International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

In the UK, pregnant women are being advised to take vitamin D supplements during their gestation.

Despite official bodies currently offering conflicting advice, a team of researchers from University College London has said there is a "strong case" for having a daily dose of the vitamin.

Women are best prepared to be a mother between the ages of 20 and 25, it has been suggested.

"Probably the best age to become a parent is between 20 and 25 because it is the time when you are fully matured and grown and [the body has] not started a decline," said Professor James Walker, president of training at the charity Baby Lifeline.

In order to fully understand the screening process, all pregnant women must be given relevant, accurate and up-to-date information on Down's syndrome, it has been suggested.

Last week, it was revealed that Dutch researchers were getting close to developing an inexpensive pre-natal blood test to detect Down's syndrome and birth defects.

Mothers-to-be who smoke put their child at greater risk of developing mental health problems, according to a new study.

Giving birth at home is three times riskier for babies than those taking place at a hospital, new research has revealed.

The researchers found babies born at home are more likely to die from heart or breathing problems.

Scientists from the Netherlands are developing a quick blood test which could detect whether an unborn child has Down's syndrome.

The pioneering, inexpensive test could save the lives of hundreds of unborn babies each year, as it would remove the risk of miscarriage that is currently associated with the testing procedure.

A new egg screening technique is able to predict genetic problems and could help boost the success rate of IVF, according to fertility experts.

Mothers who drink alcohol while pregnant may have a damaging effect on their sons' fertility, according to new research.

A new study has found a link between the use of psychotropic medication during pregnancy and an increased risk of the baby suffering some form of birth defect.

Between 1998 and 2007, the use of psychotropic medicines was linked with 429 adverse drug reactions in children under 17 in Denmark, researchers from the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Studies found.

Under new proposals, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has said all pregnant women will have to take breath tests to prove that they are no longer smoking.

Midwives will be encouraged to tell mothers-to-be to undergo a carbon monoxide test at their first antenatal appointment.