An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that happens outside of the uterus. The fertilised egg will usually implant onto the wall of a fallopian tube, which means that the egg will not develop and turn into a baby. In rare cases ectopic pregnancies can occur in the cervix area, ovaries or stomach. An ectopic pregnancy means that the baby cannot be saved.

Bacterial vaginosis occurs when there is a imbalance of bacteria in the vagina due to a change in vaginal pH, resulting in an overgrowth of anaerobic bacteria – Gardnerella, Bacteroides, Peptostreptococci and Mobilunculus.

Breastfeeding is a great way for mother and baby to bond, and for babies to get the perfect amount of nutrients and antibodies for their growing bodies.

Kylie Richardson was only 27 and Cheryle Robins just 34 when, during 2010, they both embarked on something far more unexpected, far more unplanned and far more trying than either of them could ever have imagined. That year turned out to be the year they both got the shock of their lives when they discovered their very own boobs were ticking time-bombs.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a number of physical, psychological and behavioural symptoms that occur anywhere from 5 to 11 days before a woman's menstrual period. It is thought that hormonal changes during a woman's monthly cycle cause PMS.

The New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) is concerned that a proposal to shut down specialist maternity services in Whanganui and move them to Palmerston North will be a disaster for women, babies and their whanau who live in the area. The proposal also plans to move elective gynaecology services from Palmerston North to Whanganui.

A health and wellbeing programme designed for women is being piloted in Upper Hutt next month. A holistic approach to health, addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of women and family/whanau wellness, the course aims to provide women with a lifestyle choice for healthy eating, a healthy environment, and exercise.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the computing company Intel today unveiled a joint effort to strengthen the skills of midwives and community health workers through technology, in a bid to reduce the number of pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths across the world.

According to a study by the University of Sydney, a diet rich in protein in combination with dietitian sessions is more effective at helping young women lose weight.

Research conducted in Sweden has found that younger women on the birth control pill suffer less pain during menstruation than those not taking the pill.

For some refuges in New Zealand it has been a record holiday season with high numbers of women and children using services between Dec 23 and January 14th.

30,000 women in France may require breast implant removals. According to the French newspaper Liberation, there is concern that the faulty implants carry health risks and could lead to cancer.

A review undertaken by the UK National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health has found that women with unwanted pregnancies who had abortions were not at an increased risk of developing mental health problems.

A recent study has found that snacking in between breakfast and lunch might not be the best idea for women trying to lose weight.

A study published in the British Medical Journal has found that there is a higher risk of complications for first-time mothers who have a home birth.

A study of 67,000 nurses in the US has shown that women who drink four plus cups of coffee a day are less likely to develop uterine cancer.

This week is Postnatal Depression (PND) Awareness Week (13-19 Nov). Postnatal depression, which might be more accurately described as perinatal distress, affects around 1 in 5 mothers and around 1 in 6 dads. (The term perinatal distress is more fitting because some new parents experience anxiety, sleeplessness and even panic attacks, rather than depression and for some this begins in pregnancy, not just after the birth).

Women who eat a Mediterranean diet are more likely to get pregnant easily.