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Repeated exposure to bodily waste appears to lower disgust in parents, with effects that persist beyond infancy, a study of 99 parents and 50 non-parents suggests. The study used parent-specific questions and child-related stimuli, including images of soiled nappies, and tracked reactions such as looking away. Non-parents strongly avoided images of bodily waste. [...]

Femtech World is set to celebrate the very best of global menstrual health innovation at the third annual Femtech World Awards. The Menstrual Health Innovation award celebrates a breakthrough product, service or initiative that is redefining menstrual health. The winner will have demonstrated exceptional innovation in addressing the needs and challenges around menstruation, whether through technology, [...]

A simple DNA test using circulating tumour DNA could forecast how advanced breast cancer responds to treatment, enabling earlier switches to options more likely to work, researchers say. The test analyses circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) (tiny fragments of cancer DNA in the blood) to indicate whether a patient is likely to benefit from a specific [...]

China's birth rate has hit a record low in 2025, deepening a demographic crisis. Births dropped to 5.6 per 1,000 people in 2025, down from 6.4 in 2023, the lowest on record, according to Wind Information data dating to the 1950s. About 7.9 million babies were born last year, sharply fewer than 9.5 million a [...]

Women in the UK are being failed by a "dangerously underfunded and understaffed" postnatal care system, a new report has warned. Thousands of new mothers feel unsafe, unsupported and overwhelmed in the weeks and months after birth, according to the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). The report included a survey of 2,000 new and expectant parents [...]

The Femtech World Awards are set to recognise the people, organisations and innovations revolutionising how we treat and diagnose cancer in women. Now in its third year, the Femtech World Awards celebrates the very best of female-led and focused health innovation, spanning menopause, fertility, cardiovascular disease and beyond. The Women's Cancer Innovation award will honour [...]

Two designer perfumes have been recalled over a banned chemical linked to fertility risk and harm to unborn children. Hello by Lionel Richie and Hot by United Colours of Benetton, both sold by discount chain Savers Health and Beauty, have been recalled in a notice from the Office for Product Safety and Standards. The products [...]

Pregnant women exposed to 'forever chemicals' could be at greater risk of developing gestational diabetes, a recent study suggests. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are toxic chemicals that do not break down in the body, leaching from non-stick cookware, waterproof textiles and takeaway containers into food or via skin contact and building up in vital [...]

Clue, the women-led period and cycle tracker health and wellness app, has announced a significant and strategic investment from Verdane - the European specialist growth equity firm focused on technology-enabled businesses. The investment - which is a substantial contribution from Verdane's €2 billion growth fund - is the single largest investment in Clue to date [...]

The rising cost of living and poor contraception access have pushed the abortion rate in England and Wales to a record high since 1967, providers and doctors say. Government statistics released on Thursday showed terminations increased by 11 per cent in 2023 compared with the previous year. The age-standardised rate for women was 23.0 per [...]