The ancient Egyptians described breast cancer in papyrus writings as far back as 1600 B.C. Over the following centuries, many causes were suggested – from imbalances of bodily fluids to compression from tight clothing – and treatments ranged from cauterization to opium to arsenic. It was not until the 18th century that breast cancer came… Continue reading Breast Reconstruction Has Come a Long Way
Category: Women’s Health and Wellness
Women’s health + wellness refers to the treatment and diagnosis of conditions that can affect a woman’s physical and emotional well-being.
A Safer Version of Vaginal Mesh
Scientists from the University of Sheffield in the UK have developed a material that could be used as an alternative to the current vaginal mesh material, polypropylene. The use of these current meshes has led to severe complications for millions of women across the world. The research was published in the Journal of Neurology and… Continue reading A Safer Version of Vaginal Mesh
Cleaning Your House Is Comparable to Smoking When It Comes to Decreasing Your Lung Function
According to a February 2018 release from the American Thoracic Society, women who work as cleaners or regularly use cleaning sprays or other cleaning products at home appear to experience a greater decline in lung function over time than women who do not clean. The research was published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American… Continue reading Cleaning Your House Is Comparable to Smoking When It Comes to Decreasing Your Lung Function
Stroke Risk Factors Unique to Women Identified
Stroke disproportionately affects more women than men. It is the third leading cause of death in women in the United States, is a leading cause of disability and affects 55,000 more women than men each year. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and their colleagues are exploring the effects of potential risk factors that are… Continue reading Stroke Risk Factors Unique to Women Identified
Breast Reconstruction: Why Going Out-of-Network Might Work for You
A diagnosis of breast cancer turns a woman’s life upside down. Despite roiling emotions, she must make crucial decisions about treatment and figure out how to manage her life in the face of a new reality. Not least among her concerns are the financial ramifications of her illness, particularly if she will need a mastectomy.… Continue reading Breast Reconstruction: Why Going Out-of-Network Might Work for You
Rejuvenating Your Breasts: Is Restorative Surgery Right for You?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding take a toll on women’s breasts. So does extreme weight gain and loss, smoking, aging, and excessive sun exposure or eating a nutrient-poor, high-fat diet. Extreme fluctuations in breast size due to pregnancy and weight changes combined with the natural effects of gravity over time, however, are the primary culprits in causing… Continue reading Rejuvenating Your Breasts: Is Restorative Surgery Right for You?
Are Women Really Under-Represented in Clinical Trials?
Several studies have reported a lack of gender diversity in clinical trials, with trials including mostly adult males; however, a recent review of publicly available registration data of clinical trials at the US Food and Drug Administration for the most frequently prescribed drug classes found no evidence of any systemic significant under-representation of women. The… Continue reading Are Women Really Under-Represented in Clinical Trials?
Inadequate Regulation for Vaginal Mesh Products Has Exposed Women to Unnecessary Harms
Inadequate regulatory processes for vaginal mesh products used to treat stress incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse have exposed women to unnecessary harms, warn experts in an article published in The BMJ Open on December 7th 2017. A release from the publishrs notes that Professor Carl Heneghan at Oxford University’s Centre for Evidence Based Medicine and… Continue reading Inadequate Regulation for Vaginal Mesh Products Has Exposed Women to Unnecessary Harms
What Don’t We Know About Bladder Control?
Nearly 40 percent of older women and up to 35 percent of older men live with distressing urinary symptoms, including difficulty with bladder control and urinating (sometimes known as “voiding”), which often compromise quality of life and overall health. The lack of truly effective and safe therapies for these challenges stems from insufficient knowledge of… Continue reading What Don’t We Know About Bladder Control?
Tips for Success this National Women’s Health & Fitness Day
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 is National Women’s Health & Fitness Day. Held on the last Wednesday each September, the day serves as important reminder for women everywhere and of all ages to make their health and fitness a priority. Not only are they often setting the example for children on how to live a healthy… Continue reading Tips for Success this National Women’s Health & Fitness Day
Menopausal Hormone Therapy Not Associated with Mortality or Deaths from Cardiovascular Disease
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) hormone therapy trials tested the most common formulations of hormone therapy – estrogen and progestin, and estrogen alone – to assess the benefits and risks of menopausal hormone therapy taken for chronic disease prevention, by predominantly healthy postmenopausal women. Health outcomes have been previously reported but the earlier reports did… Continue reading Menopausal Hormone Therapy Not Associated with Mortality or Deaths from Cardiovascular Disease
Depression and Menopause
Experts from the London Women’s Centre tell you how to handle the depression that too often occurs with menopause: Women are particularly vulnerable during menopause, as they tend to experience huge hormonal changes, often significantly affecting moods. During menopause, women are four times more likely to suffer from depression than those under the age of… Continue reading Depression and Menopause
The Real Reason Why Female Fertility Decreases After Age 35. It’s Not What You Think.
Age is the single most important factor affecting a woman’s chances of getting pregnant and delivering a healthy child A woman’s chance of conceiving begins to wane at about age 32. For the next few years, the drop is very slight, but after age 35, the decline accelerates significantly. “The most common reason is reduced… Continue reading The Real Reason Why Female Fertility Decreases After Age 35. It’s Not What You Think.
Here’s How Doctors are Moving Beyond Traditional IVF
The first successful in-vitro fertilization (IVF) baby was born almost four decades ago. Since then, IVF has become the gold standard for women trying to conceive and deliver a healthy child. GROWING PRESSURE FOR LESS INVASIVE PROCEDURES However, there is growing pressure for less invasive procedures, lower treatment costs, and better outcomes. Some frustrated patients… Continue reading Here’s How Doctors are Moving Beyond Traditional IVF
Vaginal Atrophy: How to Reduce Vaginal Dryness after the Menopause
By Dr Demetri C Panayi and Dr Pandelis Athanasias of the London Women’s Centre Vaginal atrophy (also known as atrophic vaginitis or vulvo-vaginal atrophy) is a condition that affects many women, particularly following the menopause. When a woman experiences the joys of the menopause, she typically produces less oestrogen and this often results in vaginal atrophy,… Continue reading Vaginal Atrophy: How to Reduce Vaginal Dryness after the Menopause
Breast Cancer Survivors: You Don’t Have to Live with Unsatisfactory Implants
Among breast cancer patients who opt for breast reconstruction, 80% undergo implant-based breast reconstruction. Studies by implant manufacturers, however, show that within three years, three out of four breast reconstruction patients with implants will experience at least one complication, such as pain, infection, hardening, or the need for additional surgery. Many women live with chronic… Continue reading Breast Cancer Survivors: You Don’t Have to Live with Unsatisfactory Implants
UTI Probably Caused by Bacterial Infection, Even When Tests Are Negative
The majority of women suffering with pain when urinating, or needing to urinate often or urgently probably do have a bacterial infection, even when nothing is detected by standard urine testing. That is the finding of a study done at the University of Ghent in Belgium and published in April 2017 in Clinical Microbiology and… Continue reading UTI Probably Caused by Bacterial Infection, Even When Tests Are Negative
The Social Costs of Smell Loss in Older Women
A 2017 study of older U.S. adults conducted by researchers from the Monell Center in Philadelphia and collaborating institutions reports that a woman’s social life is associated with how well her sense of smell functions. The study found that older women who do less well on a smell identification task also tend to have fewer… Continue reading The Social Costs of Smell Loss in Older Women