Women's Health News and Research

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The benefits of the contraceptive pill far outweigh the risks

A study by researchers in Scotland confirms that for most women who take the contraceptive pill, the benefits far outweigh any potential risks.

12 Sep 2007

The contraceptive pill may reduce risk of developing cancer

Taking the contraceptive pill does not increase a woman's chances of developing cancer and may even reduce the risk for most women, according to a study published on bmj.com today.

12 Sep 2007

Everything that itches isn't a yeast infection!

Most women who think they have a vaginal yeast infection are wrong and may be doing more harm than good in treating their problem, says a Saint Louis University researcher who presented her findings recently.

11 Sep 2007

Women more at risk from sleep deprivation than men

New research led by researchers at Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick reveals that women's health is much more at risk from sleep deprivation than men's.

10 Sep 2007

Intrauterine contraceptive devices are underused in developed countries

Misconceptions around intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) mean that they are underused in developed countries, despite being a safe and effective form of contraception, says a women's health expert in this week's BMJ.

3 Sep 2007

Ovary removal before menopause leads to memory and movement problems

Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause are at an increased risk of developing memory problems or dementia and movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, according to two studies published August 29, 2007, in the online edition of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

30 Aug 2007

Pycnogenol reduces perimenopausal symptoms

A study to be published in an upcoming edition of the Scandinavian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology reveals that Pycnogenol (pic-noj-en-all), pine bark extract from the French maritime pine tree, reduces "climacteric symptoms" such as hot flashes, depression, panic attacks, cholesterol and other common symptoms associated with women entering menopause transition.

29 Aug 2007

Is it safe to use Lybrel to eliminate periods?

The new birth control pill Lybrel is the first oral contraceptive designed to be taken 365 days a year with no pill-free intervals.

28 Aug 2007

Sex among seniors

The first comprehensive, nationally representative survey on the prevalence of sexual activity among older Americans provides a portrait of the intimate lives of people ages 57 to 85.

24 Aug 2007

Women ignorant on cholesterol numbers

Adult women are more than twice as likely to know how much they weighed in high school as they are to know their current cholesterol number, and only half of women have had their cholesterol tested in the past year, according to the results of a nationwide survey released today.

22 Aug 2007

Shutting up in domestic row not good for women's health

In a new study which examines behaviour, heart disease and mortality in the context of marriage, U.S. researchers have found that suffering in silence can be detrimental to a woman's health.

21 Aug 2007

Study finds women more likely to know high school weight than cholesterol numbers

21 Aug 2007

Obesity and aversion to exercise could enhance the risk of pancreatic cancer

Obesity and aversion to exercise have become hallmarks of modern society and a new study suggests that a blood protein linked to these lifestyle factors may be an indicator for an increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

17 Aug 2007

Low levels of key protein may indicate pancreatic cancer risk

A protein that dwindles in response to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle may one day help doctors predict which people are at increased risk for pancreatic cancer, new research by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and collaborating scientists indicates.

17 Aug 2007

Large study to look at injuries that afflict millions of women as a result of childbirth

A group of researchers from the University of Michigan Health System has been awarded a $6 million federal grant to study the serious injuries that afflict millions of women as a result of childbirth.

17 Aug 2007

Cytokines shown to be a cause of type 2 diabetes

In the first large scale, multiethnic study of its kind, researchers at UCLA have confirmed the role played by three particular molecules known as cytokines as a cause of Type 2 diabetes, and further, have identified these molecules as early biological markers that may be used to more accurately predict future incidences of diabetes among apparently healthy individuals.

16 Aug 2007

Drop in breast cancer incidence linked to hormone use, not mammograms

A recent decline in breast cancer incidence is unlikely to be caused by a decrease in mammography screening, according to a study published online August 14 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

16 Aug 2007

Even older women at high risk have little interest in being tested for HIV

Few older women were interested in being tested for the virus that causes AIDS despite having significant risk factors for lifetime exposure, according to a study published in the July/August edition of the Journal of Women's Health.

8 Aug 2007

Age is important in HRT use

Five years ago this summer the National Institutes of Health's stopped early a major portion of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), a large and ambitious study to address the most common causes of death, disability and impaired quality of life in postmenopausal women.

3 Aug 2007

Benefits and risks of the new HPV vaccine aren't fully known

Media coverage of the recently introduced human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine - including talk of state-mandated vaccination programs - has brought considerable attention, if not always clarity, to this issue.

2 Aug 2007