Feature Channels: Women's Health

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Women with apple-shaped bodies – those who store more of their fat in their trunk and abdominal regions – may be at particular risk for the development of eating episodes during which they experience a sense of “loss of control,” according to a new study from Drexel University. The study also found that women with greater fat stores in their midsections reported being less satisfied with their bodies, which may contribute to loss-of-control eating.

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Bypass patients who are older, female and/or from lower-income neighbourhoods are more likely to face delays in beginning cardiac rehabilitation (CR), making them less likely to complete CR, which can lead to a higher mortality risk, suggests a new study.

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Wrist fractures are common among postmenopausal women who are younger than 65 and a new UCLA-led study suggests that they may also predict more serious fractures in other parts of their bodies later in life. The researchers on the study, published in the November issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, found that one in five women who had experienced a broken wrist went on to suffer a non-wrist fracture during the next 10 years.

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A UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center-led study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology identified a group of women with HER-2 positive breast cancer who could benefit from less intensive targeted treatment.

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Cardiovascular disease risk in women increases after menopause and is associated with the drop in estrogen levels. Menopausal hormone therapy could slow the progression, but oral formulations also increase the risk of blood clots. A new study reports that whether a woman will obtain cardiovascular benefits from certain types of hormone therapy may depend on her genes.

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More than half (52%) of women and a third (38%) of men reported doctor-prescribed painkillers as their first contact with opioid drugs, a family of drugs which include prescription medicines such OxyContin and codeine, as well as illicit drugs such as heroin.

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Black women in Canada have substantially higher rates of premature births than white women, mirroring relative disparities in the United States, according to a study led by researchers at McGill University. The findings are based on new cohort data from the Canadian Live Birth, Infant Death and Stillbirth Database linked to the Canadian census data.

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Women put so much stress on themselves to make everything perfect for everything. This unnecessary pressure is not good for their heart health.

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Hypertension in overweight and obese adolescents remains under-diagnosed despite evidence supporting both as risk factors for heart disease. Lead exposure in pregnancy is linked with higher blood pressure later on in young children. In pregnant mice, microparticles released from cells can cause fetal death, preeclampsia, and embryonic growth restriction, along with inflammation and placental and kidney abnormalities. Studies that uncovered these findings will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3–8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

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The National Institutes of Health has awarded City of Hope a five-year, $4.8 million grant to study the possible role of chemicals in the environment in the development of breast cancer during the menopausal transition in women.

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Gilda Cardenosa, M.D., is the director of breast imaging at Massey This month, the American Cancer Society (ACS) issued new recommendations regarding breast cancer screening.

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An estrogen-like drug, raloxifene, has no demonstrated benefit on memory and thinking skills for women with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in the November 4, 2015, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Regular physical activity could play a role in helping women at high-risk of breast cancer delay the need for drastic preventive measures such as prophylactic mastectomy, according to new research led by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Results of the WISER Sister study help clarify the emerging connection between exercise and breast cancer risk. As a result of the new findings, the authors suggest that women who have an elevated breast cancer risk or worry about having such risk should consider doing 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity per day for five days per week.

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New research suggests that older women who complain of memory problems may be at higher risk for experiencing diagnosed memory and thinking impairment decades later. The study is published in the October 28, 2015, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Researchers have published the first study of levels of parabens in human cord blood samples. The researchers found that a cohort of pregnant women in Brooklyn predominantly of Caribbean- and African-American descent had the highest level worldwide of methyl paraben and propyl paraben.

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Pregnant women with preeclampsia have a higher risk of delivering an infant with a congenital heart defect.

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The American Cancer Society’s new breast cancer screening guidelines could cause many women to wonder when they should have their first mammogram. A Penn State Hershey physician says the answer is simple: age 40.

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Phase I clinical trials will start for a female sex hormone that may help save lives on the battlefield, where between 2001 and 2011 more than 80 percent of potentially preventable U.S. war injury deaths resulted from blood loss.

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In a study conducted to inform American Cancer Society (ACS) breast cancer screening guidelines, UC Davis researcher Diana L. Miglioretti reports a screening mammogram once every two years is safe for postmenopausal women at average risk of breast cancer.

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Eliminating federal funding for Planned Parenthood, as some members of Congress urge, would only make it harder for low-income women in medically underserved communities to obtain healthcare, warns a new commentary in the journal Women’s Health Issues.

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Each 80 minutes/day (assuming 16 awake hours/day) increase in sedentary duration was linked with a 20% increased likelihood of having chronic kidney disease in a recent study. Research that uncovered the association between sedentary behavior and kidney disease will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3–8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

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Women who visit mammography facilities with higher total interpretive volumes are more likely to benefit from screening, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medical Screening. Research shows such facilities are significantly more likely to diagnose invasive tumors with good prognoses.

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Some anomalies in fetuses must be treated before delivery to prevent infant death or the risk of serious complications. Fortunately, fetuses can be operated in the womb, thanks to advanced technologies in ultrasound, fiber-optics, and laser surgery

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The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on identifying women who are candidates for treatment of menopausal symptoms and selecting the best treatment options for each individual.

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More women may have the option to get an IUD or contraceptive implant immediately after delivering a baby, thanks to expanding Medicaid coverage around the country.

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Women with a gene variant (APOEe4 allele) associated with Alzheimer’s disease experience a steeper decline in body mass index (BMI) after age 70 than those women without the version of the gene, whether they go on to develop dementia or not.

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During a virtual press conference on October 7, the Endocrine Society will share recommendations from its upcoming Clinical Practice Guideline on treatments for menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.

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Menopause is associated with many bothersome symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, difficulty with mood, memory or concentration, and changes in sexual function. Mayo Clinic physicians recently released findings from research that demonstrated a connection between the severity of menopausal symptoms and a woman’s recent experience of abuse. The abuse could be verbal or emotional, physical or sexual.

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Researchers have developed a small array of flexible sensors, which accurately detect compounds in breath samples that are specific to ovarian cancer.

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Using a novel synthetic platform for creating vaccines originally developed in the laboratory of David Weiner, PhD, a professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, a team led by his colleagues at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has successfully eradicated precancerous cervical lesions in nearly half of the women who received the investigational vaccine in a clinical trial.

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Results from qualitative research of postmenopausal women with vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA) show that they recognize the significant physical, emotional and psychological consequences of untreated dyspareunia (painful sex) yet they continue to suffer because of misperceptions about the condition and a general lack of understanding about treatment options. Sheryl A. Kingsberg, PhD, Chief of Behavioral Medicine in the Department of OB/GYN at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, will present the findings during an oral presentation, “Women’s Attitudes and Behaviors towards Vulvar and Vaginal Atrophy.” The presentation is scheduled for Oct. 1 at 4:45 p.m. PDT at The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) 2015 Annual Meeting.

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The American College of Radiology (ACR), Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) and major medical organizations experienced in breast cancer care continue to recommend that women start getting annual mammograms at age 40.

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Mothers who are pregnant or have young children would be expected to be more concerned about protecting their offspring from environmental risks that are reported most in the news, but a new study raises doubts about that conventional wisdom.

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Citing an analysis of more than 26,000 Maryland Medicaid claims, Johns Hopkins researchers report evidence that poor women with recent complications during their pregnancies are using the emergency room (ER) at higher rates after delivery and may not be getting the postpartum care and follow-up they need to prevent further health problems.

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• In pregnant women with preeclampsia, a procedure used to remove a protein called sFlt-1 from the blood reduced the amount of protein excreted in the urine and stabilized blood pressure. • Pregnancy continued an average of 8 days and 15 days in women treated once and multiple times, respectively, compared with 3 days in untreated women with preeclampsia.

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Weight loss and exercise improve ovulation in women who have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, a common hormone disorder that often causes infertility, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

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Can women with low platelet counts safely undergo epidural/spinal anesthesia during labor? Available evidence suggests a low rate of complications related to abnormal blood clotting for this large group of patients, reports a study in Anesthesia & Analgesia.

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University of Missouri researchers have found that luteolin, a natural compound found in herbs such as thyme and parsley as well as vegetables such as celery and broccoli, could reduce the cancer risk for women who have taken hormone replacement therapy.

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Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome that causes major disruption in several areas of life for many women. Many treatment options have been proposed, but which are most effective? A comprehensive review of the evidence, including specific treatment guidelines, is presented in the September Journal of Psychiatric Practice, published by Wolters Kluwer.

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Privately insured pregnant women are less likely to have C-sections when their regular care includes midwives and 24-hour obstetrician coverage, according to a study by researchers at UC San Francisco and Marin General Hospital.

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A free e-book provides practical, science-based advice for lowering breast cancer risk at every stage of life. Written for a lay audience, “Together — Every Woman’s Guide to Preventing Breast Cancer” aims to help women improve their breast health and the breast health of their loved ones.

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Women who are carriers of mutated BRCA genes are known to have a significantly higher risk for developing breast and ovarian cancers than those who don’t have the mutations. But a new study by UCLA faculty questions the value of screening for the genetic mutations in the general population—including those who do not have cancer or have no family history of the disease— because of the high cost.

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A new study of more than 300 women suggests that exposure to certain phthalates — substances commonly used in food packaging, personal-care and other everyday products — could be associated with miscarriage, mostly between 5 and 13 weeks of pregnancy.

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For women undergoing hysterectomy, removal of "hanging" abdominal fat and skin—a cosmetic procedure called panniculectomy—can be performed at the same surgery without increasing the risk of complications, reports a study in the September issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

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• Compared with their sister(s) who had normal blood pressure during pregnancy, women who had hypertension in pregnancy were more likely to develop hypertension later in life. • Brothers and sisters of women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy were at increased risk of developing high blood pressure later in life. • Brothers, but not sisters, of women who had high blood pressure in pregnancy were also at increased risk of developing heart disease.