By Emily Spry, International Federation of Medical Students' Associations

The dangers of procreation: The developed world has almost forgotten that having kids can be a dangerous business. But, in the developing world, a lack of antenatal care contributes to up to one woman in 10 dying from pregnancy related causes in her lifetime. A statement from the World Health Organization, the International Federation of Gynaecologists, and the International Confederation of Midwives calls for more skilled birth attendants to be trained. "Life threatening complications occur in 15% of all births," says Joy Phumaphi, assistant director-general of family and community health at WHO. "For a mother and her newborn, a skilled birth attendant can make the difference between life and death. Not only can they recognise and prevent medical crises on the spot, but they can refer women for life saving care when complications arise." The theme of the next IFMSA General Assembly is maternal and child health (www.who.int/reproductive-health/MNBH/index.htm).

Want to be a professor? Academic medicine is in big trouble. Unless conditions improve, today's students will not want to be the professors of the future. That's the verdict of the International Campaign to Revitalise Academic Medicine, which was launched earlier this year by an international group including the BMJ and the Lancet. Academic medicine is the place where clinical practice, research, and education meet and is essential for the preparation of the medical workforce of tomorrow. All students with an interest in research and teaching are urged to contact the Student Advisory Group to the campagin, which will express students' views and ideas within the campaign. Involvement is by email, and the group are looking for representatives from universities all over the world, who will be able to pass information back and forth to their peers (email margaret.rhoads@imperial.ac.uk).

Familiar yet deadly: Cars kill two people every minute. But many of the deaths are preventable through tried and tested measures, including design of road junctions and enforcement of speed limits. Relieving the death toll requires cooperation between different sectors of government to implement the best practices and pressure from the people affected. This was the message on World Health Day this year, which ran under the slogan, "road safety is no accident." The organisers recently thanked IFMSA members for promoting the message in many countries. In one particularly striking event, students in Lebanon were trained how to rescue victims from a wrecked car that was brought into the university for the day.

Travel and educational opportunities

Egypt: Ain Shams University Students' Scientific Society presents the 13th Annual International Medical Students' Congress, Cairo, Egypt; 13-16 February 2005; a150 (£104; $202) (www.ausss.com; info@ausss.com; info@ausss.com).

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