International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Certain types of modern contraception could be risky for women who have migraines with aura, a new study has found.

According to research unveiled at this year's meeting of the American Academy of Neurology, these females are more likely to experience deep vein thrombosis and other blood clot complications.

News that more people in various parts of Asia are using modern forms of contraception has been welcomed by experts.

Bayer Healthcare recently carried out a study in eight different countries that showed many families now use options such as condoms, contraceptive pills and intra-uterine devices to prevent conception.

Only limited progress on boosting contraceptive prevalence is being made across the globe, a new report has stated.

According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), annual increases of only 0.1 per cent have been recorded in recent years.

This, it said, means much more money needs to go into making modern family planning options available to communities in the developing world.

An official in the Philippines has said more needs to be done to boost maternal and newborn health outcomes in the country.

According to Maria Concepcion T Aslor of the Naga College Foundation, about 4,000 mothers and nearly 3,400 newborn babies die in the nation every year, the Philippine Information Agency reports.

Making obstetric treatment free in Morocco has had a positive impact on women's health in the country, a government official in the country has said.

The Nigerian government has said it plans to improve the level of access to contraception over the next few years.

According to Dr Muhammad Ali Pate, the country's health minister, officials want to achieve a 36 per cent prevalence rate in the next six years, Nigerian newspaper the Leadership reports.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged to take steps to improve access to contraception in less affluent nations.

According to the group, it is a fundamental right of women to be able to access modern means of contraception.

Female smokers have been advised their habit could threaten both maternal and newborn health.

According to researchers at Nantes University Hospital, embryos do not develop as quickly if the mother smokes.

An effort to make ultrasound technology available in Uganda is improving maternal and newborn health in the country.

The machines are capable of identifying any problems in the mother and child that could lead to complications either during the birth or once the baby has been born.

An adviser to the Ugandan government has outlined some of the reasons behind the country's high maternal mortality rate.

According to development economist Fred Muhumuza, authorities in the country have struggled to address the issue because of a "complex web of problems", the Associated Press reports.