In the latest patch? If so, that's interesting. In my last playthrough, was clan tier 2, no babies, literally 2 days after tier 3 she got pregnant and stayed pregnant for the next few years with brief breaks between lasting only a few days. Perhaps it was just luck, but it seemed pretty clear that as of 1.56, if you are not high enough tier to go to the keep (where noble ladies stay) you won't knock her up or so I thought.
Prosperity impacts loyalty, tax and tariff income, ultimately the value of a city is determined by the prosperity.
They will still escape in 7 years because that is by design.
Unfortunately, this must be done periodically, but it's still very playable, and you are welcome. I learned this method from someone else and am happy to pass it along to others seeking to alleviate the same frustration I had.
Yup, exactly how it happened to me. I shut down all my caravans and they went to the closest fiefs, which in the case of 2 were castles. My method of resolving however was to make them governors of a city which teleports them to that city, then change back to the original governor, but it's also possible if you have an open party slot to tell them to make a party and they will leave the castle to do so.