Women's health refers to health issues specific to human female anatomy such as female genitalia and breasts or to conditions caused by hormones specific to, or most notable in women. Women's health issues include menstruation, contraception, pregnancy, maternal health, child birth, menopause and breast cancer. They can also include medical situations in which women face problems not directly related to their biology, for example gender-differentiated access to medical treatment.
What is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease?
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a medical term used to describe an infection that affects reproductive organs. The condition can be diagnosed independently or as a symptom of STDs.
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What is a Pap Smear?
A Pap smear or Pap test is a routine test performed once or twice a year on women during their yearly gynecological check-up.
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Top Tips for Balancing Hormones
Find out 10 simple ways to balance your hormones!
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Adverse Effects of Vinpocetine
Have you heard of vinpocetine? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially issued a statement warning consumers, especially women of childbearing age, of this harmful ingredient.
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Being Born Premature Can Affect Your Love Life, Says Study
Being born prematurely can affect your love life, specifically your partner and sexual relationships. The analysis, which looked at research involving up to 4.4 million participants, found that adults who were born preterm or with low birth weight were less likely to find love or become parents.
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Obesity, Overweight, Infertility, and Pregnancy
The current obesity epidemic isn’t just limited to the United States; many developed countries are showing similar trends as their diets and lifestyles become more like life in the U.S.
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Women's Health Guide: Topics A-Z
This women's health guide covers just about everything affecting the health of women: mentally, emotionally, and physically.
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Lichen Sclerosus And Pregnancy
Lichen sclerosus involves the vulva (the external part of the female genitalia) or the perianal area, around your anus. In rare instances, it can also appear on the clitoris or labial folds. Lesions may also appear on your back, chest, neck, armpits, forearms, collarbones, breasts and legs. ... read more »
Improving menstrual cramps or dysmenorrhea with Ginger
The pain of menstrual cramps can be improved with Ginger:
https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article-lookup/doi/10.1111/pme.12853
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Your Menstrual Period And Bleeding Is A Window To Your Health
You may think the only thing your period can tell you is whether or not you're pregnant—or if need to take pain medication because your menstrual cramps hurt. But your menstrual cycle can actually clue you in to other health issues, too. ... read more »
Halakhah - Jewish Law and Women's Health
The word "halakhah" (aka halacha, halakha, halachah or halochois) is usually translated as "Jewish Law". A more literal (and more appropriate) translation might be "the path that one walks." The word is derived from the Hebrew root Hei-Lamed-Kaf, meaning to go, to walk or to travel. ... read more »
Autoimmune Diseases in Women
An autoimmune disease is a disease characterized by antibodies, proteins created by a person against their own immune system.
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Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTD)
Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a group of rare tumors that occur in pregnancy. GTD involves abnormal growth of cells inside a woman's uterus and usually starts in the tissue that would normally become the placenta, in the layer of cells called the trophoblast that normally surrounds an embryo. ... read more »
Hydatidiform Mole (H.Mole or HM)
An Hydatidiform mole (H.mole or HM) is a type of gestational trophoblastic disease which involves the abnormal growth of cells inside a woman's uterus and usually starts in the tissue that would normally become the placenta, An HM is made up of villi, placental parts that have become swollen with fluid. The swollen villi grow in clusters that look like bunches of grapes ... read more »
Hymen and Hymenectomy
A hymenectomy is a minor surgical procedure. A hymenectomy is usually indicated when there is a hymen that is complete and which has no opening
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Speculum Examination
A speculum is a device used to look inside the vagina and check the cervix and do a Pap Papanicolaou smear. There are a number of shapes and sizes of speculums they may use.
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Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines
In March 2012 new recommendations for cervical cancer screening have been released by two separate groups: the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and a multidisciplinary partnership among the American Cancer Society/American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology/American Society for Clinical Pathology (ACS/ASCCP/ASCP).
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Adenomyosis
Adenomyosis is a condition in which the tissue lining the uterus, the endometrium, grows through the myometrium (the wall of the uterus).
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What Every Woman Needs to Know About Heart Disease
Heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States, accounts for the death of one out of every four women.
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Thick Creamy White Discharge, or Milky White Vaginal Discharge
A thick creamy milky white vaginal discharge is normal and could be the first pregnancy sign and symptom.
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What Is Osteoporosis?
There are some health conditions for which women specifically tend tounfortunately be predisposed to. One such condition is osteoporosis, and if you don't know much about it then you need to learn and beproactive.
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Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD)
Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD) is a condition that causes
feelings of intense genital arousal in females. The condition may or may
not cause genital engorgement and orgasm.
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Does Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Change at Menopause?
Researchers are looking at how male hormone levels change as women with PCOS grow older.
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How are Fibroids Treated?
After being diagnosed with fibroids or uterine fibroids, treatment is
discussed with the patient. There is a long list of treatment options,
with a specific treatment plan individualized including one or more
treatments for each patient.
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How Do I Know I Have Fibroids?
By the age of 50, about 50% of women will have suffered from fibroids;many of whom would never have known the fibroids existed if it weren'tfor advanced diagnostic techniques.
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What are the Risk Factors for Fibroids?
Fibroids development occurs when cells, genetically different from
other uterine cells, multiply to create a mass. The mass can develop
within the uterine wall, in the uterine cavity or on the outside wall of
the uterus.
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What You Need to Know About Yeast Infections
Yeast is a type of fungus that lives in our bodies and thrives in warm, moist environments. Normally, yeast doesn't bother us, but in certain conditions, it can multiply and cause infection.
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Laparoscopy - What is it?
A laparoscopy is a surgical procedure in which a telescope is inserted into the abdomen, usually in the area around the belly button, in order to examine the abdominal and/or pelvic organs.
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What are Uterine Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids, are growths that originate in or on the uterus, specifically the smooth muscle of the uterus or myometrium. Fibroids typically develop during child-bearing years.
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Vaginal Atrophy
Vaginal atrophy is a condition in which the vagina experiences effects due to hormonal changes which cause thinning, drying and inflammation of the walls of the vagina.
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Cosmetic Procedures
Many people enjoy the results of cosmetic procedures to enhance the body and improve physical appearance even when no injury or illness prompts it.
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Types of Hysterectomy
As with many surgeries, there are varying types of hysterectomies depending on the reason it is being performed.
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Vaginismus
Vaginismus is an involuntary condition in which the muscles of pelvic floor tighten when intercourse is attempted.
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Birth Control for Cancer Prevention
The risk of developing certain forms of cancer can be decreased by using hormonal birth control.
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Toxic Shock Syndrome
While uncommon, toxic shock syndrome is a life-threatening condition caused by bacteria such as staphylococcus aureus and group A streptococcus (streptococcus pyogenes).
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Multiple Sclerosis
MS is an autoimmune disease, causing the immune system to attack one’s own healthy body tissue just as the immune system does when it works to destroy foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
Cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a form of joint degeneration related to autoimmune function, have gone up in women in recent years, affecting 9.8 per 1,000 American women in 2005.
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Stroke
Many people survive a stroke, with varying degrees of recovery, but brain damage is often permanent. Data indicates one in five women (20%) will have a stroke during her lifetime.
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Lung Cancer
Exposure to cigarette smoke causes as many as 443,000 deaths in the United States each year; an additional 49,000 lung-cancer deaths are caused by secondhand exposure.
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Sexual Dysfunction
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders defines sexual dysfunction as sexual difficulties that last six months or longer, causing extreme distress and strained relationships.
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What are the Causes and Symptoms of Fibroids?
Uterine fibroids are common among women during reproductive years. Many
women have fibroids, but location, growth pattern and size determine
whether or not symptoms develop.
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Vulvodynia
Vulvodynia is a condition causing chronic pain of the vulva without an known or identifiable cause with varying symptoms among women.
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BRCA Mutation
BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are not gender specific and can affect both men and women. A genetic counselor can discuss with you your individual risks and recommend certain methods of genetic testing.
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Fibromyalgia
The pain of FM is often described as an aching or throbbing pain deep in the muscles. Sometimes the pain is said to be an intense burning sensation or a stabbing or shooting pain.
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Post-Menopausal Bleeding
With the most common cause of postmenopausal bleeding being vaginal or endometrial atrophy, there is always a concern of the presence of endometrial cancer, as 10% of women with PMB have the disease.
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What is Colposcopy and Why is it Used?
A colposcopy procedure is performed by your healthcare provider as a tool to evaluate your cervix, vagina and/or vulva for abnormal findings.
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Alzheimer's Disease
The Alzheimer’s Association estimates as many as 5.2 million Americans 65 or older have the disease in 2014. Half a million Americans die from the disease each year.
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What is a Cold Knife Cone Biopsy Procedure?
A cone biopsy is used to remove abnormal cervical tissue for evaluation and treatment of certain conditions.
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Pelvic Inflammatory Disease - PID
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates that
more than 750,000 women suffer from pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
PID affects reproductive organs, including the fallopian tubes and
uterus as a result of bacterial infection.
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Estrogen
Estrogen, the hormone most closely associated with women, actually represents several specialized female hormones that play various roles at various stages throughout a woman’s life.
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