For a pregnant woman, good sleep is important for both her own health and the development of her growing baby. Not getting enough quality sleep, especially in the first and third trimesters, increases a woman's risk for delivering her baby preterm.

For women who are pregnant, reduced thyroid function can have adverse effects on both the woman's health, and that of her unborn baby. These effects can include the risk of miscarriage and premature birth, but the universal screening of pregnant women for thyroid disfunction is still controversial due to costs.

Certain birth control pills are more likely to cause serious blood clots than others. The newer forms of progesterone combined with hormonal contraceptives carry a higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) than older forms of the pill.

For older women who are trying to conceive but have unexplained infertility problems, bypassing other fertility treatments and going directly with in vitro fertilization (IVF) appears to improve the odds of getting pregnant.

A highly accurate pre-natal test for Down syndrome is now available. With only a sample of a woman's blood in the first or second trimester of pregnancy, the Down Syndrome genetic developmental disorder can be detected.

For women with fertility issues, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is often a viable treatment. The success or failure of IVF does not seem to be influenced at all by the weight of the women, researchers have found.

If you’re pregnant, getting a flu shot is a good idea. Not only can it help you ward off the seasonal flu, it also will help protect your baby from infection - and it won’t cause miscarriage, say studies that will be released this week.

Pregnant women who take high blood pressure medications in the first trimester are not putting their baby at risk of birth defects.  But not managing high blood pressure itself can increase many risks.

If you’re in those menopause years, you’re likely to see the most common symptoms – hot flashes and night sweats.  They may not go away anytime soon.

Weight gain is important during pregnancy, as is weight maintenance. How can they both be achieved? Exercise is the key and is recommended during pregnancy, but is it safe or effective?