Studies from both the United States and the UK have revealed a decline in the use of traditional, hormonal methods of contraception in Gen Z women (born between 1997 and 2012).  This is in part due to concerns over side effects, but also the effect of social media influencers on platforms such as TikTok (Pleasants et al., 2024).

Research carried out by Rutgers Health and Yale University suggests that being a parent may have benefits for brain function in later life. The study used family information and analysed brain scans from the UK Biobank, looking in particular at areas associated with movement, connection and senses as well as at how different areas of the brain communicate with each other. 

A stillbirth is widely defined as the loss of a foetus from 28 weeks’ gestation – a definition recommended by the World Health Organisation - and a miscarriage is defined as the loss of a pregnancy up to 20 weeks.

Little research has been done into the functions and properties of amniotic fluid across the entire pregnancy period and during birth, due to the potential difficulties in acquiring samples.

Using a child-friendly brain imaging technique called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Oxford have identified differences in which areas of the brain are employed by infants undertaking an activity at 10 months and at 16 months old. 

The UK imposed sugar rationing during the Second World War which restricted sugar intake to below the levels now recommended in nutritional guidelines.

WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED?
The International Journal of Birth and Parent Education (IJBPE) is seeking an Editor based in the UK to work alongside an Australian Editor from July 2025.

In the first study of its kind, researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have looked in detail at the changes that occur in the brain from pre-conception, during pregnancy, and for two years after the birth.

Interest in and understanding of the role of gut bacteria in general health has grown in recent years. Researchers in Cambridge, UK, are investigating the influence of the mother’s microbiome during pregnancy on the developing foetus.

When and how do babies understand and use the art of pretence and how might it enable their understanding of the world? 

A study undertaken by researchers at Aalto University in Finland examined the way the brain reacts when an individual responds to thinking about feelings of love in different contexts and relationships.

Infants less than a year old can combine simple concepts into complex ideas, showing that creativity begins in babyhood.