Dr Jennifer Hall, lead researcher on the P3 Study, took part in a 2 day symposium in Boston, USA on 13th and 14th February, with Prof. Anna David, Director of the UCL Institute for Women’s Health, who set up the Preterm Birth clinical service at UCLH in 2008, and which is now one of the busiest in the UK. The

In October we were delighted to welcome Dr Ana Borges to UCL. Dr Borges is an Associate Professor at the University of Sao Paulo Public Health Nursing Department, Brazil. Her interest is sexual and reproductive health, with a focus on understanding contraceptive use patterns among Brazilian women, in particular, the relationships between contraceptive behaviour and unintended pregnancy, since the use

Women are increasingly turning to smartphone apps to track everything from their periods to their fertility. There is a multitude of such apps available, which only demonstrates how popular they’ve become in recent years. New technologies, and in particular self-tracking, are changing the way we perceive our bodies and health. Both users and doctors wonder about the opportunities and the

New research confirms that the risk of stillbirth is doubled if women go to sleep on their backs in the third trimester. In the UK around 1 in 225 pregnancies end in stillbirth. The largest study to examine maternal sleep and late stillbirth is the Midlands and North of England Stillbirth study which found that women that go to sleep

As the role of women in society evolves, the presence of women who are childfree has been a focus of popular media and current research. Today, the numbers of women who are choosing to be childfree is increasing, however society is not always adjusting to the idea of women not becoming mothers. 2017 saw the lowest number of births since

Miscarriage is the most common complication of pregnancy. It can be an unexpected and emotionally devastating diagnosis for women and their partners, and the effects can last into subsequent pregnancies. Despite its frequency, miscarriage can sometimes be shrouded in shame and silence, even amongst friends and family. Because of the folklore surrounding miscarriage and the frequent reluctance of those who

It is possible to become pregnant again very soon after giving birth, even if a woman is breastfeeding or has not had their period return. Rapid repeat pregnancies (an interpregnancy interval of less than 12 months) are associated with increases the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, stillbirth and neonatal death, therefore maternity services should give women opportunities to

Egg freezing is a procedure to preserve a woman’s eggs to enable women to delay conception and pregnancy until a later time. A women’s eggs are extracted, frozen and stored. Women may then choose to have the eggs thawed, fertilized via IVF, and transferred to the uterus as embryos to enable a pregnancy. While egg freezing is often offered to

Dr Jennifer Hall, lead researcher on the P3 study, has co-edited a new textbook on the Global Health of Women, Newborns, Children and Adolescents. Published by Oxford University Press, this is first comprehensive book on this topic, despite the fact that there are 10 million deaths among newborns (including stillbirths), children, and adolescents, as well as from maternal causes every

About the website There are many methods of contraception available and there’s no perfect method, which can make it difficult to choose between them. The Contraception Choices website (https://www.contraceptionchoices.org) recognises that people have different needs and preferences when it comes to choosing contraception. It is designed to help women and couples decide which method of contraception might suit them best. The website provides