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'No proof' IVF aided by acupuncture

There is no evidence acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine boost the chance of IVF success, fertility experts warn.


India help for Sri Lanka amputees

An Indian charity sends a team to Sri Lanka to provide 1,000 amputees in the war-ravaged north with artificial limbs.


'Problem kids' risk future pain

Children with behavioural problems are twice as likely to suffer chronic pain as adults than others, say researchers.


US school soda deal 'cuts sugar'

The US soft drinks industry says it has dramatically cut full-calorie beverages available in schools as part of a drive to tackle obesity.


Action urged on pregnancy deaths

Pregnant women in developing countries face the same risk of death as women in the UK did 100 years ago, say campaigners.


Obama continues healthcare attack

US President Barack Obama attacks insurers for raising rates as he continues his push for healthcare reform.


UK gives SA millions of condoms

The UK donates £1m ($1.5m) to South Africa to buy 42m condoms, as the nation builds up to the football World Cup.


Surgery on Mubarak 'successful'

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak undergoes successful surgery at a German clinic for an inflamed gall bladder, state media say.


Africa in bid to wipe out polio

A campaign is launched to eradicate polio in west and central Africa, targeting 85 million children.


'London bomb stress' recognised

Psychologists say they have treated hundreds of survivors of the 2005 London bombings for post-traumatic stress disorder.


DNA test 'may predict best diet'

A simple DNA test may predict whether someone is most likely to lose weight on a specific diet, say US researchers.


Illegal cord blood sample warning

Parents, hospitals and private firms are being warned over risky and illegal collections of umbilical cord blood


Sexual health 'milestone'

Young people think frank conversations about sex infections signal that a relationship will last.


US to distribute female condoms

Washington DC will become the first city in the US to make female condoms available for free, local media say.


Aids 'key cause of female death'

The UN HIV/Aids programme says HIV has become the leading cause of death for women of reproductive age worldwide.


Premature brain 'wash out' hope

A technique that "washes out" the brains of severely ill premature babies may aid survival, a study suggests.


Charity urges 5% tobacco tax rise

A 5% rise in tobacco tax would lead to a drop in thousands of smokers and save millions in health costs, an anti-smoking charity says.


EU adds month to parental leave

The EU extends minimum parental leave from three to four months, but the specifics will vary across the 27-nation bloc.


Sex drive 'lasts longer in men', research suggests

Men are likelier than women to enjoy sex in old age, researchers find.


Flu symptoms are 'of the brain rather than body', say experts

Research by the University of Sussex suggests feeling lousy while ill may be down to reactions in the brain rather than physical symptoms.


Chickenpox row

A vaccine is available - why not use it in the UK?


Obesity risk

Why extra fat can turn you into a killer behind the wheel


Three-way swap

UK's first pooled kidney transplant hailed a success


Dying breed

Azeris in Talysh Mountains are no longer so long-lived


Surgery on joints

Patient benefits from rare ankle replacement


From BBC Health

What happens to your body under anaesthetic?


Cancer: The facts

Information and statistics on common types of cancer


Heart disease and stroke


Pregnancy timeline

From fertilisation to birth, an outline guide to a typical pregnancy and how the baby develops inside the womb.