Women's Health News

RSS

Fluctuating hormones during menopause reshape brain activity patterns

Research at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont reveals how menopause, once a taboo topic, affects brain function, reinforcing the idea that the menopause transition is not only a reproductive milestone, but also a critical neurological phase.

9 Jun 2026

New pilot program tests HPV self-collection for cervical cancer

UT Health San Antonio has been selected as a recipient of the American Cancer Society's Self-Collected Human Papillomavirus Readiness Pilot (SHaRP) grant, a national initiative designed to help health care organizations prepare for and implement HPV self-collection as part of routine cervical cancer screening.

9 Jun 2026

Fruit and vegetables sell better when supermarkets place them near the entrance

A 36-store WRAPPED study in England found that placing an expanded fresh fruit and vegetable section near discount supermarket entrances improved fresh produce sales and may modestly support healthier household purchasing and women’s diet quality.

8 Jun 2026

GLP-1 users say the drugs quiet food noise but do not replace lifestyle change

A qualitative study of 30 US adults found that GLP-1 receptor agonists often reduced “food noise,” psychological hunger, and appetite, helping patients feel more able to make deliberate lifestyle changes.

8 Jun 2026

Study links menstrual cycle timing to COVID vaccine side effects

A study of 1,474 Clue app users found that women vaccinated against COVID-19 during the follicular phase had higher odds of self-reported side effects than those vaccinated during the luteal phase.

8 Jun 2026

Frailty flags poorer blood pressure control in older women

In 1,038 older adults with hypertension attending outpatient clinics in Vietnam, frailty was more common in women than men, while overall rates of suboptimal blood pressure were similar by sex. Frailty was associated with about twice the odds of suboptimal blood pressure in women, but not in men, highlighting the need to study sex-specific and frailty-informed hypertension care.

8 Jun 2026

Brain-targeted estrogen reduces breast cancer treatment side effects

Most breast cancers are worsened by estrogens. To combat the recurrence of these cancers, clinicians treat patients with inhibitors for estrogen production, like letrozole. But many patients do not adhere to this treatment due to negative side effects.

8 Jun 2026

Healthcare and insurance access influence folic acid use among women

Access to healthcare and insurance coverage strongly influence whether women take recommended amounts of folic acid to help prevent serious birth defects, according to University of California, Irvine researchers using the National Institutes of Health's All of Us Research Program data.

8 Jun 2026

Study evaluates how facial aging features influence age perception in women

This study enrolled 308 Chinese women aged 15–65 years to explore the relationship between chronological age, perceived age, and facial aging manifestations.

5 Jun 2026

Maternal vaccination provides protection against RSV-associated hospitalization in early infancy

A study led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC published today in JAMA Network Open, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Medical Association, found that vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during pregnancy reduced the risk of hospitalization in young infants by nearly 70%.

5 Jun 2026

Strength training and cardio combo work best together

Research shows that combining resistance training with aerobic exercise significantly reduces mortality risk, emphasizing the importance of physical activity.

5 Jun 2026

Can Pilates improve heart and metabolic health in a month?

Pilates enhances cardiovascular and metabolic health in previously sedentary women, with notable improvements in heart rate and blood pressure after 4 weeks.

5 Jun 2026

Daily steps and less sitting associated with healthier pregnancies

Findings indicate that less sitting and more walking during pregnancy can reduce adverse outcomes, emphasizing the role of physical activity in maternal health.

5 Jun 2026

Tobacco giants helped push ultra-processed foods into global markets

New research reveals how major tobacco companies used cigarette-era business tactics to expand packaged food empires, raising fresh questions about the global spread of ultra-processed and hyper-palatable foods.

4 Jun 2026

Fast food is crowding out grocery access across the U.S.

A 20-year analysis of US neighborhood foodscapes found that food swamps became more common from 2003 to 2023, while food deserts showed little improvement. Rural communities and people relying on public transport faced the greatest barriers to reaching healthy food retailers.

4 Jun 2026

What older adults eat may shape dementia risk

Higher ultraprocessed food intake was associated with increased risks of dementia, cognitive impairment with no dementia, and the combined outcome among older US adults in the Health and Retirement Study. Minimally processed food intake showed the opposite pattern, although the observational findings require cautious interpretation because diet was self-reported and cognitive outcomes were not clinically diagnosed.

4 Jun 2026

Prioritizing maternal sleep reduces risk of postpartum anxiety disorders

Postpartum and perinatal depression are known challenges for those going through pregnancy, but there has been less focus on the more prevalent disorder of anxiety.

4 Jun 2026

Study reveals how breast cancer cells hide in the bone marrow

Treating breast cancer remains a major medical challenge worldwide. This is largely due to the ability of breast cancer cells to remain hidden for years before triggering a relapse, which can occur even decades after successful treatment of the primary tumor.

4 Jun 2026

Exercise during pregnancy links to lower infant BMI at one year

Supervised exercise during pregnancy may lower infant BMI and reduce obesity risk, highlighting the impact of maternal health on early growth trajectories.

4 Jun 2026

Constipation may be tied to more than discomfort

Constipation was associated with approximately twofold higher odds of depression in a meta-analysis of 18 observational studies involving 730,263 participants. The findings support integrated gastrointestinal and mental health assessment, especially for adolescents and young adults, while emphasizing that causality cannot yet be established.

3 Jun 2026