Feature Channels: Women's Health

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The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) advising against the use of testosterone therapy in healthy women.

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Ohio State University researchers are testing an experimental app linked to an electronic health record (EHR) to give patients and physicians a whole new way of looking at cardiovascular disease risk - literally. Scientists are hoping that by turning vitals into visuals, the app will spark conversation, motivate change and improve health.

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Teens who received free contraception and were educated about the pros and cons of various birth control methods were dramatically less likely to get pregnant, give birth or get an abortion compared with other sexually active teens, according to a new study.

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Women who are anxious, jealous, or moody and distressed in middle age may be at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease later in life, according to a nearly 40-year-long study published in the October 1, 2014, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

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Thirty percent of the nearly 40,000 women who will die from breast cancer in the next year* could have been helped if they had received a regular mammogram starting at age 40. And, for women looking to take charge of their breast health, MammographySavesLives.org is a good place to start. Mammography Saves Lives (MSL) is a public service campaign, which includes TV and radio public service announcements (PSAs) to encourage women, 40 and older, to get a regular mammogram, and helps them find an accredited center near them.

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As many as half to two-thirds of women who’ve undergone hysterectomies or are older than 65 years report receiving Pap tests for cervical cancer, despite recommendations against it, finds a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

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UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers seeking novel treatments for anemia found that giving acetate, the major component of household vinegar, to anemic mice stimulated the formation of new red blood cells.

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A new study led by University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers is the first large scale effort to longitudinally evaluate health outcomes after sexual assault.

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New services launched at University of utah Health Care's South Jordan Health Center are designed to bring top-notch care to new moms who prefer to stay close-to-home with newborns.

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Magnesium sulfate given intravenously to pregnant women at risk of very preterm birth was not associated with benefit on neurological, behavioral, growth, or functional outcomes in their children at school age, according to a study in the September 17 issue of JAMA.

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As young women across the United States adapt to their busy college lifestyles, physician assistant studies professor Joan Ward, MS, PA-C, at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, urges them to stay on top of their preventative health screenings.

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To date, the prevalence of women with high mammographic breast density -- a recognized risk factor for breast cancer -- in the U.S. has been largely unknown. Now a new study helps quantify the number of U.S. women with this condition, providing needed data for notification legislation under consideration in several states.

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Postmenopausal women with diverse gut bacteria exhibit a more favorable ratio of estrogen metabolites, which is associated with reduced risk for breast cancer, compared to women with less microbial variation, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

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Expectant moms should be vaccinated for pertussis, or whooping cough, during their third trimester, according to obstetricians at Loyola University Health System. Those in close contact with the infant also should be up to date with their whooping cough vaccine.

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Dartmouth researchers have found that African American women are 55 percent less likely to receive breast reconstruction after mastectomy regardless of where they received their care. They report on their findings in “The influence of race/ethnicity and place of service on breast reconstruction for Medicare beneficiaries with mastectomy,” recently published in SpringerPlus.

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An experimental regimen of once-weekly breast irradiation following lumpectomy provides more convenience to patients at a lower cost, results in better completion rates of prescribed radiation treatment, and produces cosmetic outcomes comparable to the current standard of daily radiation.

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When factoring in what is now known about breast cancer biology and heterogeneity, breast conserving therapy (BCT) may offer a greater survival benefit over mastectomy to women with early stage, hormone-receptor positive disease, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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Despite its acceptance as standard of care for early stage breast cancer almost 25 years ago, barriers still exist that preclude patients from receiving breast conserving therapy (BCT), with some still opting for a mastectomy, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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UCLA researchers were part of a team that has discovered the interplay of several genetic factors that may be involved in the development of early-onset ulcerative colitis, a severe type of inflammatory bowel disease. The early research findings in mice suggest possible new targets for prevention and treatment strategies to address the inflammation generated by early-onset ulcerative colitis. The rare disease affects infants and young children and can lead to early development of colon cancer and an increased risk of liver damage.

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Among women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in California, the percentage undergoing a double mastectomy increased substantially between 1998 and 2011, although this procedure was not associated with a lower risk of death than breast-conserving surgery plus radiation, according to a study in the September 3 issue of JAMA. The authors did find that surgery for the removal of one breast was associated with a higher risk of death than the other options examined in the study.

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New research findings from a study of 634 couples found that the more often they smoked marijuana, the less likely they were to engage in domestic violence.

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Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in American women, with about 22,000 diagnosed and 14,000 dying from the disease each year. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month and Mount Sinai experts are sharing tips on prevention.

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Feeling that conventional doctors did not take their suffering seriously, women instead sought out hormonal treatments for menopausal symptoms from anti-aging clinicians, according to a Case Western Reserve University study that investigated the appeal of anti-aging medicine.

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Heterosexual white women are twice as likely as racial or sexual minority women to obtain medical help to get pregnant, according to a recent study published by the American Psychological Association.

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Women with a vitamin D deficiency were nearly half as likely to conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF) as women who had sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

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Two Florida State University researchers have discovered that the sound of a ticking clock can affect reproductive timing attitudes and lead some women to want to start a family at an earlier age.

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In the wake of the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision, a new Commentary in the journal Women's Health Issues emphasizes the importance of making the most of the contraceptive coverage mandate under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Commentary focuses on challenges beyond employer objections that could slow privately insured women’s full use of contraceptive benefits, and offers suggestions for "making the most of first-dollar contraceptive coverage."

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It is now commonly accepted that there is a biological basis for sex differences in a number of common conditions. And there’s active research into why other conditions occur more frequently in women than men.

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During pregnancy, certain hormones trigger specialized mammary stem cells to create milk-producing cells essential to lactation. Scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center have found that mammary stem cells associated with the pregnant mammary gland are related to stem cells found in breast cancer.

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As the Food and Drug Administration mulls over whether to rein in the use of common antibacterial compounds that are causing growing concern among environmental health experts, scientists are reporting today that many pregnant women and their fetuses are being exposed to these substances. They will present their work at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.

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Nearly 40 percent of women who earn engineering degrees quit the profession or never enter the field, and for those who leave, poor workplace climates and mistreatment by managers and co-workers are common reasons, according to research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 122nd Annual Convention.

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According to a new commentary in JAMA Pediatrics, Social and Public Health Perspectives of Promotion of Breastfeeding, it’s important for pediatricians to balance their roles as social advocates with the need to provide the most accurate medical information when counseling women on the benefits of breastfeeding.

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Children and fetuses are the most at risk from neurological and biological damage that results from microwave radiation emitted by wireless devices, due to the higher rate of absorption of microwave radiation by children than by adults.

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If a research survey of African American professional women is any indication, attitudes may be changing towards participation in medical research. Mayo Clinic and The Links, Incorporated researchers teamed up to survey members of the international women’s organization, and found that a majority of African American women surveyed are willing to or have taken part in medical research. The results appear in the Journal of Women’s Health.

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Women over the age of 65 who have asthma, are also likely to have a range of other health-related issues which are barriers to them staying healthy. Among other things, this group of women tends to not make asthma a priority when caring for themselves, leading to other asthma-related issues.

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Harvard researchers find that a single bout of stress during pregnancy can affect allergy and asthma susceptibility in neonates. The article is published in AJP – Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology and was chosen one of this month’s APSselect articles which highlight the "best of the best" research published in APS Journals.

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NYU College of Nursing student researcher Lauren Gerchow, BSN, RN, MSN candidate, has sought to identify the factors that contribute to this problem by compiling a systematic review of qualitative studies that focused on food patterns in Latina women recently published in Nursing Research.

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Females, white non-Hispanic, and younger service members had the highest incidence rates of sunburn diagnoses among active component service members, according to a new health surveillance report released today.

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University of Washington bioengineers have discovered a potentially faster way to deliver a topical drug that protects women from contracting HIV. Their method spins the drug into silk-like fibers that quickly dissolve when in contact with moisture, releasing higher doses of the drug than possible with other topical materials.

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As most countries try to rid themselves of mercury pollution, some people are massaging creams containing the metal directly onto their skin to lighten it, putting themselves and others at risk for serious health problems. To find those most at risk, scientists are reporting today that they can now identify these creams and intervene much faster than before. They’re speaking at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.

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In creating an adhesive patterned after glue produced by the lowly underwater sandcastle worm, researchers are reporting today that they may have solved the problem of premature births that sometimes result from fetal surgery. It also could open up numerous opportunities to safely perform more complex fetal surgeries in the future. Their report will be presented at the 248th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society.

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People with a BRCA1 gene mutation are at much higher risk for breast cancer, but no treatments exist to specifically target this problem. Researchers will use structural biology tools to better understand this difficult-to-treat hereditary cancer.

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Hopkins Nursing Magazine Summer 2014 issue features the innovative HIV and Master's Entry into Nursing curricula, faculty publications, efforts on patient safety, community building, and plenty of color.

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The groundbreaking scientific studies featured at the 2014 AACC Annual Meeting & Clinical Lab Expo will include research on a blood test for Alzheimer’s that uses biochip technology, a new test to diagnose colon cancer early, a more accurate method for determining multiple myeloma prognosis, a less stressful test for sleep apnea, and the development of a bank of biospecimens from pregnant women that could prove crucial for women’s health research.

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Female triathletes are at risk for pelvic floor disorders, decreased energy, menstrual irregularities and abnormal bone density, according to researchers at Loyola University Health System (LUHS). These data were presented today at the American Urogynecologic Society 2014 Scientific Meeting in Washington, DC.

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A team from ASU and UC Irvine has discovered a key component to better understanding how traumatic memories may be strengthened in women. Their study's findings suggest that developing clinical treatments that could lower norepinephrine levels immediately following a traumatic event might offer a way to prevent this memory-enhancing mechanism from occurring.

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A new Mayo Clinic study, published online today by the journal Menopause, found an association between caffeine intake and more bothersome hot flashes and night sweats in postmenopausal women.