Reliance on fertility apps on rise in England and Wales, study shows

Trend away from hormonal contraception corresponds to rise in abortion rates, say researchers

Women in England and Wales are increasingly ditching the pill in favour of fertility-tracking apps, raising the risk of a rise in unplanned pregnancies, a study suggests.

Researchers concluded there had been a shift in attitudes towards contraception in the last five years, from “more reliable” hormonal options, such as the pill and the implant, to “fertility awareness-based methods”.

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I am a rational liberal, yet a question about the sanctity of life floored me | Sonia Sodha

Hosting a radio show on ethics made me see that moral instinct isn’t the inferior cousin of reason

A decade ago, I’d have proudly – and smugly – donned my “I’m a liberal” badge. What’s not to like about liberalism, the idea that people are free to live their lives the way they want, so long as they’re not harming anyone else, and the state promotes equality of opportunity through a decent welfare state? It’s the politics of liberalism that paved the way for legislative reforms on race discrimination and gay marriage that have gone hand in hand with declining levels of social prejudice.

I still regard these as important markers of progress. But today I feel sheepish about how simplistic my worldview used to be. Liberalism has much to offer, but there are risks in embracing it as an overarching political philosophy without a degree of humility about its shortcomings: its hollow silence over how to navigate knotty ethical issues where society needs some kind of shared understanding. This queasiness about morality means liberals sometimes look the other way when others smuggle in controversial ethical assumptions under the guise of choice and autonomy.

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New mothers don’t need to be bombarded with unsolicited advice – they need reassurance | Jodi Wilson

When we talk about the difficult parts of motherhood we provide emotional cushioning for what can be a deeply challenging experience

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In the discombobulation of postpartum, reassurance is what all new mothers need.

When sleep deprived and aching, when doubt spirals are common and overwhelm rife, a new mother will look to those who have mothered before her. There is nothing more comforting in the inevitable haze of milk and tears than someone saying: “I think you’re right, and you’re doing really well.”

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We can tell the truth about pregnancy without scaring women to death – in fact, it’s vital that we do | Emily Oster

Many women have no idea about the potential complications until they happen. Without discussion there is no treatment or prevention

There is an inherent tension between two basic facts about childbirth. On the one hand, it has happened billions and billions of times in the course of human history and it has been successful in a wide range of settings, from neolithic caves to state-of-the-art hospitals. On the other, it is objectively dangerous in many cases.

This tension can be felt in much of the modern popular discourse on birth. On my Instagram feed, there are depictions of unmedicated home births in a bathtub surrounded by flowers and a caption about how birth has got too medicalised. Some commenters are quick to note that, in their case, having that medical help was life-saving. To put it most starkly: yes, people have been giving birth at home for millions of years, but a lot of them died.

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Allanah lost her son when she was 22 weeks pregnant. Now she’s helping others though the grief of stillbirth

Australia has protocols for stillbirths and neonatal deaths, but the quality of care varies widely across the country

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The birth of Allanah Crameri and Braydon Newell’s son Lenny in September 2022 should have been filled with joy. But at just under 22 weeks, pregnancy complications led to a preterm labour and Lenny was born too early to survive.

“I felt everything from sadness, despair, anger and shock,” Crameri says.

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Pregnant Kentucky woman cited by police for street camping while in labor

Officer detained woman and confiscated mattress from under a Louisville overpass after she said her water broke

A homeless woman in Kentucky was cited by police and had her mattress confiscated and destroyed as she went into labor on the streets of Louisville, local media reported.

Body camera footage obtained by Kentucky Public Radio from the city police force showed Lt Caleb Stewart walking up to a pregnant woman under an overpass in the city’s downtown area.

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Pregnant women and unborn babies face severe fatality risk in a bird flu pandemic, study finds

While the risk of a H5N1 pandemic in humans is low, ‘it’s really important to think about vulnerable populations’, says Melbourne researcher

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Most pregnant women who contract bird flu will die, according to an Australian review of infections that found most unborn babies with the virus also die.

Caused by influenza A viruses, a severe strain of bird flu known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) is spreading globally.

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