The abortion rate has dropped for the second year running in England and Wales, statistics show. But experts said it was still too early to say whether there was a downward trend. The total number of abortions was 189,100 in 2009 – a rate of 17.5 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44,...

Premature birth risk appears to be genetic, say researchers after finding early births tend to run in families. Women born prematurely or who have brothers or sisters who were born too early are 50-60% more likely to have a premature baby themselves, they say. The University of Aberdeen...

One in three adults in the UK do not brush their teeth for the recommended full two minutes per day, experts believe. The British Dental Health Foundation found a third cut brushing short to deal with more pressing matters. Excuses given by the 1,000 adults polled included rushing to leave...

Two social workers involved in the Baby Peter case have admitted failing to follow procedures to protect him in the months before his death. Maria Ward and Gillian Christou accept they did not keep adequate records in the case, a General Social Care Council (GSCC) conduct committee heard....

The doctor who first suggested a link between MMR vaccinations and autism is to find out whether he will be punished by the medical regulator. The General Medical Council is due to decide if Dr Andrew Wakefield is guilty of serious professional misconduct. If found guilty, the regulator...

The UK is lagging behind other high income countries on cutting child mortality, international figures show. Along with the USA, New Zealand and South Korea, child deaths in the UK have not fallen as quickly as expected. The research confirms the UK has the highest child mortality rate...