Women who gorge on junk food while pregnant could raise the risk of their offspring developing irreversible health problems such as obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes in adult life, according to new research.

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College here carried out their study involving rats but scientists believe it also applies to humans. Rats that ate a diet rich in fat, sugar and salt while pregnant were more likely to give birth to offspring that had the tendency to over-eat and had a preference for junk food when compared to the offspring of rats given regular feed

Children born to mothers who are depressed during pregnancy are likely to develop more slowly than their peers, new research shows.

The study, carried out by researchers at the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol, found an increase of up to 34 per cent in the risk of poor physical and mental development in children whose mothers were depressed during pregnancy

Pregnant women who smoke cannabis harm the developing brain of their unborn babies, researchers have claimed. In addition to cannabis, certain prescribed drugs, including some to treat obesity, could have a negative impact on the fetal brain, the University of Aberdeen researchers have found.

The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in cannabis targets the receptors and signalling systems in the brain. For the brain to develop normally, this signalling process should occur unhindered, researchers noted

A form of the contraceptive coil used by millions of women could help protect women at high risk of womb cancer, British researchers say. The coil releases a hormone which reduces the thickness of the womb wall, potentially halting the growth of abnormal cells.

Researchers in Yorkhill Hospital and Glasgow Royal Infirmary are investigating whether a form of the contraceptive coil can stop women from developing womb cancer. If the trial is successful, researchers hope more women will prevent the development of the cancer and so avoid hysterectomies

A healthy baby girl has been successfully delivered to an Australian mother after a rare full-term ectopic pregnancy. Calling it a miracle, the doctors at Darwin Private Hospital in northern Australia said the it was probably the first time ever that any such ectopic pregnancy continued till 37 weeks.

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg develops outside of the uterus. The condition usually ends in a miscarriage or is terminated by doctors because of the threat it can cause to the mother. The condition places the woman's life at risk because of the likelihood the foetus will cause a rupture resulting in pain and blood loss