Among 35 children 10 to 14 years old, those whose mothers had used cocaine, drank alcohol, or smoked tobacco or marijuana while they were pregnant tended to have a smaller head circumference than their peers who werent exposed to these substances prenatally.
The differences seen with use of a single substance were not statistically significant, but [...]

A closed-door workshop at Labours annual congress raised the idea of distributing pamphlets on KiwiSaver, produced by Inland Revenue, and on Working for Families, produced by Work and Income.
Delegates were advised to tell voters when handing out the pamphlets that National had voted against both measures.
Williams, who led the session, reportedly endorsed the plan. But [...]

Almost one in five midwife positions were vacant as of March 24, though that was an improvement on December, when the shortfall peaked at almost one in three and forced the closure of a postnatal ward.
For the past four months, women having their second or subsequent child have been asked to leave hospital within six [...]

Almost one in five midwife positions were vacant as of March 24, though that was an improvement on December, when the shortfall peaked at almost one in three and forced the closure of a postnatal ward.
For the past four months, women having their second or subsequent child have been asked to leave hospital within six [...]

Transpower put out a statement today on behalf of the industry saying contingency planning was under way for measures that could be put in place this winter, if severe drought conditions continued and the hydro lakes remained low.
The hydro lakes currently are very low for this time of year, Transpower said.
But they were still higher [...]

Umaga whose side has lost four of their last seven games was sent off last week after he left his coaching box to march onto the field at the end of a five-minute all-in brawl. He carried water bottles so he could address his forward pack.
The farcical scene only got uglier for the All Blacks [...]

It says a watching brief needs to be maintained to ensure sufficient senior medical staff are available to provide appropriate training.
The college, in a report signed off by the NZ Adult Medicine Education Committee that is to be presented to the Southland District Health Board at todays meeting, highlights shortages of senior medical officers on [...]

Everyone wins from this arrangement, say its supporters. Homeowners — some victims of deceptive lending practices — stay in their houses. Neighborhoods don’t suffer the potential blight of numerous foreclosures. Housing prices don’t go into a free fall, depressed by an avalanche of foreclosures. Although lenders take a loss, the losses are [...]

ZURICH (Reuters) - Pressure on beleaguered Swiss bank UBS AG (UBSN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research) to break up intensified as activist investor and former chief executive Luqman Arnold demanded to shake up its governance and structure.
Arnold seeks to oust the newly named chairman, sell off asset management and the Brazilian division Pactual, and place the rest [...]

Industry followers say shoppers’ fear, which has been escalating since last July, could very well worsen what ails us.Such spending cuts could be “a self-fulfilling prophecy” and could hasten the economy’s slide, said Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center.”I don’t think (the spending slump) has bottomed out,” said Candace Corlett, principal [...]