Women's Health News

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New report highlights effectiveness of bed rest for pregnant women

Despite lack of evidence about bed rest's effectiveness, doctors annually prescribe it for roughly 1 million pregnant women to delay preterm births. Judith Maloni, professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, said a comprehensive review of more than 70 evidence-based research articles challenges whether this is healthy for mothers or their babies.

12 Nov 2010

NCI awards $11.5 million to Fred Hutchinson Center for breast cancer research

The National Cancer Institute has awarded $11.5 million to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to lead a five-year, Seattle-based breast cancer research consortium. The goal of the endeavor is to positively impact breast cancer prevention, detection, treatment and care of women who have or are at risk for the disease.

11 Nov 2010

Women and cancer today

Experts have warned that women who have their breasts removed out of fear of a high hereditary risk of breast cancer may be doing so needlessly. Genetic tests like for the BRCA mutations have predicted a high risk of getting breast cancer in women with many breast cancer sufferers among their first degree relatives. Earlier studies suggest the risk of the mutation to predict the cancer 87% of the time. Now experts want that this is an overestimate.

11 Nov 2010

Bed rest may not delay preterm births, says Frances Payne professor

Despite lack of evidence about bed rest's effectiveness, doctors annually prescribe it for roughly 1 million pregnant women to delay preterm births.

11 Nov 2010

AACR forum to focus on new advancements in cancer management among women

The American Association for Cancer Research will host a media forum focusing on new advancements in the prevention and patient management of cancer among women. This forum will be held here as part of the AACR's Ninth Annual Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, which is Nov. 7-10, 2010.

11 Nov 2010

High cholesterol in midlife does not increase risk for Alzheimer's disease among women

High cholesterol levels in middle age do not appear to increase women's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia later in life, new Johns Hopkins-led research finds, despite a body of scientific evidence long suggesting a link between the two.

11 Nov 2010

Mother's poor nutrition during pregnancy affects offspring's ability to process medications

New research has found that a mother's poor nutrition during pregnancy and nursing can cause problems for her offspring's ability to process medications, even well into adulthood.

11 Nov 2010

Consumption of fructose-rich beverages can increase gout risk in women

Consumption of fructose-rich beverages, such as sugar-sweetened sodas and orange juice is associated with an increased risk of gout among women, although their contribution to the risk of gout in the population is likely modest because of the low incidence rate among women, according to a study that will appear in the November 24 print edition of JAMA.

11 Nov 2010

Childhood asthma risk linked with prenatal paracetamol exposure depends on antioxidant genes in mother

Evidence suggesting that the risk of childhood asthma associated with prenatal paracetamol exposure may depend on antioxidant genes in the mother has been found by a team of UK scientists. The results of their study - which strengthens the argument for a causal link between paracetamol exposure in early life and later childhood asthma - are published online (10 November) in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

11 Nov 2010

Study suggests mid-life cholesterol level may not linked to later development of Alzheimer's disease

Contrary to earlier research, a new, long-term study suggests that cholesterol level in mid-life may not be linked to later development of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the November 10, 2010, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the results suggest that large decreases in cholesterol levels in old age could be a better predictor of developing the memory-robbing disease.

11 Nov 2010

Epimutation in BRCA1 gene may cause early-onset of breast cancer

An Australian research team from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland has identified a new risk factor for developing breast cancer. This has been published online in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

10 Nov 2010

HPV vaccination rates falter

According to the latest research lesser numbers of teenage girls and young women are getting infected by the human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) – a virus linked to cervical cancer. Research also shows that most who start the vaccination regimen against the virus fail to take all three doses.

10 Nov 2010

Hormones and stress are major contributors to depression in women who undergo IVF

Between 20 and 30 percent of women who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures suffer from significant symptoms of depression. Many practitioners believe that the hormone therapy involved in IVF procedures is primarily responsible for this. But new research from Tel Aviv University shows that, while this is true, other factors are even more influential.

10 Nov 2010

Women taking HPV vaccine need only two HPV screening tests for rest of their lives: Research

Women who have had the human papillomavirus vaccine could need only two HPV screening tests for the rest of their lives according to new calculations being presented at the NCRI Cancer Conference in Liverpool.

10 Nov 2010

Article shows link between maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy, SIDS

The link between maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome may relate to the negative effects of nicotine on the development of brain centers that regulate breathing, according to an article in the recent issue of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

10 Nov 2010

Medicinal mushroom formula fights breast cancer

Researchers at Indiana University and Methodist Research Institute studied an innovative medicinal mushroom formula against breast cancer. The impressive results are found in the December issue of the International Journal of Oncology. Lead investigator Dr. Daniel Sliva says, "The formula inhibits growth of highly metastatic human breast cancer cells, and suppresses metastatic potential of these cells."

10 Nov 2010

Breast cancer patients more likely to have joint pain from taking AIs: Study

Breast cancer patients are more likely to have joint pain from taking aromatase inhibitors if they have advanced stage cancer, according to a study presented at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting, held Nov. 7-11, in Atlanta. The study is one of the first to identify factors that increase the likelihood that a patient will suffer joint pain from AI therapy.

10 Nov 2010

MicroRNAs linked to failure of duct development in mammary glands

Max Planck researchers discover novel mechanism for vertebrate organ development. Hormones, growth factors and several proteins ensure that development occurs in the right way, at the right time. The components that cause breast development in mammals, for example, were thought to be largely known. However, as a team of scientists from Göttingen, Frankfurt and Hanover have now discovered, in the case of breast development, hormones and proteins do not account for the full story.

10 Nov 2010

Contraceptive, antiviral gel using bee venom wins 2010 Gates Foundation grant

A vaginal gel that affords both contraception and HIV protection using nanoparticles that carry bee venom is one of the bold, unconventional ideas that won a 2010 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

10 Nov 2010

mHealth Alliance annual summit kicks off with $1M HP donation, discussion of improving maternal, child health

The mHealth Alliance on Monday at its summit in Washington, D.C., "announced a two-year $1 million aggregate donation from HP" aimed at furthering the alliance's goal of delivering quality health care "at the furthest reaches of wireless networks and mobile devices," mobihealthnews reports.

10 Nov 2010