Category: womens health

Preparing for Menopause

During midlife, a woman’s menstrual periods grow further and further apart. At some point, they stop completely, and she can no longer get pregnant. This is because the ovaries aren’t releasing eggs and making hormones like estrogen anymore. After 12 months without a period, a woman can say she’s gone through menopause. In the years before menopause,…


Chinese Herbal Medicine Improves Menopausal Symptoms: Research

The traditional Chinese medical remedy huang jing is safer and more effective than hormone therapy in improving menopausal symptoms, according to a new study from Korea. Menopause happens at the end of women’s menstrual cycles owing to a natural decline in reproductive hormones. During the process of transitioning into the stage of menopause and a short…


Harmful Partnerships

Abuse can be difficult to see, especially when it’s in your own relationship. It can start slowly, and it’s not always physical. You may not realize that the small comments a loved one makes to you are doing harm. You may even make excuses for them. They’re stressed from work or the pandemic. But abuse…


Postpartum Depression May Last for Years

Many women develop depression after giving birth. This is called postpartum depression. A new study found that a large number of women had high levels of depressive symptoms at some point in the three years after giving birth. Researchers asked more than 4,500 women about their symptoms of depression four months and one, two, and…


What to Know When Buying or Using a Breast Pump

If you’re giving your baby breast milk, you probably know there can be times when a breast pump can come in handy. Breast pumps are medical devices regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They can be used to maintain or increase a woman’s milk supply, relieve engorged breasts and plugged milk ducts, or…


Hormonal Contraceptives Increase the Risk of Suicide and Suicide Attempts

More than 100 million women worldwide use hormonal contraception, and not just to avoid pregnancy. Many have other reasons for using hormonal contraceptives, such as alleviating menstrual pain, heavy bleeding, premenstrual syndrome or acne. But at what cost? A 17-year Danish study published in 2017 revealed a startling association between hormonal contraception and the risk…


Men More Prone to Cancer Than Women, But Why?

Men are known to be more likely to develop cancer than women, and a new study suggests that this is largely due to biologic differences between the sexes. “After controlling for factors like smoking, alcohol use, diet, physical activity and common medical conditions [that increase cancer risk], the sex bias remained for most cancers,” said…


Self-Employed Women Are Often Healthier: Study

Women who are their own bosses might have healthier hearts to show for it, a new study suggests. The study, of more than 4,600 working U.S. women, found that those who were self-employed typically got more exercise and were less likely to be obese or have high blood pressure or diabetes — major risk factors…


Team of Scientists Warns Against Acetaminophen in Pregnancy

A team of 13 scientists caution against the use of pain relievers with acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) during pregnancy. They cite a growing body of research that suggests the drug might alter fetal development. The consensus statement, which appears in the journal Nature Reviews Endocrinology, was supported by signatories from 91 researchers, clinicians, and public…


Early Menopause Could Mean More Heart Trouble Later

Women who go into menopause when they are younger than 40 are at greater risk of heart problems, reports a new Korean study of more than 1.4 million females. Women with premature menopause had an overall 33% higher risk of heart failure and 9% higher risk of an irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) compared to…