Consumers should avoid skin lighteners, “anti-aging” creams, and other cosmetics that may contain toxic levels of mercury, the FDA advised in an alert issued recently. Products that list “mercurous chloride,” “calomel,” “mercuric,” “mercurio,” or “mercury” among their ingredients — or that…
Eating more white rice may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, especially for Asian populations, Qi Sun, PhD, of Harvard and colleagues reported in the British Medical Journal. Patients who ate the greatest amounts of the grain had a 27%…
A cystitis caused by abuse of the club drug ketamine looks very much like interstitial cystitis according to a new study done in Taiwan. This drug is especially popular among young people in Asia, where the study urologists practice . Be…
Since 1932, the Northwestern Alumnae Association has honored alumni who have distinguished themselves as outstanding professional and personal achievers in their fields and who have loyally dedicated their time and service to their alma mater. This year’s award recipients have earned…
Medical errors can occur anywhere in the health care system: In hospitals, clinics, surgery centers, doctors’ offices, nursing homes, pharmacies, and patients’ homes. Errors can involve medicines, surgery, diagnosis, equipment, or lab reports. They can happen during even the most routine…
Just 38 percent of sexually active young women were screened for chlamydia in the previous year, according to the most recent nationally representative estimate conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC recommends annual screening for all sexually active…
Margaret Sanger
In 1916, Margaret Sanger opened the first birth control clinic, and is quoted as saying: “Women must have her freedom, the fundamental freedom of choosing whether or not she will be a mother and how many children she will…
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle from young adulthood into your 40s is strongly associated with low cardiovascular disease risk in middle age, according to a new Northwestern Medicine® study.
“The problem is few adults can maintain ideal cardiovascular health factors as they age,”…
Dietary supplements are a $28 billion dollar business in America. Thanks to 1994′s Hatch Act, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), pushed through Congress and released upon a then-unprotesting public by Utah’s Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), substances which may…
Women’s History Month is an important time of reflection and celebration for all Americans. We recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of women throughout history, and we celebrate the power of their vital contributions to science, medicine and women’s empowerment. Here are a…
Babies are not able to metabolize or excrete caffeine very well, so a breastfeeding mother’s consumption of caffeine may lead to caffeine accumulation and symptoms such as wakefulness and irritability, according to an interview with expert Ruth Lawrence, MD, published in…
High heel shoes can cause a number of foot problems, yet most women aren’t willing to give their shoes the boot, according to podiatrists at Loyola University Health System (LUHS). Ingrown toenails are among the most common problems that result from…
Menopausal hormone therapy doesn’t have to follow “the lowest dose for the shortest time” strategy for all women anymore, the North American Menopause Society said today. The group endorsed a flexible approach to duration that takes into account the type and…
BULLETIN: Our previous blog discussed this amendment. We’re delighted to report that Senate has voted 51-48 against an amendment by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) that would allow insurers to deny coverage of health services — such as birth control — if…
Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that over 20 million American women in private health insurance plans have already gained access to at least one free preventive service because of the health care law. Without financial…
Research has shown that sex (male vs female) as a variable contributes to differences in the safety and efficacy of drugs, biologics, and devices. Biologics include vaccines and plasma. Devices can range from drug eluting stents and pacemakers to implants and…
Grapefruit juice and fresh grapefruit can interfere with the action of some prescription drugs, as well as a few non-prescription drugs. Grapefruit juice can also be part of a healthful diet. It has vitamin C and potassium—substances your body needs…
As predicted, the debate about access to contraception in the U.S. has entered the political process with the counter attack focusing on freedom of religion. This blog will look at another side of the issue: cost. The cost of contraception is…
Older, postmenopausal women who take popular medications to control indigestion and heartburn called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may put themselves at higher risk for hip fractures according to new research by Dr. Hamed Khalili, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Long-term…
Body piercings have become increasingly popular among young people in the United States, especially in recent years. It is important that health professionals understand the problems that piercings can cause, according to a recent Northwestern Medicine paper, published in the February…
Whether enlisting the help of a grandmother or a friend or the magic of Cupid, singles long have understood that assistance may be required to meet that special someone. Today such help is likely to come from online methods of matchmaking.…
Last week, President Obama announced that he would continue to protect women’s access to birth control without co-pays or deductibles regardless of where they work, including at certain religiously-affiliated employers, while accommodating religious institutions’ opposition to contraception. Under a compromise announced…
Higher blood levels of cadmium in females, and higher blood levels of lead in males, delayed pregnancy in couples trying to become pregnant, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other academic research institutions.
Cigarette smoke…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has strengthened and expanded its recommendation for vaccinating boys and young men with the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, primarily to reduce the risk of anal cancer, penile…
As this blog predicted, both politics and religion have entered the women’s health arena and it may result in a reduction in hard-fought-for services and advances for women. Recently, the US Dept. of Health and Human Services modified the final ruling…
Researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that the quality of life (QOL) in younger breast cancer patients is seriously compromised and these women often suffer from severe psychological distress, infertility, premature menopause, a decrease in physical activity and weight…
Having diabetes may cause women to experience a greater degree of hearing loss as they age, especially if the metabolic disorder is not well controlled with medication, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. Women between the…
Studies have shown that language development varies between the sexes, with males generally gaining language skills at a slower rate. Prenatal testosterone is known to influence fetal neurodevelopment, and preliminary studies have suggested that the hormone is associated with language delay. …
You’ve heard it before, but it’s a cliché that has earned its place: breast cancer knows no boundaries. It affects all women – of all ethnicities, young or old, blue collar and professional. Cancer doesn’t care where you worship, who you…
Last weekend I noticed a billboard on the highway that read: Obesity is a disease, it is not a choice! Nice way to avoid responsibility–put the blame elsewhere. This billboard was promoting a weight loss program (not a bad idea,…
Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has voluntarily recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral®-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol)Tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets (generic) for customers in the U.S. market. An investigation by Pfizer found that some blister…
Experts recommend that older women have regular bone density tests to screen for osteoporosis. But it’s been unclear how often to repeat the tests. A study of nearly 5,000 women now reports that patients with healthy bone density on their first…
Teens who start smoking could smoke more over their lifetimes– which may be made shorter as a result. It’s a good reason to quit.
But teen smoking expert Dr.Yvonne Hunt of the National Institutes of Health says quit programs are often designed…
Drinking red wine in moderation may reduce one of the risk factors for breast cancer, providing a natural weapon to combat a major cause of death among U.S. women, new research from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center shows. The study, published online in…
A recent blog talked about the importance of support women in the STEM fields. A good example is the new partnership between our University and the U of Chicago:
Northwestern University and the University of Chicago have launched the Chicago Collaboration…
Bulletin: The US Dept. of Health and Human Services modified the final ruling that required new health insurance plans to cover contraceptive services without a copay or deductible by August 2012 based on comments received from the public. To quickly recap: …
National Science Foundation (NSF) —which is the leading source of Federal grants for many fields of basic research crucial to US technology development and job creation—is also calling upon universities and research institutes to adopt similar policies for their employees and…
Based on a new study of nearly 118,000 women, researchers estimated that nearly 500,000 pregnant women with gestational hypothyroidism may go undetected each year.
Asian women were almost five times more likely to test positive for gestational hypothyroidism than African-American women (19.3%…
Women typically find it harder to lose weight and inches than men. This, in part, is due to the fact that men have more lean muscle mass and a higher resting metabolic rate. Another issue that makes weigh loss challenging for…
Hillary Clinton changed the way Americans think about women in politics, and new Northwestern University research suggests that an affirmative action law in India is doing the same for Indian women. The research, published Jan. 12 in the journal Science, focused…
The Institute for Women’s Health Research at Northwestern University publishes a monthly e-newsletter on timely issues in women’s health. Our January 2012 edition focuses on scientific breakthroughs and public policies that we think could influence future research and the clinical care…
Older women who take statins may be at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, researchers found. In an analysis of data from the Women’s Health Initiative, postmenopausal women who were on a statin at study entry had almost a…
Reaction to henna
From morning until night—styling our hair for work to showering before bed—Americans depend upon personal care products. Most are safe, but some may cause problems, and that’s when FDA gets involved.
FDA collects information about consumers’ bad reactions to products…
Is it more effective to freeze your love handles, killing the fat cells between two super-cooled plates in a procedure known as cryolipolysis, or vacuum them away with liposuction? And which lasts longer, a surgical facelift or facial skin tightening via…
Despite some assumptions to the contrary, young women who receive recommended vaccinations to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and associated cancers do not engage in more sexually risky behavior. That is the cautious determination of a national study by The Centers…
Today, I walked by a filled meeting room and overheard someone say, ” I never open my paper mail any more.” It sounded like the group was discussing email banking and other electronic transactions. Though I still pay my bills by…
This time of year, the shorter days and lack of sunlight can cause some people to feel depressed. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, affects between 10 to 20 percent of Americans, primarily younger adults and women. Although the exact cause of…
Some people don’t take food poisoning very seriously. Maybe that’s because the symptoms usually are not long-lasting in most healthy people—a few hours or a few days—and usually go away without medical treatment. But foodborne illness can be severe, even life-threatening…
Women and men between the ages of 45 and 64 were more than twice as likely to have had knee replacement surgery in 2009 than in 1997, recent data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) show. The rates…
Eating fish at least once a week could help lower older patients’ risk of developing dementia, according to Cyrus Raji, MD, PhD, from the University of Pittsburgh and colleagues reported at the Nov. 2011 Radiological Society of North America meeting.
Those who…