Editor's Note: Scientific literature generally uses the words "mother" and "maternal" in reference to a person with a uterus who has carried a child. To avoid inconsistencies, this article also uses ...

Mothers often feel connected to their children; now science tells us that that the connection is literally true ... and that idea is bringing comfort to a number of women who have suffered a loss.

Maternal microchimerism refers to the persistence of a small but significant population of maternal cells within the offspring following pregnancy. These cells, transferred naturally during gestation, ...

In rare cases, a woman’s heart can start to fail in the months before or after giving birth. The all-important muscle weakens as its chambers enlarge, reducing the amount of blood pumped with each ...