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Total versus subtotal hysterectomy for benign gynaecological conditions

Women who undergo a total hysterectomy, in which both the uterus and the cervix are removed, are no more likely to experience sexual difficulties or urinary or bowel problems after surgery than women who have only their uterus removed, a new review has found.

23 May 2006

Wake-up call - the cost of caffeine in pregnancy

The link between the caffeine intake of expectant mothers and low birth-weight babies is being explored in a groundbreaking study which will, for the first time, link caffeine intake with individual variations in metabolism - or breakdown - of caffeine.

17 May 2006

New hope for women trying to conceive

Louis Pasteur said that "chance favors the prepared mind." For Prof. Nava Dekel of the Weizmann Institute's Biological Regulation Department, some completely unexpected results of biopsies performed on women with fertility problems have led to a new path of scientific discovery that may hold hope for women trying to conceive.

17 May 2006

Inducing labor increases risk of developing chorioamnionitis

Women who have their labor induced or are given medication to stimulate contractions are at greater risk of developing chorioamnionitis

16 May 2006

Labor can be longer for obese pregnant women

It takes obese pregnant women who are given medication to induce labor longer to deliver their babies than women of normal body weight.

16 May 2006

Women advised to lose weight before getting pregnant a second time

Doctors should advise overweight moms considering another pregnancy to take off extra weight first because they are at greater risk of having big babies, a new Saint Louis University study finds.

16 May 2006

Life course social roles and women's health in mid-life

Holding down a job and being a mum in a steady relationship helps keep women healthy and in good shape over the long term, suggests research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

16 May 2006

Juggle that career mum, you'll be healthier in the long run!

Despite what working women may feel on a bad day, the very act of having to juggle career, motherhood and being a partner may actually be keeping them healthy.

15 May 2006

Study examines antidepressant therapies for pregnant women

The glossy images of pregnancy often show a woman radiant with happiness. "There is a belief that pregnancy is a state of bliss," said Rachel Manber, PhD. "That's not necessarily the case."

11 May 2006

Testosterone patches help women with under-active pituitary glands

New research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism showed the first positive effect of testosterone on bone density, body composition and emotional, cognitive and behavioral function in women with low testosterone levels resulting from under-active pituitary glands.

10 May 2006

When it comes to mothers and babies, top spot to be is Sweden

According to a report by the U.S. charity Save the Children, Scandinavian countries lead the stakes when it comes to the top countries to be a mother, while Australia along with the Netherlands ties for 7th place and countries in sub-Saharan Africa dominate the bottom tier.

10 May 2006

Breast cancer may be on the rise in U.S.-based Latinas

Breast cancer is an understudied and poorly understood disease in Hispanic/Latina populations in the U.S., and breast cancer appears to be presenting at an earlier age in this population, on average 10 years younger when compared to Caucasian women.

10 May 2006

Long-term estrogen therapy may be related to a higher risk of breast cancer

Previous studies have linked the use of hormone therapy to breast cancer among postmenopausal women, but have primarily focused on the hormone combination of estrogen plus progestin, according to background information in the article.

9 May 2006

Many pregnant not tested for HIV

Despite state laws requiring that every pregnant woman be offered HIV testing multiple times during pregnancy, about 20 percent of women reach their third trimester without it, according to a review of Florida women from 2003-04, researchers say.

9 May 2006

Study shows rapid return to menstrual flow once oral contraception stopped

A study by a Columbia University Medical Center researcher shows that 99 percent of participants experienced either a return to menstruation or became pregnant within 90 days after stopping an investigational, low-dose oral contraceptive taken every day without placebo.

8 May 2006

Breast removal not the only treatment option for non-invasive breast cancer

Breast conserving surgery, long known to be successful at treating the more common invasive cancer, can also be effective for this pre-invasive condition, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

8 May 2006

Breast conserving surgery is a good option for early breast cancer

For women diagnosed with a type of non-invasive breast cancer, removing the breast is not the only treatment option.

8 May 2006

Premenstrual syndrome and self-policing: constructing and deconstructing premenstrual distress in lesbian and heterosexual relationships

Premenstrual distress: An unavoidable condition many women suffer with relentless regularity. Or is it? Can heterosexual women learn a thing or two from their lesbian sisterhood?

3 May 2006

Combo of testing and vaccines a winner in fight against cervical cancer

According to experts in reproductive health, the combination of HPV testing with HPV vaccines is the best hope for preventing cervical cancer.

1 May 2006

Osteoporosis could be caused by factors other than declining estrogen levels

New evidence in the April 21, 2006 Cell challenges the long-standing notion that declining estrogen levels alone lead to osteoporosis after women go through menopause. The researchers rather found that high levels of pituitary-derived follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) cause bone loss in mice. The pituitary is a master gland found at the base of the brain.

26 Apr 2006