birth

One in seven women experiences depression during or after pregnancy. The good news is that perinatal depression is treatable. Here are five things to know about perinatal depression, its symptoms and treatment options.

Health & Safety

For Mother's Day, a bouquet of useful health advice for new moms and moms-to-be

10:52am May 09, 2024

by Life Kit

Expert guidance on the realities of pregnancy and new motherhood from Life Kit. Find episodes on the menstrual cycle, egg freezing, postpartum depression and more.

The new analysis of death certificates says the U.S. maternal mortality rate is in line with other wealthy countries, contradicting an earlier report from the CDC.

How bad is maternal mortality in the U.S.? A new study says it's been overestimated

5:12pm March 13, 2024

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

The peer-reviewed study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology says a pregnancy checkbox on national death certificates inflates the death rate.

Race

Novant Health and a/perture cinema aim to raise awareness about Black maternal mortality

3:13pm November 28, 2022

by David Ford

According to data from the Commonwealth Fund, American women already experience the highest maternal death rates among developed nations. Black women are nearly three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.

Newborn baby cribs in a hospital nursery.

National

Opinion: Newborn blessings for a new year

8:03am January 08, 2022

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon shares the story of twins born 15 minutes apart, one just before midnight on Dec. 31, 2021, and one just after, and what their birth years might mean in the future.

Marissa Tuping, a rural midwife, and Risa Calibuso, right, arrive in Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Hospital on July 21. Calibuso gave birth to her son moments later.

The Philippines Has A Policy Against Home Births. It's Not Playing Well In A Pandemic

10:48am October 25, 2020

by Xyza Cruz Bacani

The "No Home Birth" policy was created to reduce maternal and newborn mortality rates. But critics say it makes giving birth expensive and complicated — especially during the coronavirus crisis.

Photographer Sarah Waiswa's image of her daughter, Ria: "She spends a lot of time in our bed. Babies bring the hope of goodness and light, but 2020 has been a heavy year. I am afraid about the type of world I have brought her into. I hope by the time Ria

Health & Safety

Global Photos: Babies Of The Pandemic Bring Love, Light — And Worries

7:31am July 18, 2020

by Everyday Projects

Millions of babies have been born in this year of the coronavirus crisis. We asked photojournalists to introduce us to some of the new arrivals — and share the hopes and fears of their parents.

A 5-pound newborn girl is swaddled in a blanket in a hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. She was born on Jan. 1, 2020.

UNICEF Estimates 400,000 Babies Will Be Born On New Year's Day

10:28am January 01, 2020

Over half those births will happen in just eight countries, according to the U.N. agency.

Lesley McClurg sits on the floor of her home in Oakland, Calif., reading a birthing book. McClurg has been taking the time to decide between having a home birth or a hospital birth.

Health & Safety

Home Birth Can Be Appealing, But How Safe Is It?

3:32pm March 11, 2019

by Lesley McClurg

A tiny fraction of American women choose home birth, but that number is inching up. And in some social circles it's downright trendy. One pregnant woman investigates the pros and cons.

Queue Listen Now

News
Science

Endangered Blue-Eyed Black Lemur Born In NC

6:00am May 23, 2018

by Eddie Garcia

An endangered lemur has been born in North Carolina. It's the first time in over 20 years that there's been a birth by a lemur that came directly from Madagascar.

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Kerri De Nies plays with her son, Gregory Mac Phee at their home in San Diego. Gregory tested positive for adrenoleukodystrophy, a rare brain disorder that affects 1 in about 18,000 babies. Roughly 30 percent of boys with the genetic mutation go on to dev

Parents Lobby States To Expand Newborn Screening Test For Rare Brain Disorder

11:27pm October 04, 2017

by Anna Gorman

There's a genetic test for ALD, the inherited disorder portrayed in the movie Lorenzo's Oil, and the federal government recommends it for all newborns. But only a handful of states offer it routinely.

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