FGM: the reality refuses to live up to the scaremongering

A new dataset on female genital mutilation (FGM) in the UK, released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), created a flurry of media excitement recently.

Ethiopia is making steady progress on FGM

My December '15 - January '16 holiday in Ethiopia afforded me an opportunity to consider the types, prevalence and incidence of FGM there and to talk with frontline healthcare workers about their perception of the progress being made in reducing the practice.

My assessment is that steady progress is being made, particularly in urban areas. This is best understood in the context of social progress, improved access to education, economic development and better employment opportunities.

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Scotland's named person scheme rides roughshod over parents' rights

Community practitioners, or health visitors as they were known, have been a valuable source of support for UK families with children for many years.

Redefining mental health

Do we need mental health support to manage our personality quirks and eccentricities?

A leaflet popped through my door a few weeks ago, and given that the general election was only a few days away, I assumed it was another election flyer.

Mandatory reporting of FGM is a bad idea

The Serious Crime Act could undermine the relationship between professionals and the people they are trying to help.

The Home Office introduced a mandatory reporting duty in the Serious Crime Act (March 2015), believing it to be ‘an important step forward in tackling FGM [female genital mutiliation]’.

Close to finding the cause of SIDS?

There’s great news from Seattle about a potential cause of one the the cruellest medical mysteries: sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Three cheers for three-person embryos

On February 3 2015, the UK made history when MPs approved the draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015, with 382 in the House of Commons voting in favour and 128 against.  This meant that, in principle, they supported the creation of ‘three-person embryos’ through mitochondrial donation.