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NIH-funded Harvard study: 6 million women in America suffer from vulvodynia

According to an NIH-funded Harvard study, an estimated six million women in America suffer from vulvodynia. Despite the astonishingly high number of those affected, the pain is often left misdiagnosed or untreated.

18 Jul 2012

Heart defects at birth linked to workplace exposure to solvents

Workplace exposure to organic solvents is linked to several types of heart defects at birth, indicates research published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

18 Jul 2012

Risk of birth defects linked to certain jobs dads do

Several types of job carried out by future fathers may be linked to an increased risk of birth defects in their babies, suggests research published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

18 Jul 2012

Lack of physical activity causes 1 in 10 deaths

A lack of physical activity, or people’s failure to spend 150 minutes a week doing moderate physical activity (eg, brisk walking for 30 minutes, 5 days a week), causes around 6–10% of four major non-communicable diseases (coronary heart disease [CHD], type 2 diabetes, and breast and colon cancer) worldwide, and was responsible for around 5.3 million of the 57 million deaths globally in 2008.

18 Jul 2012

Commitments announced at London summit show power of family planning evidence

"High levels of unmet need for contraception around the world have a very negative impact on women's and children's health and survival as well as on the prosperity of communities and nations," Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) writes in the Huffington Post's "Global Motherhood" blog.

17 Jul 2012

Preventive Services Task Force makes waves

And it seems nobody these days loves the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Few Americans had even heard of it until three years ago, when the advisory board with the 10-syllable name challenged convention by saying women under 50 might not benefit from mammograms, just as the debate over health care was coming to a boil.

17 Jul 2012

American women fare worse in health coverage than those in 10 countries with universal care

A new Commonwealth Fund report shows that women in the United States are in much worse shape, health care-wise, than women in 10 nations that have universal health care. Even insured American women are more likely to go without needed health care because of the cost and difficulty paying medical bills. The report was published online July 13. According to the report, the Affordable Care Act has brought coverage to millions of women already and is expected to improve women's health care in coming years.

17 Jul 2012

Gates Foundation's efforts to improve access to contraceptives will improve health, lives of women, children

"Supporters of women's health ought to cheer the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's plan" to provide $1 billion over eight years to increasing women's access to contraceptives and family planning services because the "effort underscores the critical role of family planning in the international battle to reduce poverty and improve maternal health," a Seattle Times editorial states.

17 Jul 2012

Seattle summit addresses global crisis of preterm birth

Leaders of prominent, international philanthropic and research organizations are convening in Seattle July 14-16 to address the global crisis of preterm birth and develop an action roadmap of research priorities and opportunities.

16 Jul 2012

Uninsured U.S. women more likely to struggle with medical bills and go without needed care

Twenty percent of U.S. women (18.7 million) ages 19-64 were uninsured in 2010, up from 15 percent (12.8 million) in 2000, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report on women's health care. An additional 16.7 million women were underinsured in 2010, compared with 10.3 million in 2003.

16 Jul 2012

Ariz. abortion law challenged in lawsuit; Mo. Gov. vetoes contraception bill

News outlets look at these developments in states and also assess overall efforts this year by state legislatures to restrict abortions as some states to continue to press against the Obama administration's contraceptive coverage mandate.

14 Jul 2012

Health risks of egg donation for young females

News is just breaking in India about Sushma Pandey, a 17-year-old young woman who died in 2010, two days after her third "egg donation." Her death is being attributed to the procedures used to extract eggs from healthy, desirable young females like Ms. Pandey. These eggs are often resold to affluent westerners for use in commercial production of their children. Her post-mortem report states she had "one abrasion, four contusions and a blood clot in the head, plus six injection marks" as well as "congestion in the ovaries and uterus."

14 Jul 2012

Blog posts examine how family planning money will be spent, who will oversee program

The Center for Global Development's (CGD) "Global Health Policy" blog on Thursday published two posts addressing family planning funding. In one, Amanda Glassman, director of global health policy and a research fellow at CGD, examines "what organization will actually allocate and spend these additional resources" pledged at the recent London Summit on Family Planning.

14 Jul 2012

Study examines link between phthalates and diabetes in women

A study lead by researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) shows an association between increased concentrations of phthalates in the body and an increased risk of diabetes in women. Phthalates are endocrine disrupting chemicals that are commonly found in personal care products such as moisturizers, nail polishes, soaps, hair sprays and perfumes.

14 Jul 2012

FDA approves Watson's ANDA for Next Choice ONE DOSE emergency contraceptive

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Watson Laboratories, Inc., has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Next Choice ONE DOSE (Levonorgestrel Tablet, 1.5 mg), the generic equivalent to Teva Women's Health's Plan B One-Step. Watson plans to launch the product immediately.

13 Jul 2012

International AIDS Conference must focus on combination prevention strategies to fight AIDS among women

Highlighting statistics showing how HIV affects more women than men worldwide, Serra Sippel, president of the Center for Health and Gender Equity (CHANGE), writes in a Huffington Post "Global Motherhood" blog post, "The XIX International AIDS Conference is coming to Washington, D.C., in two weeks and it must be different from its predecessors for one reason: HIV is now a woman's plague."

13 Jul 2012

International community commits to boosting family planning services at London Summit

"Voluntary family planning services will reach an additional 120 million women and girls in the world's poorest countries by 2020 thanks to a new set of commitments announced [at the London Summit on Family Planning on Wednesday] by more than 150 leaders from donor and developing countries, international agencies, civil society, foundations and the private sector," a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation press release reports (7/11).

13 Jul 2012

Breast cancer patients who undergo breast conserving surgery often have a reoperation

One in five women with breast cancer who opt for breast conserving surgery rather than a mastectomy have a reoperation, according to a national study published on bmj.com today. This information on the risk of reoperation should help women in making the decision about whether to undergo breast conserving surgery or mastectomy.

13 Jul 2012

Opinion pieces, blog posts address family planning issues ahead of London summit

On World Population Day, observed on Wednesday, July 11, the U.K. Government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are co-hosting the London Summit on Family Planning.

12 Jul 2012

Guardian holds roundtable discussion on key family planning issues ahead of London summit

As part of its "Young people's sexual health matters" series, the Guardian reports on a recent roundtable discussion hosted by the newspaper, in association with the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), during which experts discussed key family planning issues ahead of the July 11 London Summit.

12 Jul 2012

Women's Health News

NIH-funded Harvard study: 6 million women in America suffer from vulvodynia

Heart defects at birth linked to workplace exposure to solvents

Risk of birth defects linked to certain jobs dads do

Lack of physical activity causes 1 in 10 deaths

Commitments announced at London summit show power of family planning evidence

Preventive Services Task Force makes waves

American women fare worse in health coverage than those in 10 countries with universal care

Gates Foundation's efforts to improve access to contraceptives will improve health, lives of women, children

Seattle summit addresses global crisis of preterm birth

Uninsured U.S. women more likely to struggle with medical bills and go without needed care

Ariz. abortion law challenged in lawsuit; Mo. Gov. vetoes contraception bill

Health risks of egg donation for young females

Blog posts examine how family planning money will be spent, who will oversee program

Study examines link between phthalates and diabetes in women

FDA approves Watson's ANDA for Next Choice ONE DOSE emergency contraceptive

International AIDS Conference must focus on combination prevention strategies to fight AIDS among women

International community commits to boosting family planning services at London Summit

Breast cancer patients who undergo breast conserving surgery often have a reoperation

Opinion pieces, blog posts address family planning issues ahead of London summit

Guardian holds roundtable discussion on key family planning issues ahead of London summit

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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