By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Many new mothers in the United States struggle with chronic emotional and physical problems, often with little or no support from their husbands or partners, all the while trying to meet the needs of their newborns, and in some cases the pressure to return to work, a new report finds.

THURSDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Eating more fiber during the first trimester of pregnancy seems to reduce the risk of developing preeclampsia, a potentially fatal condition characterized by elevated blood pressure.

The finding appears to be another good reason for pregnant women to maintain good fiber intake, one expert said.

According to a Danish study, pregnant women experiencing a high level of psychological stress may be at in increased risk for stillbirths.

Stillbirth is when a fetus that was expected to survive, dies during birth or in the last stages of pregnancy says, the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

A study conducted over a 10-year period suggests that while most women under high stress deliver healthy newborns, their stillbirth rates, compared to women with moderate to low stress rates were five percent compared to three percent.

Infertility can wreck emotional havoc and stress on one’s life. However, the only way to overcome infertility is to become informed.

Infertility is diagnosed as the inability for a woman to get pregnancy after one year of trying or a woman who is able to become pregnant but suffers from repeated miscarriages.

While a male and his sperm may be the targets to blame, it is now known that females are just as likely to be the cause of a couple’s infertility.

TUESDAY, June 24 (HealthDay News) -- Preeclampsia may change the way arteries respond to insulin, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular problems years after the dangerous pregnancy complication occurs, Scandinavian researchers report.

In this small study, researchers found an association between insulin sensitivity in women and a history of preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure during pregnancy.

The mayor of a small New England city with a recent explosion in teen pregnancy said Monday officials still were not sure if high school girls made a pact to get pregnant.

"Any planned blood-oath bond to become pregnant — there is absolutely no evidence of," Gloucester (Mass.) Mayor Carolyn Kirk said at a press conference Monday held after a meeting of city leaders.

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Interesting story today out of the Wall Street Journal on how Planned Parenthood -- a long-time feature in many metropolitan areas -- is expanding its reach into the suburbs in an attempt to woo a more affluent clientile.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB1...

"They feature touches such as muted lighting, hardwood floors and airy waiting rooms in colors selected by marketing experts -- as well as walls designed to withstand a car's impact should an antiabortion protest turn violent."