I ran across this very powerful article written by Liza Long for Gawker. Liza is a mother. A mother dealing with a child’s mental health issues, like many women in this country.
Although I have avoided most coverage of the tragedy in Connecticut, I have…
When female childhood cancer survivors grow up, are they more likely to experience an earlier onset of menopause? If so, what are the risk factors associated with early menopause? These were the questions asked by researchers at the French public hospital…
‘Tis the season for reindeer watching as children listen for Santa and his sleigh bells, but beware! A study from Sweden reports that reindeer may be carrying the larvae of a bumble-like fly called Hypoderma tarandi. Its eggs laid in the hair…
On November 28, the United Nations’ (U.N.) human rights committee approved a resolution calling for a ban of female genital mutilation (FGM) throughout the world. The human rights committee condemned the practice as “a harmful and serious threat to the psychological,…
The recent tragedy at the elementary school in Connecticut is beyond horrible and our hearts reach out to the families who lost their innocent children and friends. Though I am not a supporter of guns and would never own one, I…
The relative risks of thrombotic stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) are higher among users of hormonal contraception, although absolute risks remain low, a Danish study conducted at Copenhagen University showed.
Use of oral contraceptives combining low-to-moderate doses of ethinyl estradiol and various…
On Monday, former Secretary of State and retired Gen. Colin Powell and dozens of other military leaders urged Congress to support abortion coverage for servicewomen in cases of rape and incest, ABC News’ “The Note” reports.
The Senate last week unanimously passed…
Several health experts are proposing to make the birth control pill available in the U.S. without a prescription (as they are in many parts of the world). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) released a statement calling for oral…
The Women’s Health Research Institute just published its December on-line monthly newsletter. It discusses drug safety, bioidentical hormones, generics and online pharmacies. To read, click HERE and scroll down to “Using Medicine Wisely”.
Mesothelioma is typically regarded as a men’s cancer. The primary cause – occupational asbestos exposure – was the biggest threat in male-dominated industries, such as mining, construction and factory work. During the early and mid-20th century, when asbestos was most heavily…
Yesterday, I heard some very insightful tips about leadership and women. Anne Pramaggiore, President and CEO of ComEd, a leading utility company in Illinois, was the speaker and shared some of her keys to success. She began by suggesting it’s not…
A 9-year-old girl from Western Scotland named Martha ‘Veg’ Payne started a blog called NeverSeconds that caught the attention of Scotland’s politicians. Her blog documented her public primary school’s lunches, chronicling the low points and the high points. Because she was…
In a breakthrough for nanotechnology and multiple sclerosis, a biodegradable nanoparticle turns out to be the perfect vehicle to stealthily deliver an antigen that tricks the immune system into stopping its attack on myelin and halt a model of relapsing remitting…
The re-election of President Obama ensured that the Affordable Care Act will move forward in 2013. In the coming months and years American’s will see a series of sweeping changes that begin with state-level action for health care reform, impacting millions…
As many as 129 million–or 1 in 2–non-elderly Americans have some type of pre-existing health condition, ranging from a life-threatening illness like cancer to chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or asthma. In most states, these individuals can be denied individual…
Remember the telephone game where people take turns whispering a message into the ear of the next person in line? By the time the last person speaks it out loud, the message has radically changed. It’s been altered with each retelling.
Turns…
Last week the epic movie Lincoln was released in the United States. My husband, a historian and huge fan of Doris Kearns Goodwin whose book Team of Rivals contributed greatly to the screenplay of the movie, went to see it…
Men may not have ovaries, but that doesn’t mean they can’t develop some of the features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). That’s one of the reasons Andrea Dunaif, MD, Charles F. Kettering Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism, would like to change…
Regular mammography screening can help narrow the breast cancer gap between black and white women.
Earlier studies have shown that black women in Chicago are more than twice as likely to die of breast cancer compared to white women. Black women with…
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has cleared two major hurdles in the recent past: the Supreme Court ruling on constitutionality and the reelection of President Obama. However, there is a very good chance that the Supreme Court has not…
Carol Marin Accepting Voice for Women Award
Yesterday, at their Fifth Anniversary event, the Women’s Health Research Institute selected Chicago reporter Carol Marin to receive their first-ever Voice for Women Award. “If you look back at her history, she has been a…
Heavy drinking during pregnancy disrupts proper brain development in children and adolescents years after they were exposed to alcohol in the womb, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health. The study is the first to track children…
Women who exercise regularly spend as much time sitting as women who don’t, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study. Emerging research shows that prolonged sitting has significant health consequences that even being a dedicated exerciser doesn’t prevent women from spending…
Yesterday morning we awoke to a political landscape that seems jarred by the process of democracy, but ready to move forward as a nation. Three issues defined the outcome: the percent of women who chose democratic principles; the resounding losses by…
While the country struggles to provide affordable, quality health care to all Americans, a primary focus has been on women and children. However, one group of care providers is rarely discussed by health policymakers despite their significant contributions to health care:…
Ninety seven percent of online pharmacies don’t follow U.S. pharmacy laws. If you buy from one of these online pharmacies, you run a high risk of receiving counterfeit or substandard drugs. You also put your personal and financial information at risk.
Beware…
Conditions that affect the brain can be more complicated in women compared to men, partly because of hormones and reproductive issues. Did you know:
Twenty percent of women have migraines
Primary care doctors often ignore sleep disorders in women
Epilepsy and its treatment can…
A team of Northwestern University scientists including a member of our Institute team met October 18, with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)in Washington, D.C., to advocate for important changes in the agency’s guidelines for reproductive health research.
“The problem is current research assessing…
The breast cancer rate in the UK per 100,000 women in 2010 was practically double the rate in 1971. A number of UK scientists attribute this dramatic rise in the rates to the routine exposure to toxic chemicals, which are…
Oral medication for treating a type of incontinence in women is roughly as effective as Botox injections to the bladder, reported researchers who conducted a National Institutes of Health clinical trials network study, with each form of treatment having benefits and…
A recent study reported that girls who were sexually abused often avoid cervical cancer screenings as adults. Not surprising, most of the girls who completed the study survey avoid the screening test not just because of embarrassment of being abused, but…
Our success as researchers is measured by our ability to translate our findings, according to the often-used phrase, from bench to bedside. In other words, if we can apply our basic science findings to clinical care, we have the ability to…
Study Explores Psychosocial Implications Related to Relationships, Marriage and Childbearing
Young women who learn they have BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations feel differently about options for relationships, treatment, childbearing and careers. Women who inherit a BRCA1 mutation have a significantly increased risk…
Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) affects approximately 30- 50 percent of all women between the ages of 49 and 80. It’s a condition that usually occurs in women as they approach and move through menopause. Women who have given birth are more…
Moderate to intense exercise and maintaining a healthy weight has been linked to a lower risk of breast cancer found a study conducted by the University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health and published in the journal Cancer.…
The rising rates of diabetes during pregnancy was explored in a new study reported at a recent Obesity Society meeting. Kelly Hunt, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina reported that the estimated rate of diabetes during pregnancy (combining gestational a pre-pregnancy…
For women, it has been a long struggle to reach the executive suite. Research by Assistant Professor David Matsa shows that once women make it to the top, they pave the way for those who come later.
“Women who sit at the boardroom…
On Monday, The Scientist printed a valuable article linking to a TED video and a new book entitled Living Color by Nina Jablonski. The video and book delve into the importance of skin color and types for health and social well-being.
To…
The following is written verbatim from the the Lesbian Community Cancer Project: Within the last decade, the relationship between mental health and sexual orientation has been researched more comprehensively. Studies have found that women who engage in same-sex sexual behavior and/or…
The 2012 election cycle has seen unprecedented coverage (and often misinformation) on women’s reproductive health care due to the Affordable Care Act’s immediate impact and nonstop campaign gaffes related to women’s health.
Last Thursday, the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) launched a…
Did you know that female whales have the longest menopause of any non-human species? It appears that it may be a way to protect male killer whales who need Mom’s protection to survive.
In a study published in the journal Science, researchers…
Have you ever wanted to know more about where your tax dollars are going when they are allocated to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or what particular women’s health research is being carried out by the federal agency? Enter, the…
In the US, older women rely on the Medicare program disproportionality and significantly more than men. Not only do women make up more than half of the Medicare beneficiaries, we comprise about 70 percent of the oldest (over 85 years old)…
Acupuncture provides more relief from various types of chronic pain than does usual care and should be considered a valid therapeutic option, according to Andrew J. Vickers, DPhil of Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC and colleagues who conducted a meta-analysis of…
In the past, researchers excluded women from many studies and applied information based only on male participants to the experience of both men and women. Researchers did not design research to specifically investigate the differences between males and females because many…
This week a public meeting will be held in Chicago to determine which Essential Health Benefits (EHB) Illinois will cover in future health insurance plans. The Affordable Care Act has tasked each state with creating a set of EHB, which are…
Oncofertility is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of oncology and reproductive medicine that expands fertility options for young cancer survivors. Experts in this field identify which cancer treatments are likely to damage later reproductive ability for men, women, and children and…
New research shows that women with Alzheimer’s disease show worse mental deterioration than men, even when at the same stage of the the disease.
According to researchers at the University of Hertfordshire, men with Alzheimer’s consistently performed better than women across the…
According to a new study, vitamin D supplements may not reduce heart risks in older women as previously suggested. At total of 305 healthy postmenopausal women aged 60-70 yr were recruited and received a daily capsule of 400 or 1000 IU…
An analysis among more than 40,000 postmenopausal women who were in the California Teachers Study was carried out to determine if there were differences in risk of breast cancer among women consuming alcohol according to their previous or current use of…
A growing number of U.S. women may be opting for intrauterine devices (IUDs) as their birth control method, a national survey finds. That’s good news, researchers say, since IUDs and contraceptive implants are the most effective forms of reversible birth control.
In…
Each year the Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Women’s Law Center release a Women’s Access To Care: State By State Analysis. This report highlights many of the key issues pertaining to women’s health and health policy. Given the vast amount…
The Institute for Women’s Health Research blog was recently recognized for its excellence in editorial content to the health student world by KwikMed, one of two fully licensed online pharmacies in the USA. A panel of judges reviewed hundreds of different…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends pre-teens ages 11 to 12 to get the following vaccines: one dose of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine, two doses of meningococcal conjugate vaccine, three doses of human papillomavirus vaccine and a yearly…
Although only 3/4 ‘s through 2012, this year has already seen a remarkable number of political men make public assumptions, gaffes and decisions surrounding women’s health that are, politely speaking, just embarrassing.
Granted, not all gaffes and misinformation have been as bad…
For years we criticized heart researchers for not including women in the early studies that recommended aspirin to prevent heart disease. We asked: How can you recommend aspirin in women when all the studies took place in males! In 2007, after…
The U.S. can learn from Mexico’s recent efforts at health reform, especially as it relates to transferring care from specialists back to primary care physicians, researchers said.
Mexico created its national health insurance program, called the Seguro Popular in 2003, and achieved…
Those with chronic or acute injury may not be confined to rehabilitation. Massage therapy may be beneficial as well for those suffering from chronic or acute injuries. Benefits include decreased pain and anxiety, increased endorphins, decreased insomnia, less muscle spasms, decreased…
A clear majority of MedPage Today readers do not want hospitals to lock up infant formula as a way to encourage new moms to breastfeed.
The 1,600-plus vote tally was 72% against and 28% for hospitals keeping infant formula out of sight.…
According to a recent study, exercising or practicing meditation may be effective in reducing acute respiratory infections. Acute respiratory infections, which are caused by influenza and other viruses, are very common illnesses and account for millions of doctor visits and lost…