Browse Category: Women's Health
Today, March 8, 2012 we join women across the country – and across the globe – in celebration International Women’s Day. Here at Insiders Health we have chosen three influential women to recognize. Each of these women, in her own way, has contributed to standing up for women’s rights: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Join us as we highlight the works of Jean Kilbourne, Somaly Mam and Betty Ford.
Imagine holding a prostate exam and only inviting women. As ridiculous as that sounds, with republican Darrell Issa making a mockery of everything this country stands for with his one-sided hearing about contraception, I think it makes more sense to look for prostates on women than trust our government to make an informed decision.
Thanks to the recent media storm, we’ve all caught at least wind of (at most, debris from) the debacle with the Susan G. Komen Foundation. In brief, the cancer fundraising organization was prepped to pull $700,000 in grants from Planned Parenthood, the controversial reproductive and sexual healthcare provider, despite a longstanding relationship between the factions. Susan G. Komen promotes breast cancer awareness; Planned Parenthood provides breast cancer screenings-- it was a practical union of resources.
As if the topic of abortion wasn’t already controversial enough, there’s some new research on the table regarding the touchy subject.
A new study now claims that abortion is actually safer than giving birth. That’s right – you read that right. Now, before you get all up in arms over that statement, let’s see what the experts are saying.
If you watch any news media at all, or have a Facebook or Twitter account, you may have heard about the recent battle between two of the biggest woman's health organizations: Planned Parenthood and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
And if you haven’t heard . . . well, it’s time to get up to speed on what’s been happening.
Having a stillborn baby is perhaps every soon-to-be new parent’s biggest fear – similar to the
fear of miscarriage early on in the pregnancy. But are there things you can do during your pregnancy to help prevent such a horrific tragedy?
Imagine this . . . you’re a young woman, perhaps one still in high school. You’re not an irresponsible girl, but something happened one night, out of your control.
Are you a nurse at a hospital, who finds yourself working the
night shift more often than not? Or maybe you work at a factory, where shifts run continually, 24/7. While you may enjoy your job, you may also be putting your health at risk.
A fierce battle is going on right now between doctors who say
annual mammograms should not continue, and breast cancer survivors who insist that having a routine annual mammogram allowed them to detect and treat their breast cancer before it was too late.
If you are a female reading this, there is an 80 percent chance that you will contract at least one strain of genital HPV by the time you reach 50 years old. Human papillomavirus, or HPV, can increase your risk of developing genital warts,
cervical cancer, anal cancer, head and neck cancer, vaginal cancer and more.
Women can contract yeast infections in several ways. It is very important to make sure that you have correctly identified the infection. Since there is at least one very serious condition that can be mistaken for a vaginal yeast infection that requires totally different treatment, identification is essential.
For many women, a salon visit is one of life's guilty pleasures. There's nothing like being pampered and fussed over to melt away the stress of a hectic week. However, some of the most commonly indulged
beauty treatments can cause some serious health risks, from infections to even cancer. Here's a list of four popular salon treatments with expert advice on how to avoid the dangers and stay beautifully healthy.
Do you think
memory changes are only for aging women? Not so, according to new research from UC Irvine. Younger women who use birth control pills experience changes in memory as well. The reasons for these changes are rather enlightening – and surprising.
Founded by cancer survivor Maimah Karmo, who was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the age of 32, the Tigerlily Foundation is dedicated to empowering and supporting young women with breast cancer through advocacy, education and hands-on services.
Pink or blue? Thanks to a new development in genetic testing, women can now begin preparing a “gender-appropriate” nest for their little girl or boy months earlier than the traditional twenty-week sonogram allows. The results of a study published in the
Journal of American Medical Association report that a controversial cell-free fetal DNA blood test can give 95% accuracy in predicting gender as early as seven week into pregnancy.
For women facing
menopause, the debate over the long-term
safety of estrogen therapy has often left them feeling confused and bewildered. However, a new study published in
Women’s Health Initiative may make the decision whether to take estrogen a little more cut and dry. The 12-year study involving 161,808 women from the ages 50 to 79 showed that estrogen hormone therapy is likely to increase rather than diminish the risk of stroke and other health problems.
It's no secret that the desire to live up to
society’s image (and especially Hollywood's image) of a glamorous, desirable, and sexy body has plunged many women into anorexic territory. Now, there is a growing trend that has a certain group of women–pregnant women, that is–going to Herculean efforts to gain as little weight as possible during the nine months of developing another human being.
When you were a kid, you most likely got asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” If you’re a woman, your answers may have skewed towards a traditionally “female” career path (nurse, teacher, cheerleader, etc.). However, you may have spouted off a more non-traditional answer, such as a doctor, lawyer, or even firefighter! Heck, I wanted to be a horse when I grew up . . . and yes, I get teased for that ALL the time.
Women trying to have a baby need to do more than pay attention to what they put on the inside of their body. According to one study, regular visits to the dentist and good oral hygiene are just as important as a healthy diet, watching your weight, and monitoring medications.
Former first lady Betty Ford was laid to rest on Tuesday, July 12. She was 93 at the time of her death. One thing is for certain, Mrs. Ford will be well remembered . . . not only for her fight for women's rights, but for her health-related issues as well.
