Urinary Incontinence Surgery Won't Raise a Woman's Cancer Risk

• Robert Preidt
• April 12, 2021
• Full Page

Women face no increased risk of pelvic cancer -- tumors of the bladder, cervix and ovaries -- if they have surgery to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a new study finds.

Concerns about possible complications and safety issues related to use of surgical mesh -- pa...

Obesity May Help Trigger Heavier Periods: Study

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• April 9, 2021
• Full Page

FRIDAY, April 9, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Obese women can be more likely to have heavy monthly periods, and now new research hints at why.

In addition to stirring up inflammation, excess weight may slow down the uterine repair process, U.K. researchers...

Women More Prone to Concussion's Long-Term Harms: Study

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• April 8, 2021
• Full Page

After a concussion, women may be at heightened risk of lasting physical and mental symptoms, a new study finds.

The study of 2,000 concussion sufferers found that women were more likely than men to still have some symptoms one year later. The problems included fuzzy memo...

Heart Disease Gaining on Cancer as Leading Cause of Death in Young Women

• Robert Preidt
• April 2, 2021
• Full Page

Heart disease is gaining on cancer as the leading cause of death among American women under 65.

"Young women in the United States are becoming less healthy, which is now reversing prior improvements seen in heart disease deaths for the gender," said Dr. Erin Michos, asso...

What Is Endometriosis, and How Is It Treated?

• Robert Preidt
• March 30, 2021
• Full Page

There's no cure for endometriosis, but women have several treatment options for the painful condition, an expert says.

With endometriosis, tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of it, where it can reach the fallopian tubes, ovaries, bowel, bla...

Why 'Night Owl' Women Might Be at Higher Risk During Pregnancy

• Robert Preidt
• March 24, 2021
• Full Page

Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy have a higher risk of complications for themselves and their babies if they're night owls instead of early birds, a new study finds.

Gestational diabetes increases the mother's risk of premature delivery and preeclampsia (pregn...

Most Women Can Give Birth Naturally Even When Water Breaks Early: Study

• Robert Preidt
• March 17, 2021
• Full Page

Most women can have a natural childbirth even if labor doesn't begin soon after their water breaks, according to a new study.

This situation occurs in about 11% of pregnant women who carry to term. Labor is typically induced in such cases.

But University of Michiga...

'Birthing Girdle' Shows Traces of Medieval Women in Labor

• Cara Murez
• March 12, 2021
• Full Page

In medieval Europe, when childbirth was highly perilous for both mother and child, women and those caring for them used various talismans to try to influence a safe delivery.

Not many of those relics have survived, but scientists have been studying one -- a parchment "bi...

Depression Often Follows Stroke, and Women Are at Higher Risk

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt
• March 11, 2021
• Full Page

The trauma and loss of stroke can often leave survivors with long-term depression, and women appear to be at special risk, new research shows.

"We did not expect that the cumulative risk of depression would remain so persistently elevated," said study author Dr. Laura St...

Vaginal Ring Could Shield Women From HIV for 3 Months at a Time

• March 9, 2021
• Full Page

A vaginal ring that slowly releases an antiviral medication could protect women against HIV for up to three months, a preliminary trial suggests.

It assessed two formulations of a vaginal ring that releases the antiretroviral dapivirine in the vagina over the course of 9...

Device Used for Thousands of Years Eases Major Cause of Female Urinary Problems

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• March 8, 2021
• Full Page

Many women with pelvic organ prolapse may get lasting relief from a treatment that's been around for a few thousand years, a new study suggests.

With pelvic organ prolapse (POP), weakened muscles and supporting tissue in the pelvis allow one or more organs -- including t...

Lots of Belly Fat at Menopause Could Boost Heart Risks

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• March 8, 2021
• Full Page

If you are approaching menopause and you have some extra belly fat, new research suggests you might want to shed some inches now.

Women who carry weight around their midsection during menopause may be more likely to develop heart disease even if their overall weight rema...

Women With Type 1 Diabetes May Have Fewer Childbearing Years: Study

• Robert Preidt
• March 4, 2021
• Full Page

Women with type 1 diabetes may have a shorter length of time to conceive and bear children compared to those without the disease, new research suggests.

The hormone insulin plays an important part in regulating female reproductive function, and people with type 1 diabete...

Skipping Mammograms Raises a Woman's Odds for Breast Cancer Death

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• March 2, 2021
• Full Page

Don't skip your breast cancer screening mammogram.

This is the overarching message of an extended study of more than a half-million Swedish women. Those who missed even one recommended screening mammogram were more likely to die from breast cancer, the study found.

New Drug Combo Could Be Advance Against Uterine Fibroids

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• February 22, 2021
• Full Page

A new combo pill can substantially reduce bleeding caused by uterine fibroids -- possibly offering some women yet another alternative to surgery, a new trial finds.

The once-daily medication, which combines a drug called relugolix with estrogen and progestin, is not yet ...

More Young U.S. Women Are Dying From Heart Disease

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• February 16, 2021
• Full Page

The toll of America's obesity epidemic is showing up in younger women, as a new study shows that deaths from heart disease in this unlikely group have increased in the past decade.

The likely culprits along with obesity? Type 2 diabetes, along with diseases of pregnancy,...

After Long Decline, Breast Cancers in Young U.S. Women Are On the Rise

• February 9, 2021
• Full Page

Breast cancer death rates are inching up in American women under age 40 again, after more than two decades of decline, researchers say.

The study authors said they hoped their new report would lead to a deeper look at reasons for the change.

"Our hope is that these...

Type 2 Diabetes Drug Metformin Could Help Prevent Some Breast Cancers

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• February 1, 2021
• Full Page

Women with type 2 diabetes may be more likely to develop breast cancer, but taking the diabetes drug metformin appears to reduce their risk for the most common type, new research finds.

Compared to women without diabetes, risk for estrogen-positive breast cancer was 38% ...

High Blood Pressure Often Mistaken for Menopausal Symptoms in Women

• Robert Preidt
• January 27, 2021
• Full Page

High blood pressure is often dismissed as part of menopausal symptoms in older women, experts say. And that could raise a woman's risk for heart trouble, European experts warn.

That warning, along with recommendations on how doctors can help middle-aged women av...

Women More Prone to Nighttime Cardiac Arrest Than Men

• Robert Preidt
• January 25, 2021
• Full Page

Going into cardiac arrest at night can be particularly deadly, and now new research suggests that it might strike women more than men.

Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical malfunction that causes the heart to stop beating. The survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac ...

More Than 200,000 Americans Have Lupus

• Robert Preidt
• January 21, 2021
• Full Page

Just over 200,000 Americans have the autoimmune disorder lupus, and minority women are at highest risk, according to a new study.

It's the first estimate of how widespread the disease is in the United States. The number comes close to reclassifying lupus as a rare diseas...

Premature Menopause May Bring Tougher Symptoms for Women

• Cara Murez
• January 21, 2021
• Full Page

Menopause is known to bring a variety of unpleasant symptoms ranging from hot flashes to insomnia. Yet, for those who have a condition known as premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), it is much worse, researchers report.

The new study examined the impact of POI, in which...

On Waitlist for Liver Transplants, Women Die More Often Than Men

• Steven Reinberg
• January 5, 2021
• Full Page

Frailty may explain why women awaiting a liver transplant are more likely than men to become too sick for a transplant or die before transplantation, a new study suggests.

Exercise and a healthier diet may help narrow that gender gap, researchers say.

For the...

High Blood Pressure While Pregnant Linked to Poorer Memory Years Later

• Cara Murez
• January 4, 2021
• Full Page

High blood pressure and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy may follow women through the years, causing lower scores on tests of memory and thinking skills, a Dutch study suggests.

The study of nearly 600 pregnant women included 481 with normal blood pressure and 115 who deve...

Surgery Could Boost Survival for Women With Advanced Breast Cancers: Study

• Denise Mann
• December 30, 2020
• Full Page

Women with advanced breast cancer who undergo surgery to remove the tumor after chemotherapy or another type of systemic treatment may live longer than those who don't have surgery, a new study suggests.

The findings challenge a long-held belief that surgery confers litt...

Pandemic May Be Tougher on Women's Mental Health Than Men's

• Robert Preidt
• December 30, 2020
• Full Page

The COVID-19 pandemic may be taking a bigger toll on women's mental health than on men's, new research suggests.

For the study, researchers examined the results of an online survey of 112 men and 459 women in Canada. The survey took place between March 23 and June 7, 202...

Black Women at Higher Heart Risk During Pregnancy

• Amy Norton
• December 16, 2020
• Full Page

Although heart problems are rare complications of pregnancy, Black women face a heightened risk -- even if they have comfortable incomes and health insurance, a new study finds.

It's well established that the United States has a higher maternal mortality rate than other ...

AHA News: Feeling Stressed About Your Role in Life? For Women, That Could Be a Health Risk

• American Heart Association News
• December 11, 2020
• Full Page

How a woman feels about her roles at home and at work during midlife can affect several factors that influence her heart health, new research shows.

The study, published Dec. 11 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found women who felt more stressed...

Heart Palpitations Can Be Common During Menopause

• Cara Murez
• December 10, 2020
• Full Page

An older woman's heart races and flutters. Is it a sign of cardiovascular problems or is it maybe a symptom of menopause?

New research shows that the palpitations are a distressing problem for roughly 25% of women during menopause, but those feelings of a po...

Some Older Breast Cancer Patients Can Safely Cut Down on Chemo

• Amy Norton
• December 9, 2020
• Full Page

More women with early-stage breast cancer may be able to safely skip chemotherapy after having surgery, according to initial results from a major clinical trial.

The trial, conducted in nine countries, found that adding chemotherapy to hormone-blocking drugs brought no a...

Many Breast Cancer Survivors Have Healthy Babies: Study

• Cara Murez
• December 9, 2020
• Full Page

When a young woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, many questions go through her mind.

What treatments does she need? Will she survive? And will she still be able to have a baby?

In a review of recent research, an international team of investigators say the answe...

Obesity Plays Role in Higher Breast Cancer Rates for Black Women

• Robert Preidt
• December 7, 2020
• Full Page

Obesity may be a major reason Black American women with early breast cancer are 40% more likely to die than white patients, according to a new study.

Obesity is a known risk factor for several types of cancer, and decades of rising rates of obesity in the United States h...

Could Tanning Raise a Woman's Odds for Endometriosis?

• Amy Norton
• December 4, 2020
• Full Page

Young women who regularly visit tanning salons may have an increased risk of developing endometriosis, a new study suggests.

Researchers said the findings, from a large study of U.S. women, don't prove that tanning beds help cause the painful pelvic condition.

But,...

Obesity Ups Women's Odds for Early Hip Fracture

• Robert Preidt
• December 3, 2020
• Full Page

Obese women are more likely to suffer a hip fracture before age 70 than those who aren't obese, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed data gathered from more than 12,700 women in Finland who were born between 1932 and 1941 and followed them for 25 years.

The Univ...

Menopause Can Make Workplace Tougher for Women: Study

• Robert Preidt
• December 2, 2020
• Full Page

Menopause symptoms can interfere with women's jobs, Japanese researchers report.

For the study, the investigators looked at nearly 600 working women, aged 45 to 65, in Japan. Of those, 61% were postmenopausal.

Women with a higher number of menopause symptoms had po...

Women Have Poorer Survival Than Men in Years After First Heart Attack

• Cara Murez
• November 30, 2020
• Full Page

Here's a good reason for women to take a heart attack more seriously than they might: A new study shows that women are more likely to develop heart failure or die within five years of their first severe heart attack than men are.

Though the gender gap was narrower f...

One Type of Injury Should Raise Red Flag for Domestic Violence

• Cara Murez
• November 30, 2020
• Full Page

As many as one-third of adult women who have a particular fracture to their forearms may be victims of intimate partner violence, according to a new study.

The findings underscore the need to screen women who receive fractures to their ulna for possible intimate partner ...

Years Leading to Menopause See Uptick in Women's Heart Risks: AHA

• Robert Preidt
• November 30, 2020
• Full Page

Heart disease risk increases in women as they near menopause, so it's crucial to monitor their health and take preventive measures as needed, a new American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement says.

"Over the past 20 years, our knowledge of how the menopause tra...

Could the Pill Reduce Asthma Attacks?

• Amy Norton
• November 24, 2020
• Full Page

Women with asthma may suffer fewer severe symptom attacks if they are on birth control pills, a large new study suggests.

The study of more than 83,000 women with asthma found that those who used birth control pills for at least three years tended to have fewer severe fl...

Sitting Raises Women's Odds for Heart Failure

• Robert Preidt
• November 24, 2020
• Full Page

Too much sitting or lying down significantly increases older women's risk of hospitalization for heart failure, even if they get recommended amounts of physical activity, a new study warns.

"These findings are consistent with other studies confirming that people with mor...

More Childbearing Women Having Suicidal Thoughts: Study

• Amy Norton
• November 20, 2020
• Full Page

The number of women who contemplate suicide or self-harm during or after pregnancy may be on the rise, a large, new study suggests.

Among nearly 600,000 U.S. childbearing women, researchers found that close to 2,700 were diagnosed with suicidality in the year before or a...

Air Pollution May Harm Older Women's Brains

• Cara Murez
• November 19, 2020
• Full Page

Pollutants in the air -- fine particulates that are 30 times smaller than the width of a strand of hair -- may be damaging older women's brains.

In a new study, researchers linked breathing in high levels of this polluted air to shrinkage in areas of the brain that are v...

IVF Won't Raise Ovarian Cancer Risk: Study

• Robert Preidt
• November 19, 2020
• Full Page

Fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization don't appear to increase a woman's risk of ovarian cancer, a new study finds.

Previous studies suggested that women who used this assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF to get pregnant may be at risk for o...

'Couch Potato' Time Rises Sharply After Women Retire

• Robert Preidt
• November 17, 2020
• Full Page

Women are at high risk of becoming much less active right after they retire, researchers find.

Inactivity was tracked among nearly 700 participants in an ongoing study of retiring municipal workers in Finland that began in 2013. Most (85%) of the participants were women,...

Working Women Show Sharper Memory With Age

• Amy Norton
• November 4, 2020
• Full Page

Women who work outside the home may end up with a sharper memory later in life, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among nearly 6,200 U.S. women aged 55 and older, those who'd worked for pay in young adulthood and middle-age were less prone to memory decline, v...

Thinking of HRT for Hot Flashes? Here's the Latest Guidance

• Amy Norton
• October 30, 2020
• Full Page

Another large study finds that menopausal hormone therapy is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, though it varies with the formulation, timing and duration of use.

British researchers found that among more than 500,000 women aged 50 to 79, those who'd used horm...

Losing a Sibling a Common Tragedy in Poorer Nations, Study Finds

• Robert Preidt
• October 27, 2020
• Full Page

The loss of a sibling is all too common among young women in low- and middle-income countries, according to a new study.

The researchers found that roughly one-third of young women in those countries have experienced the death of a brother or sister by age 25. In sev...

Could Mom's Thyroid Levels Influence ADHD in Kids?

• Serena Gordon
• October 21, 2020
• Full Page

Low levels of thyroid hormone during pregnancy may contribute to the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the child, new research suggests.

The study found that children born to mothers with low thyroid hormone levels during the first trimester...

One Big Reason Women May Be Less Prone to COVID-19

• Cara Roberts Murez
• October 21, 2020
• Full Page

One of the reasons women may be less vulnerable to COVID-19 is because they're more likely to adhere to social distancing policies, a new survey suggests.

A survey conducted in eight countries in March and April found substantial gender differences both in numbers of...

Most U.S. Women Under 50 Use Contraception: Report

• Steven Reinberg
• October 20, 2020
• Full Page

Most American women between 15 and 49 years of age use birth control, according to a new U.S. government report.

Between 2017 and 2019, 65% of those women used some form of contraception, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.