BABY FORMULA PRICES COULD RISE
Baby formula prices could increase in the coming period due to sharply rising demand for whey protein. This ingredient is used in infant formula, but is also increasingly popular in protein shakes and bars for adults. The price of whey protein concentrate has more than doubled within a year. Manufacturers are looking for alternatives, but prices for these ingredients are rising as well. In the UK, concerns are already being raised about the affordability of infant formula.
BABY NAMES ARE GETTING SHORTER
Baby names in the Netherlands are becoming increasingly short. In 2025, Noah and Noor were the most popular names. Boys’ names now average just four letters, compared with 6.5 letters 50 years ago. Girls’ names have also become shorter. At the same time, parents are increasingly choosing internationally recognisable names such as Luca, Oliver, Sofia and Mia. Regional differences remain. Frisian names continue to be popular in Friesland, while traditional and biblical names remain well represented in the province of Zeeland.
MOEDERS VOOR MOEDERS CELEBRATES 95 YEARS
Moeders voor Moeders is celebrating its 95th anniversary. What began as a local initiative by Organon in Oss in 1931 has grown into a nationwide network. The pregnancy hormone hCG is extracted from urine donated by pregnant women and used in medicines for fertility treatments. Thanks to the contribution of millions of pregnant women and healthcare professionals over the decades, generations of people trying to become parents have received support in fulfilling their wish to have a child.
MATERNITY CARE UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE
Pressure on maternity care services in the Netherlands increased further during the summer months. Staff shortages, holidays and a relatively high number of births meant that it was not always possible to provide families with the minimum 24 hours of postnatal maternity care. Maternity care professionals sometimes had to support several families in a single day, leaving less time for monitoring, guidance and personal support. A national waiting-list tool and hybrid care services are expected to help distribute the available capacity more effectively in the coming period.
RARE IDENTICAL QUADRUPLETS BORN
Identical quadruplets have been born in Australia – an occurrence doctors estimate at just one in 15 million pregnancies. The four girls were delivered by Caesarean section after just over 28 weeks of pregnancy and shared a single placenta. They will remain in the neonatal intensive care unit for the time being and are reported to be doing well. The Netherlands also welcomed identical quadruplets this year. In May, four identical babies were born at Máxima MC.