Birth

• "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" actress Tatyana Ali, 47, is using her platform to raise awareness about Black maternal health disparities following a distressing childbirth experience with her son. • During her labor, doctors made a jarring decision mid-delivery that Ali describes as a traumatic moment that highlighted systemic healthcare inequities. • Ali's advocacy efforts aim to amplify conversations around maternal mortality and healthcare quality for Black women, drawing from her personal medical journey.

Naturalist says he has been ‘overwhelmed by greetings’ as milestone is marked with event at Royal Albert HallDavid Attenborough said he had been “completely overwhelmed by birthday greetings” for his centenary on Friday and thanked wellwishers “most sincerely”. The naturalist said he had hoped to celebrate his 100th birthday quietly. Instead, the milestone will be marked with a live event at the Royal Albert Hall broadcast on BBC One, featuring music from his programmes as well as stories and reflections from public figures and leading advocates for the natural world.In a recorded audio message shared on Thursday night, Attenborough said: “I had rather thought that I would celebrate my 100th birthday quietly, but it seems that many of you have had other ideas. Continue reading...

• Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has introduced an amendment aimed at ending birthright citizenship, a constitutional right that automatically grants citizenship to children born in the United States regardless of their parents' immigration status. • The proposal addresses immigration and border policy concerns, with Paul discussing the amendment's popularity during appearances on Fox News programs. • The amendment represents a significant legislative effort to restrict citizenship eligibility and reflects ongoing Republican focus on immigration reform and border security measures.

• A Northwestern University study tracked 130,267 babies born in Georgia in 2017, finding 796 fathers died within five years through 2022, with 60% of deaths preventable. • Preventable causes included homicide (143 deaths), accidental injury (142), suicide (102), and overdose (93), compared to 296 natural cause deaths, disproportionately affecting men in their 20s to early 40s. • Researchers highlight paternal mortality as a neglected crisis tied to parenthood transition, calling it a 'huge, missed opportunity' for intervention.

The social and economic impact of people living longer and having fewer babies is hitting countries worldwide. Adaptation is keyIn Japan, there are now companies that specialise in cleaning the apartments of elderly people who have died alone and gone undiscovered for weeks or months, while adult incontinence pads have outstripped nappy sales for more than a decade. In Italy, depopulating villages are selling homes for €1 to attract new residents and keep services running. In the UK, falling pupil numbers are already closing schools and classrooms in parts of London.These are not isolated curiosities, but signs of a broader shift taking place across much of the developed world. “In the EU in 2024, 21 of 27 countries had more deaths than births,” said Prof Sarah Harper, the director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing. Across Asia and the Americas, too – from Japan and South Korea, to Cuba and Uruguay – many countries are seeing the same pattern. Continue reading...

Leah Spasova from Oxfordshire fought for 10 years to obtain tubal ligation procedure, while men could get vasectomiesAnalysis: questions over how accessible procedure should beA woman denied a permanent form of birth control on the NHS over fears she might regret it, while men were allowed contraceptive procedures, has won her case with the health ombudsman.Leah Spasova, a psychologist from Oxfordshire, spent a decade fighting to obtain female sterilisation at her local trust, a procedure that blocks or seals the fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy. By contrast, men can undergo a vasectomy, a procedure that stops sperm from being released. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Cambridge research finds socioenvironmental stressors may influence body’s ability to function healthily in pregnancyStress from racism and deprivation could explain why black women are more likely to die during childbirth, a study has found.Researchers reviewed 44 existing studies that examined three physiological pathways associated with worse pregnancy outcomes: oxidative stress, inflammation, and uteroplacental vascular resistance, and found black women had higher levels of the three metrics. Continue reading...