Women's Health News

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Effect of vitamin supplementation on neonatal morbidity and mortality

Undernourished women who take a vitamin and mineral supplement while pregnant may be less likely than women taking only iron and folic acid supplements to have babies weighing less than 2,500 grams, and their newborns may be less likely to have morbidity in the first seven days of life.

2 Jan 2007

Immigrant mothers face hurdles in accessing postpartum assistance in Canada

While Canadian-born and immigrant women have equal access to health care following childbirth, immigrant women are more likely to experience postpartum depression and financial strain, according to a new study published in Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing.

2 Jan 2007

Breast cancer screening for under 50's of little benefit

It seems that it remains debatable whether screening women under 50 years old for breast cancer significantly reduces deaths from the disease.

12 Dec 2006

Epidurals affect how successful breastfeeding will be

According to researchers in Australia having an epidural to relieve labour pains may affect how successful breastfeeding will be.

12 Dec 2006

New vaccines against HPV could save hundreds of thousands of lives if delivered effectively

The introduction of new vaccines against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer, could have a major impact on the health of women in the developing world. More than 250 000 women died from cervical cancer in 2005 - the vast majority in developing countries.

12 Dec 2006

New oral contraceptive not such a bitter pill

A company in the United States has come up with the first chewable birth control tablet.

11 Dec 2006

Forget about being fat and just get fit!

Researchers in Britain say that obese people can become healthier without losing weight.

6 Dec 2006

Case studies examine role of hormones, psychology in false pregnancy

Recent case studies of pseudocyesis, or false pregnancy, as well as studies of similar conditions in animals, suggest that hormones and psychology might contribute to the condition, the New York Times reports.

5 Dec 2006

'Too thin' women much more likely to miscarry

Researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in England have found that being very thin and underweight might increase the risk of women miscarrying during pregnancy.

4 Dec 2006

Mifepristone offers hope for breast cancer victims

A team of scientists have discovered some unexpected benefits with the abortion pill RU486 (Mifepristone).

4 Dec 2006

Some ob-gyns switching to cosmetic medicine clinics

Some ob-gyns, as well as other physicians, recently have left their specialties to practice cosmetic medicine, including acne treatments and Botox injections, at medical spas, the New York Times reports.

2 Dec 2006

Traditionally low status of girls fueling child sexual abuse in sub-Saharan Africa

The problem of child sexual abuse in sub-Saharan Africa remains "stubbornly resistant to change" in part because of the traditionally low status of girls, a "lingering view" that sexual abuse should be dealt with privately and justice systems that "constitute obstacle courses" for women, some child advocates have said, the New York Times reports.

2 Dec 2006

Combination therapy shows improvement for breast cancer patients

Giving radiation therapy and chemotherapy at the same time after a lumpectomy helps keep breast cancer from returning locally, according to a study published in the December 1 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology-Biology-Physics, the official journal of ASTRO.

2 Dec 2006

A good reason for women to be overweight?

If new research is to be believed, overweight and obese women have a lower risk of breast cancer prior to menopause.

29 Nov 2006

68,000 women a year die from botched abortions

According to a new study as many as 68,000 women each year die as a result of botched abortion procedures and another 5 million develop infections and complications.

28 Nov 2006

Incoming Congress should enact legislation to reduce abortion rate

Although "[t]aking substantial steps to reduce the abortion rate will not settle the larger ethical argument over the practice," the "election of a new congressional majority" for the 110th Congress should "open the way for a better approach to the abortion question," Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne writes in a Post opinion piece.

23 Nov 2006

Nicaragua bans all abortions

Nicaraguan President Enrique Bolanos on Friday signed into law a bill that bans abortion in all cases, the New York Times reports (McKinley, New York Times, 11/20).

23 Nov 2006

74 House members pressure Amnesty International to reject abortion proposal

Seventy-four House members in a letter recently sent to Amnesty International USA Executive Director Larry Cox call on the group to reject a proposal that would support access to abortion in cases of rape, incest, sexual assault or to save the life of the woman, the AP/Los Angeles Times reports.

23 Nov 2006

Birth rate among teens at record low and C-sections at record high

The birth rate among U.S. women and girls ages 15 to 19 declined to a record low in 2005, while the rate of infants delivered by cesarean section increased to a record high of 30.2% of all births, according to data from a preliminary report released on Tuesday by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, USA Today reports.

23 Nov 2006

Reproductive health agendas hampered by global focus on HIV/AIDS programs, controversies over abortion, other issues

The global focus on HIV/AIDS initiatives and "ideological controversies" surrounding issues such as abortion have "marginalized" reproductive and sexual health in the global health agenda, according to a panel of public health experts said on Friday at a news conference on Friday, CQ HealthBeat reports.

23 Nov 2006