Menopause News and Research

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Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her period stops. It usually occurs naturally, most often after age 45. Menopause happens because the woman's ovary stops producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Rare egg producing stem cells in women’s ovaries discovered

It was known till now that women were born with all the eggs they'll ever have. But now Harvard scientists have found that ovaries of young women harbor very rare stem cells capable of producing new eggs. The researchers feel that harnessing those stem cells might one day lead to better treatments for women left infertile because of disease or age.

27 Feb 2012

Greater patient and healthcare provider dialogue needed for morning sickness

Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP) is the most common medical condition in pregnancy, affecting an estimated 70 to 85% of all pregnant women. Yet in a recent national survey of more than 350 nurse practitioners (NPs), only 40% of their patients reported experiencing NVP in the last 12 months, pointing to the need for greater patient and healthcare provider dialogue about the condition.

27 Feb 2012

MGH scientists isolate OSCs from ovaries of reproductive age women

For the first time, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have isolated egg-producing stem cells from the ovaries of reproductive age women and shown these cells can produce what appear to be normal egg cells or oocytes.

27 Feb 2012

Atomoxetine drug may restore memory deficits in menopausal women

Memory lapses and changes in mental functions occur naturally as we get older. But for many women going through menopause, these memory lapses occur more frequently.

17 Feb 2012

Longer looks: GOP contraceptive amendment could have wider effect; The love of caregiving

In their latest move in the battle over contraception coverage, top Republicans in Congress are going for broke: They're now pushing a bill that would allow employers and insurance companies to pick and choose which health benefits to provide based simply on executives' personal moral beliefs. ... Last week, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) offered a "conscience amendment," to the law, pitching it as a way to allay religious employers' qualms about providing birth control to their employees.

17 Feb 2012

Low choline intake increases risk of liver scarring in menopausal women with NAFLD

Menopausal women with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who don't consume enough of the essential nutrient choline appear to be at higher risk for liver scarring, according to research led by scientists at Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

17 Feb 2012

STRAW+10 report provides general road map to reproductive aging

Published simultaneously today in four top-tier journals, a new report provides a framework within which physicians and researchers can systematically and consistently identify the different reproductive stages women go though from adolescence to menopause and beyond. The report, named STRAW+10, will help clinicians predict when a woman will enter menopause and guide the selection of treatment options for menopausal symptoms and other related conditions.

17 Feb 2012

Tetrahydrobiopterin plays a key role in arterial health of women

Researchers studying why arteries stiffen in postmenopausal women have found a specific chemical cofactor that dramatically improves vascular function.

15 Feb 2012

UPV/EHU biologist analyzes genetic and environmental causes of obesity in Romani families

Esther Rebato is a well-known figure in the field of Physical Anthropology. She not only holds the prestigious Alex Hrdli-ka academic medal of the Czech Republic, but she is also the Chair of the Spanish Association of Physical Anthropology. This lecturer at the Department of Genetics, Physical Anthropology and Animal Physiology of the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) has carried out numerous pieces of work into nutritional habits, life quality and other associated aspects.

15 Feb 2012

Y chromosome may be the link that passes heart disease risk from father to son

The study, published in The Lancet, focused on genetic markers on the Y chromosome — which is present only in male DNA (women have two X chromosomes) — and found that men with a certain genetic variant were 50% more likely to have coronary artery disease than those without it. The increased risk was independent of other contributors to heart disease such as age, weight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and smoking.

12 Feb 2012

Novel stem-cell technique to enhance bone growth

A research team led by UC Davis Health System scientists has developed a novel technique to enhance bone growth by using a molecule which, when injected into the bloodstream, directs the body's stem cells to travel to the surface of bones.

7 Feb 2012

Newly divorced middle aged women more vulnerable to contract HIV and other STDs

Newly divorced middle aged women are more vulnerable to contract HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, according to Christopher Coleman, PhD, MPH, RN, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, because they tend to let their guard down with new sexual partners and avoid using protection since they are unafraid of getting pregnant.

3 Feb 2012

$Heart burn drugs and hip fractures in postmenopausal women smokers: Study establishes link$

Heart burn drugs and hip fractures in postmenopausal women smokers: Study establishes link

A new study shows that postmenopausal women with a history of smoking who take heartburn drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for two years or longer may be more likely to sustain a hip fracture. The risk rises with longer use say researchers. But the risk does disappear after women stop taking these drugs for two years. Further women who never smoked were not at increased risk for hip fracture even if they took PPIs regularly, the study showed. The new findings appear in the journal BMJ.

2 Feb 2012

Bionovo announces voluntary decision to delist from NASDAQ

Bionovo, Inc., today announced that on January 26, 2012, its Board of Directors decided to seek a voluntary delisting from the NASDAQ Capital Market.

30 Jan 2012

Low doses of DHEA may help relieve menopausal symptoms in women

Leading age management facility, Cenegenics Carolinas, located in Charleston and Charlotte is encouraged by a recent study suggesting low doses of the hormone DHEA may help sexual function and menopausal symptoms in women.

25 Jan 2012

Younger breast cancer survivors face more serious mental issues

Quality of life in younger patients treated for breast cancer is seriously compromised and these women suffer from severe psychological distress, infertility, premature menopause, a decrease in physical activity and weight gain, according to a study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

24 Jan 2012

Researchers uncover 13 novel genetic loci linked with onset of menopause

An international team of researchers from the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine and other institutions has uncovered 13 genetic loci, linked to immune function and DNA repair, that are factors in the age of onset of menopause.

24 Jan 2012

Researchers discover 13 new regions of genome associated with timing of menopause

An international team of researchers has discovered 13 new regions of the genome associated with the timing of menopause. These genes shed light on the biological pathways involved in reproductive lifespan and will provide insights into conditions connected to menopause, such as breast cancer and heart disease.

23 Jan 2012

Younger women with breast cancer experience a decrease in health-related QOL

Younger women with breast cancer experience a decrease in their health-related quality of life (QOL), associated with increased psychological distress, weight gain, a decline in their physical activity, infertility and early onset menopause, according to a study published January 20 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

21 Jan 2012

Testing for osteoporosis – how often?

A new study shows that many women who get screened for osteoporosis may not need it. It suggests that the current guidelines result in too many unnecessary tests, increasing costs and sometimes spurring unnecessary treatment.

19 Jan 2012