A family is enduring significant hardship as they desperately seek a diagnosis for their 14-month-old daughter, who is battling a mysterious, undiagnosed illness. Elyza, the daughter of Yasmin Whittington, 30, from Brechin, Angus, is afflicted by an unknown condition manifesting as persistent sickness, poor feeding, diminished muscle tone, and chronic fatigue.
Sofii Lewis described her experience, stating, "I knew I wasn't safe. But I didn't think I was out of control." This highlights the confusion many face with postpartum psychosis.
The latest study published in March by the Centre for Economic Performance indicates that although the career trajectories of men and women are similar before becoming parents, their paths diverge starkly after the birth of their first child.
Since 1985, every time the U.S. elects a Republican president, global maternal mortality increases by about 10.5%, or about 44.7 additional deaths per 100,000 live births. This erodes roughly one-fifth of the average worldwide decline in maternal mortality achieved since 1985.
While noting women 'were treated with kindness and compassion', a 'requires improvement' rating was given. Inspectors said hospital management 'did not always support staff well-being' and 'were not always visible within the service and were sometimes perceived as unsupportive'. Staff reported they were confident to report incidents, however, were not always assured action would be taken.
I attended A&E multiple times complaining of pain, tachycardia (increased heart rate), sickness - I couldn't keep anything down... but they didn't listen. Angel-Kay Mason fell pregnant with her daughter in June 2022 aged 19. Due to a family history of complex pregnancies, she says she was deemed to be high-risk but says she was not referred to a consultant and did not receive any extra scans.
Balancing a nursing career with family life means thinking a few steps ahead, without blowing everything up in the process. Many experienced nurses reach a stage where growth needs to be practical, not disruptive. The appeal lies in finding ways to widen responsibility and keep doors open while staying employable across different settings, all while working around real-world schedules and family commitments. It is less about chasing status and more about building a future that still works on a Tuesday afternoon.
We'd been working together for years to make my medication regimen-treatment for schizoaffective disorder-safe for potential pregnancy. Under her care, I was tapering off an antidepressant known to cause respiratory distress and hypertension in a newborn. I'd been experiencing wild mood swings, even suicidal thoughts. My beloved doctor's eyes were sad. "I'm saying no to a pregnancy, Meg." Even in the moment, I understood her priority as a physician was to keep me safe. Still, part of me hated her.
Anna af Ugglas, chief executive of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) and one of the study's authors, said: Nearly 1 million missing midwives means health systems are stretched beyond capacity, midwives are overworked and underpaid, and care becomes rushed and fragmented. Intervention rates rise, and women are more likely to experience poor-quality care or mistreatment, she said. This is not only a workforce issue, it is a quality and safety issue for women and babies.
When I first found out I was pregnant, I did what most moms do-I started researching. I wanted to make the best possible choices for my baby and myself, and giving birth in a hospital just didn't feel like the safest option. So many women do it, but the more I learned, the more I realized that the reality of hospital birth in the U.S. is even less reassuring than I had thought. I wanted to birth at home.
Babies in the Midlands and North of England are more likely to die before, during or shortly after birth than those in the South, a new study has found. Researchers analysed data from 121 maternity services in England to see which centres repeatedly produced outcomes better or worse than the average between 2013 and 2022. The 10 worst-performing centres were in the Midlands and North of England, and the 15 best-performing in the South.
Hamilton makes it very clear that she and her fellow nurses are endlessly grateful for the gifts they have received from patients (like energy drinks, mints, donuts and hair ties). But at the same time, they don't expect them. And most importantly, the service they provide to their patients remains the same regardless of whether or not you give them a gift.