does not relieve baby pain’
AFP (01/09/10) Sugar for newborns does not relieve pain
Los Angeles Times (01/09/10) Does a syringeful of sugar make newborns’ pain go down?

Premature ovarian failure

Express (02/09/10) I never gave up hope that one day I would be a mum

Women’s health – cosmetic surgery

BBC Online (02/09/10) Cosmetic surgery women ‘not vain’
Scotsman (02/09/10) Women who refuse to face up to vanity

Women’s health – hip surgery

BBC Online (02/09/10) Calls to improve care of elderly with broken hips
Independent (02/09/10) Long delays for hip surgery

Wednesday 01 September

Birth timing and cerebral palsy risk

Reuters (31/08/10) Early or late birth ups cerebral palsy risk

Decongestants in pregnancy

Medical News Today (31/08/10) Link between decongestants use in pregnant women and lower risk of preterm birth
Times of India (31/08/10) Decongestant during pregnancy cuts risk of premature birth

Elective deliveries

Medical News Today (31/08/10) Tips for protecting your baby’s health in the final weeks before birth

HRT use

Reuters (31/08/10) More evidence hormone therapy can muddy mammograms

International (US) – caesarean section rate

CNN (31/08/10) Ripple effect seen from rising C-sections in first-time moms
NPR (31/08/10) Blog: About a third of births, even for first time moms, are now by caesarean

Scotland – cervical screening

Herald (01/09/10) Cancer test fears as ‘Goody impact’ wears off
Telegraph (31/08/10) Cervical cancer smear checks fall a year after jade Goody’s death

Scotland – maternal age

Scotsman (01/09/10) More women waiting until their 40s to start a family

Women’s health – breast and ovarian cancer

Medical News Today (01/09/10) Preventive surgeries linked to lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer
Reuters (01/09/10) Surgery prevents breast cancers in high-risk women
CNN (31/08/10) Breast, ovary removal cuts cancer risk in high-risk women

Tuesday 31 August

Antenatal care – stress effects

Herald Scotland (31/08/10) Stress in womb has more effect on boys
Medical News Today (31/08/10) Stress in womb takes greater toll on males

Caesarean section – test

Med Guru (30/08/10) Test can predict likelihood of c-section (RCOG mentioned/Professor Donald Peebles quoted)
Med India (30/08/10) A new test to help decide the need for a caesarean
News Oxy (30/08/10) Test can predict c-section labour (RCOG mentioned/Professor Donald Peebles quoted)
BBC News Online (29/08/10) Test could predict which mothers will need caesareans (RCOG mentioned/Professor Donald Peebles quoted)

Down’s syndrome screening – Wales

BBC News Online (29/08/10) Early Down’s syndrome screening not available in Wales

Elective deliveries

Medical News Today (31/08/10) Health risks to infants outweigh convenience of elective deliveries

Embryo freezing

BBC News Online (30/08/10) Should women freeze their embryos?

International (Canada) – access to contraception

Ottawa Citizen (28/08/10) Next liberation: Movement looking to make the pill over the counter
Windsor Star (28/08/10) Oral contraceptive should be sold over the counter, critics say

International (Italy) – birth story

Mirror (31/08/10) Apology for baby brawl
Daily Mail (30/08/10) Mother and baby fight for life after doctors get into delivery room brawl
Express (30/08/10) Doctors brawl as mum and baby fight for life
Virgin Media (30/08/10) Mother suffers as doctors brawl
Guardian (29/08/10) Doctors accused of brawl over woman in labour

International (New Zealand) – fertility treatment

New Zealand Herald (30/08/10) Payments urged for IVF donations

International (US) – birth rates

CNN (29/08/10) US birth rate falls for second year in midst of recession
Med India (29/08/10) Economic crisis chokes US birth rates
Boston Globe (28/08/10) Economy seen as factor in US birth rate decline
New York Times (28/08/10) Recession may have pushed US birth rate to new low
Star Tribune (28/08/10) Baby bust: US birth rate hits historic low in 2009

International (US) – caesarean section

Business Week (30/08/10) Almost 1 in 3 first time deliveries via c-section
New York Times (30/08/10) A majority of caesareans precede labor, study finds
Star Tribune (30/08/10) C-section rate likely to keep rising as 1 in 3 first-time moms deliver by surgery

International (US) – population trends

Reuters (27/08/10) Economy giving U.S women pause about motherhood?

Neonatal deaths

Daily Mail (31/08/10) 3 babies die as superbug hit University College Hospital’s neonatal unit
Herald Scotland (31/08/10) Babies infected with resistant superbug
Mirror (31/08/10) Superbugs kill baby in top hospital
Scotsman (31/08/10) Babies die after superbug infection
BBC News Online (30/08/10) Superbug hit baby ward at University College Hospital
Guardian (30/08/10) Baby died following outbreak of antibiotic-resistant superbug
Press Association (30/08/10) Leading hospital steps up cleaning
Telegraph (30/08/10) Superbugs linked to premature baby deaths
Virgin Media (30/08/10) Leading hospital steps up cleaning

Postnatal care – sleep

Reuters (30/08/10) New mums get enough sleep, just not good sleep

Pre-eclampsia and pregnancy weight gain

Reuters (27/08/10) Weight loss cuts risk of pregnancy complication

Premature babies – new test

Wales Online (30/08/10) Clinic is the first to offer test which could save a baby’s life

Reproductive coercion

Medical News Today (31/08/10) UC Davis study finds asking about pregnancy coercion and intimate-partner violence can reduce their incidence

Sexually transmitted infections

Observer (29/08/10) Sexually transmitted infections: education is the answer not outrage
BBC News Online (27/08/10) MP criticised after ‘attack’ on sex education

Friday 27 August

Alcohol consumption and abortion

Nursing Times (27/08/10) Heavy drinking linked to abortions

Birth rate

Metro (26/08/10) Mini baby boom on way after cold winter

Childbirth

BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour (27/08/10) Better Births

Depression in pregnancy - low birth weight risk

Times of India (26/08/10) Sad mothers give birth to smaller babies

HFEA consultation – egg and sperm donation

Herald Scotland (26/08/10) The gift of life could come at a heavy price

International (Poland) - abortion

Reuters (26/08/10) More Polish women seeking abortions abroad

Legal

Daily Mail (27/08/10) New mother who fears swab left inside her may have left her infertile awarded £30,000
Virgin Media/PA (27/08/10) £30,000 payout for swab mother
BBC News Online (26/08/10) Payout for Rugby mother over swab error

Midwifery

Nursing Times (27/08/10) Midwife vacancies rising

Pelvic organ prolapse

Bolo health (27/08/10) Use of epidurals prevent incontinence in the future (BJOG mentioned / Professor Philip Steer quoted)
The Med Guru (27/08/10) Epidurals cut risk of incontinence in later life - study
ABC7 Chicago (26/08/10) Epidural may lower risk of internal organ damage (BJOG mentioned)
HC2D (26/08/10) Epidurals protect key muscles (BJOG mentioned)
Made for mums (26/08/10) Epidurals may protect muscles during birth (BJOG mentioned / Professor Philip Steer quoted)
Medical News Today (26/08/10) The use of epidurals may help prevent future pelvic organ prolapsed (BJOG mentioned / Professor Philip Steer quoted)
Times of India (26/08/10) Epidurals during labour protect muscles (BJOG mentioned)

Neonatal – ‘kangaroo care’

Daily Mail (27/08/10) Miracle mum brings premature baby son back to life with two hours of loving cuddles after doctors pronounce him dead
Express (27/08/10) Stillborn baby brought back to life by mother’s love and kisses
Mirror (27/08/10) Two hours of mum’s cuddles brings dead baby boy back to life
Scottish Daily Record (27/08/10) Amazing story of mum who cradled and nursed 'dead' newborn son back to life
Sky News (27/08/10) Mum's Miracle Cuddle Brings Baby Back To Life
Sun (26/08/10) Baby saved by mum's cuddles
Telegraph (26/08/10) Mother's cuddle brings baby 'back to life'

Smoking and pregnancy

Medical News Today (27/08/10) Babies’ first full nappy can reveal mother’s smoking

Stretch marks and scarring – psychological impact

Nursing in Practice (26/08/10) Psychological impact of stretch marks and scarring revealed

Women’s health – cancer symptoms

BBC Online (27/08/10) Top eight cancer signs pinpointed
Irish Independent (27/08/10) Eight signs that 'must be checked for cancer'

Thursday 26 August

Birth rate

Daily Mail (26/08/10) Hospitals gear up for baby boom next month - after snowed-in couples spent winter making their own entertainment
Express (26/08/10) Pregnancy: love in a cold climate sparks a baby boom
Mirror (26/08/10) Baby boom after freeze
Telegraph (26/08/10) NHS braced for mini-baby boom after cold winter
Google/PA (25/08/10) Cold winter blamed for baby boom
Independent/PA (25/08/10) Baby boom blamed on cold winter

Caesarean section

Sun (26/08/10) Baby, it’s all in the delivery

Depression in pregnancy - low birth weight risk

Virgin Media/PA (26/08/10) Depression link to low birth weight

Fetal anatomy – MRI

Medical News Today (26/08/10) Use of 3D MRI is helpful tool for displaying fetal anatomy

Herpes virus

Reuters (25/08/10) Study links severe reaction to herpes virus

HFEA consultation – egg and sperm donation

Daily Mail (26/08/10) Do we really want to trade the gift of life like junk on ebay?
Evening Standard (25/08/10) Egg donors should volunteer for the right reasons

International (Argentina) – tumour removal

Daily Mail (26/08/10) Doctors remove world's largest malignant tumour weighing FOUR STONE from woman, 54
Mirror (26/08/10) Tumungous 3st 9lb growth big as boy, 4
Telegraph (26/08/10) Woman has tumour as big as a four-year-old removed
Fox News (25/08/10) Surgeons Remove 56-Pound Tumor From Woman's Uterus

Pelvic organ prolapse

BBC Online (26/08/10) Epidurals protect key muscles in labour, study suggests (BJOG mentioned / Professor Philip Steer quoted)
Zee News (26/08/10) Epidurals protect key muscles in labour (BJOG mentioned / Professor Philip Steer quoted)

Pre-eclampsia – aspirin use during pregnancy