Life Balance Correspondent, Peepals Shakti
Vikram Joshi
Vikram Joshi is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration. About the team · Editorial policy
65 recent articles on Peepals Shakti
UK confirms tougher dismissal rules to protect pregnant workers, new parents
The UK confirmed on October 22, 2026 that from 2027 dismissals of pregnant workers and new parents face a stricter test, with employers made to weigh alternatives.
Contract job no bar to maternity leave, Rajasthan High Court rules
The Rajasthan High Court ruled on 16 October 2026 that contract status alone cannot deny maternity leave, ordering 180 days' paid leave for a pollution board consultant.
Pew: 67% of US working mothers can't give their all at home
A Pew report on 22 October 2026 finds 67% of US full-time working mothers, against 50% of fathers, say juggling work and family kept them from giving their all at home.
Kashmir water study: women fetch water in 9 of 10 rural homes
A University of Kashmir survey of 600 respondents in three districts, reported on 20-21 October 2026, found women fetch water in 91.7% of households and 95% report exhaustion.
Maasi launches on-demand nanny service in Bengaluru after 1,200-family beta
Childcare platform Maasi launched in Bengaluru on 22 October 2026 with verified nannies on demand from Rs 660 a visit, after a beta with 1,200 families and a 5,000-parent waitlist.
Women now spend seven years caring for ageing relatives, three more than men
US women can expect seven lifetime years caring for older relatives and friends, up from six in 2011, while men stay at four, a study announced on Oct 21, 2026 finds.
One in three Australian workers burnt out, blamed on broken systems
Australia's State of Workplace Burnout report, released in October 2026, found 36% of 999 workers burnt out, with broken systems and interruptions the main drivers.
Online mindfulness programme cuts depression relapse in pregnancy by 26%
A 500-woman trial published October 20, 2026, in The Lancet Public Health found an online programme cut depression relapse risk in pregnancy by 26%.
ACOG drops 'shortest time' rule for menopause hormone therapy
ACOG's new menopause guidance, released October 15, 2026, drops the 'lowest dose, shortest time' hormone therapy rule and adds non-hormonal options.
WHO launches global framework to track heat risks for pregnant women, babies
WHO and three UN agencies launched indicators on October 21, 2026 to track how extreme heat harms pregnant women, newborns and children.
Gujarat High Court: child with either parent is not in illegal custody
The Gujarat High Court has held that a child living with either parent is not in illegal custody without strong evidence, and sent a mother's plea for access to the family court route.
Women caregivers with heart conditions report heavier burden, US study finds
A George Mason University study of 792 US caregivers with heart conditions, published in October 2026, links poor sleep to heavier strain, most for women.
Oxfam: rural women's work doubled, but 59% of self-employed are unpaid
Oxfam India's study, reported on October 19, 2026, says rural women's workforce share rose to 47.6%, but 59% of self-employed women are unpaid family helpers.
Postpartum psychosis: mothers sought help about seven times before diagnosis, study finds
A Flinders University study released on October 21, 2026 found women with postpartum psychosis contacted health services a median of seven times before correct care.
Korea Women's Report 2026: women do twice the housework, rate wellbeing lower
A Hanwha survey of 3,000 South Korean women released October 21, 2026 found they do 23 hours of housework a week in dual-income homes with young children, men 12.
NatWest staff office days increase: 13,000 must go in twice a week
NatWest will require about 13,000 remote-first staff to work in the office two days a week from February 2027; Unite says it raises childcare and travel costs.
Big Brother UK: Women's Aid warns show is platforming controlling behaviour
Women's Aid said Big Brother UK showed 'red flag' controlling behaviour as entertainment; ITV said on October 20, 2026 that housemates are monitored round the clock.
Zimbabwe High Court: mothers have no automatic right to child custody
Zimbabwe's High Court, in a ruling reported on October 16-17, 2026, said mothers get no automatic custody preference; the child's welfare decides.
Christina Applegate says she was misdiagnosed with MS, 'back at square one'
Christina Applegate said on October 20, 2026 that doctors now say she does not have MS, diagnosed in 2021, but her symptoms persist and the cause is unknown.
Elizabeth Struhs inquest: police had no 2019 protocol to share information
The Elizabeth Struhs inquest heard on 20 October 2026 that Queensland police had no 2019 protocol to share charge information with child safety.
Forcing wife out, then years of neglect is cruelty: Calcutta HC
Calcutta High Court upheld a wife's divorce on cruelty grounds, ruling that forcing her out and neglecting her and their son for years is cruelty (reported Oct 14, 2026).
Menopause study: mood symptoms, not hot flashes, tied to women quitting work
A Japanese study of 1,600 working women aged 45-60, released on October 20, 2026, found psychological menopause symptoms most strongly linked to plans to quit work.
Adult woman free to choose partner and career, Kerala HC tells parents
The Kerala High Court on October 13, 2026 barred an adult woman's parents from cutting her off from her partner, taking her phone or blocking her career.
Trump women's health executive order: new NIH division and task force
Trump signed a women's health executive order on October 19, 2026, asking the NIH to set up a women's health division within 90 days and creating a White House task force.
Davina McCall reveals cardiovascular disease, urges women to check cholesterol
British TV presenter Davina McCall said on October 19, 2026 that she has cardiovascular disease and urged women, especially after menopause, not to ignore heart risks.
Story time and play light up toddler brains more than a film, Northwestern study finds
A Northwestern University EEG study of 49 toddlers, published October 12, 2026, found shared reading and puzzles with a parent engage attention more than watching a film.
Menopause at work: France plans flexible hours, European unions seek an EU law
France's first menopause conference on October 15, 2026, proposed flexible hours and better care; on October 16 European unions asked for an EU law on menopause at work.
PCOS and dementia: review of 21 studies finds weak link, points to metabolic health
A review of 21 studies, reported on October 13, 2026, found mild, inconsistent links between PCOS (PMOS) and memory problems or dementia, likely driven by metabolism.
Sertraline and 27 other antidepressants get clearer UK safety warnings
On 15 October 2026 the UK's MHRA said leaflets for all 28 licensed antidepressants will get clearer warnings on suicide risk and lasting sexual side effects.
Il Fornaio to pay $3 million over harassment of women, many of them teens
Il Fornaio will pay $3 million to settle an EEOC suit over harassment of at least 100 women, many teenagers, the agency said on 13 October 2026.
Indians value family time most in 15-nation survey, but children want more of it
Varkey Foundation's survey of October 12, 2026: 84% of Indian Gen Z call family time very important, the highest of 15 nations, but only 22% of children are satisfied.
Rajasthan High Court orders full 180 days' maternity leave for teacher denied it
Rajasthan High Court has ordered full 180 days' paid maternity leave for a teacher given only 34 days, calling it a right tied to mother-child bonding; reported 15 October 2026.
Treating depression in pregnancy may shape baby's brain, CU Anschutz study finds
Babies of mothers given talk therapy for prenatal depression had a smaller right hippocampus and less distress at six months, a study published October 16, 2026 says.
48% of laid-off women got no severance or support, vs 34% of men: survey
A Resume Genius survey reported on October 14, 2026, finds 48% of laid-off US women got no severance, benefits or job help, against 34% of men.
Dr Rachna Shroff, cancer researcher, dies at 47 of the disease she studied
Dr Rachna Shroff, a University of Arizona expert on bile duct and gut cancers, died on October 11, 2026 at 47, five months after a swollen lymph node first signalled her cancer.
DCW's Karmayogini programme gives Delhi women workers nutrition kits, rights advice
The Delhi Commission for Women held its Karmayogini programme on Oct 15, 2026, giving women workers nutrition kits and advice on health, safety, rights and schemes.
Supreme Court warns states of contempt over menstrual hygiene in schools
On October 13, 2026 the Supreme Court gave states a last chance to report on free pads and girls' toilets in schools, warning Chief Secretaries of contempt.
Olympian Beth Dobbin bedbound 22 hours a day with ME, an illness that hits women most
Former Olympic sprinter Beth Dobbin says ME keeps her in bed over 22 hours a day; women are nearly four times as likely as men to be diagnosed in England.
Hilary Swank pregnant at 52 with third child; what later motherhood involves
Hilary Swank, 52, announced on October 14, 2026 that she is expecting her third child, three years after her twins; doctors say risks rise after 45.
Lactation drug cabergoline linked to 70% lower breast cancer risk after childbirth
A Cancer Discovery study of 150,000+ women in Spain and Norway links cabergoline, used to stop milk production, to around 70% lower breast cancer risk after childbirth.
Rural women now die of breast cancer more than city women, US studies find
ACS studies presented on Oct 16-17, 2026 found US rural women with breast cancer had a 9.3% higher death rate than city women in 2017-23, up from 3.4%.
Portugal moves to six months of fully paid parental leave for shared care
A Portuguese parliamentary working group on 13 October 2026 approved a plan for 180 days of fully paid parental leave when parents share it, and for single parents.
One in three OB-GYN trainees, mostly young women, shows depression in first year
A US study of 1,603 first-year OB-GYN residents, 86.5% women, found 35.6% screened positive for depression and fewer than a third sought help.
Women report more stress than men, 48% to 36%, in 45-country WIN survey
A WIN survey of 45,000 people in 45 countries, released for World Mental Health Day 2026, found 48% of women report frequent stress against 36% of men.
Malaysia's births fall below 400,000 as fertility rate drops to 1.5 in 2025
Malaysia recorded 396,175 births in 2025, down 4.5%, and its fertility rate fell to 1.5 children per woman, official data released on October 15, 2026 show.
Wave of Light closes Baby Loss Awareness Week; what stillbirth data show for India
Baby Loss Awareness Week ends on October 15, 2026 with a global Wave of Light at 7pm; India has cut its stillbirth rate by about 60% since 2000, UN estimates show.
Newer migraine drugs linked to higher miscarriage risk in early pregnancy
A JAMA Neurology study published October 12, 2026 links early-pregnancy use of anti-CGRP migraine antibodies to about 40% higher miscarriage risk.
44% of women feel more positive about life after menopause, survey finds
A National Menopause Foundation survey released on 13 October 2026 found 44% of women felt more positive after menopause, though 49% felt unprepared for it.
4 in 10 UK mothers had children later than they wanted, by six years: survey
IVI Institute's Fertility Barometer, released 13 October 2026, found 38% of UK mothers had children later than they wished, by six years on average.
South Korea weighs paying new child benefits to all 2027 births after cut-off row
South Korea is considering backdating new child benefits to all 2027 births after a July cut-off meant up to 34.3 million won less for babies born a day earlier.
Perimenopause hit work for 47% of UK women and mental health for 73%: Aviva
Aviva's Menopause Report, out Oct 13, 2026, finds 47% of perimenopausal UK women say symptoms affected work and 37% fear leaving their jobs early.
Chronic stress in pregnancy may alter the placenta's signals to baby, study finds
An Ohio State study reported on 13 Oct 2026 found chronic stress changes placental signals tied to fetal brain development in mice, echoed in human tissue.
Aerobic exercise linked to better mood in menopause, UCL review of 12 trials finds
A UCL-led review of 12 trials with over 1,000 women, reported on 13 October 2026, linked exercise, especially aerobic activity, to better mood during menopause.
Terry Bradshaw's memoir on depression shows how his wife helps him through 'Roy' days
Terry Bradshaw's memoir Looking for Terry, out October 13, 2026, details his clinical depression and how wife Tammy helps on hard days.
No FIR doesn't mean no cruelty: Jharkhand HC grants abused wife a divorce
Jharkhand High Court ruled on 9 Oct 2026 that a wife's cruelty claim stands without an FIR and leaving an abusive home is not desertion.
84% of Indian Gen Z prize family time, yet only 22% of children happy with it: survey
The Varkey Foundation's Family First Global Survey, released October 12, 2026, found Indian Gen Z value family time most but Indian children are least satisfied.
Patient navigators lift postpartum check-ups to 96% for new mothers, trial finds
A Northwestern trial of 405 women found patient navigators raised postpartum visit attendance to 96% from 80% and nearly doubled primary care follow-up.
Women with autoimmune disease more often told it's 'in the mind', study of 6,607 finds
Women with autoimmune diseases were far likelier than men to have symptoms blamed on psychiatric causes and waited longer for diagnosis, a study published 12 October 2026 found.
Teens with someone to talk to report far less depression, Tulane study finds
Teens with at least one trusted person to talk to had much lower depression and suicidal thoughts, a JAMA Pediatrics study published 12 October 2026 found.
Far fewer children count as obese under new health-based definition, big study finds
A study of 786,557 people in seven countries, reported on October 6, 2026, finds 2.1-4.9% of children have clinical obesity under the new definition, against 7-10.8% by BMI.
Menopause brings a sudden body-wide cliff, not a slow decline, million-woman study says
A Nature Medicine study of 300 million lab tests from over a million women, reported on October 12, 2026, finds abrupt body-wide changes at menopause; some experts urge caution.
Rajasthan HC orders phased custody so boy is not torn from grandparents who raised him
Rajasthan High Court on Oct 7, 2026 refused to hand a seven-year-old straight to his father, setting staged visits and custody instead of taking him from his grandparents.
Karnataka women staff get menstrual leave auto-approved on app, no questions asked
From October 2026, Karnataka approves women government employees' monthly menstrual leave automatically on the Kartavya app; officers cannot question or reject it.
Himachal HC halts sacking of scientist removed days after seeking maternity benefits
Himachal Pradesh High Court on 12 October 2026 stayed the termination of scientist Dr Aaina Sharma, who says she was sacked three days after seeking maternity benefits.
Pink Rickshaw in Goa: Women Drivers Get Self-Employment Route
Goa's Pink Rickshaw scheme, announced on 28 April 2022, gives women subsidised vehicles, loan access and training, opening a livelihood route in a male-dominated field.