msnbc.com: Women's health
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Birth rate for teens, young women hits new lows
Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:31:12 GMT
The U.S. birth rate dropped for the third straight year, with declines for most ages and all races, according to a federal report released Thursday. Teens and women in their early 20s had the most dramatic dip.
Moms multitask way more than dads - and hate it
Thu, 1 Dec 2011 14:00:14 GMT
Working moms multitask far more than working dads and feel stressed out by it, while dads often enjoy it, a new study finds.
Group seeks ban on pelvic mesh implants
Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:38:08 GMT
Beginning or ending a marriage can take a toll on your waistline, a new study says. But exactly when you need to start loosening your belt may depend on your gender.
FDA takes aim at "unproven" HCG weight-loss brands
Tue, 6 Dec 2011 16:50:21 GMT
U.S. regulators have taken first steps to remove from the market over-the-counter products containing HCG hormone, saying the homeopathic formulations fraudulently claim to produce weight loss and may pose serious health risks.
Tiny tampon shortage spawns song and dance from J&J
Tue, 6 Dec 2011 19:27:45 GMT
Just in case you missed it, Johnson & Johnson would like to say they're sorry. Triple sorry, in fact, that their popular o.b. tampons have become so scarce the last couple of years, women have begun hoarding them like Elaine Benes conserving her precious Today sponges.
Why illness caused Venus Williams to quit U.S. open
Thu, 1 Sep 2011 16:11:49 GMT
New advice for pregnant women: If you're getting a C-section, special inflating boots strapped on your legs may lower the risk of a blood clot.
Birth control pill recall amid pregnancy fear
Wed, 1 Feb 2012 21:00:11 GMT
Pfizer said on Tuesday it was recalling about a million packets of birth control pills in the United States because they may not contain enough contraceptive to prevent pregnancy.
France to pay for removal of risky breast implants
Sat, 24 Dec 2011 00:25:04 GMT
France took a costly and unprecedented leap Friday in offering to pay for 30,000 women to have their breast implants removed because of mounting fears the products could rupture and leak cheap, industrial-grade silicone into the body.
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Tue, 19 Jul 2011 22:02:48 GMT
A woman's blood type may yield clues to her fertility, a new study suggests.
Mammograms don't save as many lives as women think
Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:10:35 GMT
Women who smoke may hit menopause about a year earlier than those who don't light up, according to a study that also notes an earlier menopause may influence the risk of getting bone and heart diseases.
Teen says blood clot after Yaz destroyed her life
Thu, 8 Dec 2011 20:19:01 GMT
Lynsey Lee hoped taking the birth control pill Yaz would relieve her severe menstrual cramping and pelvic pain. Instead, when she was 17 she developed a life-threatening blood clot, a risk the FDA is considering requiring be added to labels of newer contraceptives.
FDA warned French plant on breast implant safety
Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:20:45 GMT
As early as 2000, U.S. health authorities raised concerns about the French breast implant maker at the heart of a scandal affecting hundreds of thousands of women worldwide. But it wasn't until years later that the company came under scrutiny.
Blood type linked to earlier decline in fertility
Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:46:10 GMT
New government guidelines suggest that women who have recently given birth and are older than 34 or who had a C-section steer clear of certain types of oral contraceptives.
Sugary drinks hurt even skinny women's hearts
Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:08:23 GMT
Women who drink sugary beverages every day may raising their risk for heart disease, even if their habit is not packing on the pounds.
Plan B won't be sold OTC for young teens, U.S. rules
Wed, 7 Dec 2011 17:48:45 GMT
Plan B, the so-called "morning after pill," won't be made available over the counter, announced U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Wednesday.
Feds: Religious employers must cover the pill
Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:43:31 GMT
Many church-affiliated institutions will have to cover free birth control for employees, the Obama administration announced Friday in an election-year move that outraged religious groups, fueling a national debate about the reach of government.
Birth control pills recalled for packaging mixup
Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:39:51 GMT
Contrary to popular belief, intrauterine contraceptive devices might actually protect women against developing cervical cancer even though they don't stop the infection that commonly leads to the disease, according to the results of an international study.
Mammograms should start at 40, group says
Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:02:08 GMT
A controversial abortion method that lets a woman terminate a pregnancy via so-called "telemedicine" is just as effective and acceptable to patients as a face-to-face office visit, a new study finds.
Progesterone helps cut risk of pre-term birth
Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:49:49 GMT
Treatment with a gel containing the hormone progesterone can cut the risk of premature births by more than 40 percent in women with short cervixes, according to an analysis released on Wednesday.
Komen backs off decision on funding cuts
Fri, 3 Feb 2012 16:42:15 GMT
In an apparent reversal of Susan G. Komen For the Cure's funding cuts to Planned Parenthood, the founder and CEO of the nation's largest breast-cancer advocacy agency said Friday that the group would amend the criteria that sparked a firestorm.
FDA advisers urge closer scrutiny of pelvic mesh
Thu, 8 Sep 2011 23:01:22 GMT
Women gain weight after marriage, men after divorce
Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:09:52 GMT
Cesarean sections have jumped in Iraq in recent years â?? accounting for 79 percent of births at private hospitals â?? worrying health officials who say doctors are pushing women into unnecessary surgeries with potentially serious consequences in order to make more money.
Older moms told to avoid estrogen pill postpartum
Thu, 7 Jul 2011 21:09:25 GMT
It's not a phase: Rather than outgrowing eating disorders, new research shows that many women find the pressures of middle age trigger old anxieties and can rekindle a potentially life-threatening battle with the scale.
Abortions via 'telemedicine' safe, effective
Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:13:26 GMT
Millions of women may soon gain free access to a broad menu of birth control methods, thanks to a recommendation issued Tuesday by health experts advising the government.
Judge to hear cases on FDA block of morning-after pill
Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:07:26 GMT
A federal judge in New York City says he's willing to hear arguments over whether the Food and Drug Administration should have to allow the over-the-counter sale of emergency contraception to girls younger than 17.
Mastectomy and the single girl: A bucket list for boobs
Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:49:52 GMT
A drug that millions of pregnant women took decades ago to prevent miscarriage and complications has put their daughters at higher risk for breast cancer and other health problems that are showing up now, a new federal study finds.
Ob-gyn guidelines often based on opinion, weak data
Fri, 16 Sep 2011 22:46:02 GMT
Qualitest Pharmaceuticals is recalling multiple lots of birth-control pills because of a packaging error that could lead to incorrect dosing and unintended pregnancies.
Report: 1 in 5 women has been sexually assaulted
Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:52:57 GMT
One in 4 women say they were hit hard, kicked or otherwise violently attacked by their intimate partners, according to a government survey released Wednesday that offers startling findings about domestic violence.
Breast implant scandal shows officials in dark on risks
Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:54:53 GMT
Long before the latest global breast implant scare, American health officials were toying with the idea of building a registry that would track patients with implants. The registry would give a better idea of the number of complications over time, such as rupture or infection.
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Thu, 8 Sep 2011 23:01:22 GMT
Tennis star Venus Williams has announced she's dropping out of the U.S. Open because of an autoimmune disorder called Sjogren's syndrome.
Take BP pills at night to cut heart risk
Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:33:07 GMT
Women who carry the human papillomavirus (HPV) have an increased risk of heart disease, a new study finds. Women who tested positive for any of the 37 strains of the virus the researchers tested for were 2.3 times more likely to also have had a heart attack or stroke.
FDA favors more risk info on newer birth control pills
Tue, 6 Dec 2011 17:06:55 GMT
U.S. government health regulators are leaning toward adding new information about the risk of blood clots to the labels of widely prescribed birth control pills such as Yaz, in light of growing evidence suggesting the newer contraceptive drugs may be riskier than older drugs.
Estrogen helps nighttime hot flashes, not sleep
Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:40:34 GMT
Women who wake up at least three times during the night from bothersome hot flashes wake up less when they take estrogen, but the quality of their sleep remains the same, according to a new study.
Insurers to cover birth control with no copays
Mon, 1 Aug 2011 18:34:24 GMT
When it comes to preventing recurrent bladder infections, cranberry capsules do not work as well as daily antibiotics, a new study shows. But the supplements do have a real upside: they are less likely to have side effects and to spark the growth of antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.
Newer birth control drugs get FDA review
Mon, 5 Dec 2011 18:44:01 GMT
Birth control drugs that were heavily promoted as having fewer side effects and the ability to clear up acne and other hormonal bothers are under new scrutiny from safety regulators.
Antibiotics better than cranberries for bladder infections
Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:45:53 GMT
Most girls at age 8 aren't worried about having children of their own. But that may be the perfect time to protect them against future infertility problems, a new study concludes.
Newer birth control drugs tied to blood clot risk
Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:48:50 GMT
Federal health regulators say several new birth control drugs, including the Bayer pill Yaz, appear to increase the risk of dangerous blood clots more than older medications.
Pregnancy drug raised daughters' cancer odds
Wed, 5 Oct 2011 21:53:27 GMT
Hormonal contraception may make it easier for HIV to spread between heterosexual sex partners, according to a new study conducted in Africa.
Need a C-section? Protection from blood clot urged
Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:49:22 GMT
Some hospitals dotting the Eastern seaboard reported sharp upticks in hurricane births over the wild weekend, giving new life to an old rumor about a drop in barometric pressure sending women into labor.
HPV may raise women's risk of heart disease
Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:32:09 GMT
Many women who have survived breast cancer often say it was a mammogram that "saved their life," a powerful testimonial that can encourage other women to get regular breast cancer screening tests.
US panel: Cover birth control for free
Tue, 19 Jul 2011 22:02:48 GMT
Under fire, Komen CEO denies politics in Planned Parenthood cuts
Thu, 2 Feb 2012 19:11:24 GMT
Nancy G. Brinker rejected accusations that the organization caved to political pressure in cutting ties to Planned Parenthood. She spoke to NBC's Andrea Mitchell.
France arrests breast implant boss amid scare
Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:30:29 GMT
The former head of a French company at the center of a breast implant scandal affecting tens of thousands of women worldwide has been arrested in southeast France.
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Thu, 2 Feb 2012 19:11:24 GMT
NYT: Komen funding fracas far from over
Sat, 4 Feb 2012 16:59:03 GMT
When the nationâ??s pre-eminent breast cancer advocacy group, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, decided to stop most of its financing of Planned Parenthood in December, Komenâ??s leaders hoped to quietly distance the foundation from a politically controversial organization that they feared was costing them support and donations, a board member said.
Working moms are healthier, happier
Mon, 12 Dec 2011 19:20:53 GMT
Mothers who have jobs are healthier and less depressed than those who are not employed, at least when their children are very young, a new study finds.
IUDs cut cervical cancer risk in half, study finds
Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:34:33 GMT
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration say trouble-prone medical products widely used to surgically repair women's pelvic problems need stringent testing for safety and effectiveness.
Study back HPV testing for all women over 30
Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:01:56 GMT
New DNA tests looking for the virus responsible for most cases of cervical cancer make sense for all women aged 30 or over, since they can prevent more cases of cancer than smear tests alone, Dutch researchers said on Thursday.
Why women report worse health than men
Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:51:29 GMT
When asked to rate their own health, women, on average, consistently report being in worse health than men do, and a new study from researchers in Spain says this is because women have a higher rate of chronic diseases.
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Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:08:23 GMT
Bite for bite, women diners copy each other
Wed, 1 Feb 2012 23:42:11 GMT
By Allison BeckerMyHealthNewsDailyWomen who dine together tend to eat at the same pace, according to a new study. The researchers say they now want to find out whether the same applies to men.
8 in 10 private hospital births in Iraq are C-sections
Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:16:34 GMT
Beginning next month, many pregnant women in Oregon will no longer be able to have that early delivery they may want. On Sept. 1, Oregon will become the latest state where some hospitals are refusing to do elective, non-medically necessary inductions and cesarean sections before 39 weeks of pregnancy.
Hormonal contraception ups HIV risk in women
Mon, 3 Oct 2011 23:50:17 GMT
Solid evidence is often missing from the practice guidelines used by obstetrician-gynecologists across the U.S., a new study shows.
Report: We control many breast cancer risk factors
Wed, 7 Dec 2011 19:50:19 GMT
Women concerned about breast cancer should worry less about cellphones and hair dyes and worry more about weighing or drinking too much, exercising too little, using menopause hormones and getting too much radiation from medical tests, according to a new report.
Birth control focus may turn women off the Pill
Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:03:17 GMT
A ruling last week on the morning-after pill, as well as government recommendations on new forms of birth control, could have long-lasting effects on women's perceptions of its safety, health experts say.
Hospitals take 'hard stop' on early elective C-sections
Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:20:18 GMT
The U.S. health department on Monday issued a plan to provide women with free preventive health services, including birth control, under the nation's healthcare overhaul, but gave religious institutions the flexibility to opt out.
Hurricane Irene spawns baby boom
Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:51:27 GMT
A consumer advocacy group is calling on government regulators to ban a type of surgical mesh used to treat pelvic collapse, saying it exposes patients to serious risks.
Planned Parenthood sees big spike in donations
Thu, 2 Feb 2012 00:16:01 GMT
Planned Parenthood said Wednesday that it received more than $400,000 from 6,000 donors in the 24 hours after news broke that its affiliates would be losing grants for breast screenings from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer foundation.
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Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:01:56 GMT
Smokers hit menopause younger, study finds
Mon, 17 Oct 2011 02:29:06 GMT
Most people rage at the universe when they're diagnosed with breast cancer. Me? I scheduled a pin-up shoot. While my family focused on saving my life, to me, it was all about my boobs. I liked them, and, as a single woman, I felt they still came in handy.
What to do if you take recalled birth control pills
Thu, 2 Feb 2012 17:47:41 GMT
If youâ??ve been taking the birth control pills that were recalled Wednesday, there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself against an unwanted pregnancy.
Mediterranean-ish diet tied to better heart health
Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:24:54 GMT
A small switch in your daily schedule could significantly cut your risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study finds.
Diabetes drug at 8 could shield girls from infertility
Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:44:44 GMT
Doctors should offer all women in their 40s the chance to get annual screening for breast cancer, according to new guidelines from an organization of womenâ??s health professionals.
Eating disorders stalk women into adulthood
Wed, 6 Jul 2011 16:43:24 GMT
Brazilian Blowout to get new warning label
Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:51:20 GMT
The maker of a popular line of hair-straightening products has agreed to alert consumers that two of its formulations emit formaldehyde gas, a possible carcinogen, California's attorney general announced.
Pelvic exams often unnecessary, study says
Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:52:33 GMT
Many doctors give women pelvic exams when they're not called for by guidelines, such as before prescribing for birth control pills, a U.S. study said.
Correction: Obit-Evelyn Lauder story
Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:42:18 GMT
In a story Nov. 11 about the death of Evelyn Lauder, The Associated Press erroneously reported the annual sales for Estee Lauder Cos. For the fiscal year 2011, the company had net sales of $8.81 billion. The $2.48 billion referenced in the story was the reported net sales for the first quarter of the current fiscal year.
Komen's Karen Handel quits after funding dispute
Tue, 7 Feb 2012 21:26:47 GMT
Karen Handel, an executive with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity has resigned after a dispute over funding for Planned Parenthood.
