Midwife Nikki Khan replies: A miscarriage is extremely upsetting and traumatic. There are many reasons for miscarriages including genetic disorders, hormonal imbalances and medical reasons, such as a weak cervix. Other causes are blood-clotting disorders, which can be treated onc...

Obstetrician Leonie says: If you have an irregular cycle, it is more difficult to know when you are at your most fertile.Women with polycystic ovaries ovulate less frequently than other women, and in some cycles may not ovulate at all. If you do ovulate, this will have happened 1...

desperate to lose weight. Sounds drastic I know but, at only 5ft 1in and 18st, I’d been trying to lose weight for years. Worst of all, it was stopping me from getting pregnant and having the baby I longed for. 'You’re too fat to get pregnant,' doctors had

Obstetrician Leonie says: 'Until your periods start again, it's difficult to know when or if you're ovulating, as the usual tests for ovulation such as prediction kits are recommended for use around the middle of the menstrual cycle.There is a huge variation between women in how ...

fertility treatment.Likewise, if you're trying to conceive naturally, I'd say it might be worth avoiding soya products - particularly around the time you ovulate - even if there's only a slim chance that it affects your fertility. Once you're pregnant there

A: Although there are no known dangers associated with using fake tans, they can sometimes cause an allergic reaction.As pregnancy hormones can make your skin more sensitive than usual, if you are going to use fake tan, do a small patch test first to see if you have a reaction.So...

Nutritionist Caroline replies: There's no reason why you shouldn't have caffeinated drinks, but don't overdo it.Very high intakes of caffeine have been linked to low birth weight and miscarriage and experts recommend that pregnant women should have no more than 300mg of caffeine ...

Nutritionist Caroline says: Yes. Traditiional UK black pudding is a cooked sausage made from pork fat, cereal or oatmeal, seasonings and blood, usually from pigs. People often confuse it with pate or liver sausage, but it's not the same. But do check the sell-by date, store it in...

  is no longer necessary. We have also learnt that women don't like being forced to do things in labour, so banning food, or trying to encourage women to eat can increase anxiety levels and may slow labour down. I'd advise you to eat if you feel like it. This way

Obstetrician Leonie says: You should be offered an antenatal check at about 36 weeks when your midwife will feel your tummy to check which way round your baby is.If it is breech - coming bottom first - they will usually arrnage a scan to confirm this and discuss the option of try...