https://medicalxpress.com/womens-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Women's Health Children born to mothers who used buprenorphine for opioid addiction during pregnancy do not have a greater risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD and autism, compared with children whose mothers took methadone, finds a large US study published by The BMJ. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-buprenorphine-safe-treatment-opioid-addiction.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:30:07 EDT news695466902 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing a petition to revoke the approval of Roche's top-selling drug ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) for treating primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS)—a form of MS thought to affect around 15% of patients. The petition alleges that the drug was approved despite internal concerns about a lack of effectiveness in women and a potential increased risk of breast cancer. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-women-primary-ms-bestselling-drug.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:30:02 EDT news695468221 Our industrialized, modern lifestyles may be increasing how much estrogen (the female sex hormone) gets recycled in our bodies, according to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. And it appears to be down to the increased abundance and diversity of specific bacteria in our gut. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-modern-lifestyles-affecting-bodies-recycle.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:40:01 EDT news695384340 Preeclampsia is a life-threatening pregnancy complication that affects roughly 1 in 10 pregnancies worldwide and, in the United States alone, around 5%–8% of pregnancies. The condition can lead to severe, long-term health consequences for mothers and their babies. Despite its prevalence, though, the underlying cause has remained largely unknown. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-root-preeclampsia.html Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:40:01 EDT news695376782 Scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, along with collaborators at UC San Francisco, have discovered that APOE4, the most common genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, causes bone quality deficits specifically in female mice, through a mechanism that is invisible to standard imaging and can emerge as early as midlife. The findings, published in Advanced Science, reveal an unexpected biological link between Alzheimer's risk and skeletal health, and identify a new molecular pathway that could one day inform earlier diagnosis of cognitive decline or guide treatment for bone quality loss in women who carry the APOE4 gene. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-apoe4-alzheimer-gene-silently-undermines.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:20:02 EDT news695318042 Just a fraction of prescriptions for the abortion pill mifepristone were filled at brick-and-mortar retail pharmacies after federal drug regulators lifted longstanding dispensing limits, according to a new USC study in JAMA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in January 2023 permanently removed rules requiring patients to obtain mifepristone—the first of two drugs used in medication abortion—in person at a clinic or hospital. That change meant in-store and mail-order pharmacies could provide the drug when it was prescribed by a certified provider, a shift expected to broaden access nationwide. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-fda-retail-pharmacies-mifepristone.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:00:17 EDT news695042382 Statistics show clear differences in the population's immune system according to sex: men are more susceptible to infections and cancers, while women have stronger immune responses, which translate, for example, into better responses to vaccines. Even so, with a more reactive immune system, the probability of the body attacking itself also increases, causing 80% of autoimmune disease development to occur in women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-women-immune-bigger-age-men.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:20:04 EDT news695038681 By using AI to analyze more than 400,000 Reddit posts, Penn researchers have identified patient-reported symptoms associated with GLP-1s, the popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide, that may not be fully captured in clinical trials or regulatory documents. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-ai-scans-reddit-flag-overlooked.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:00:03 EDT news694973341 Researchers have discovered that a mutation of the MDGA1 gene, a key factor modulating the connections and characteristics between nerve cells, serves as a new cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and suggested the possibility of a drug to treat the disorder. This study holds great significance, as it provides biological clues on why autism is more frequent among men than among women. The findings are published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-autism-affects-men-women-mdga1.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:00:05 EDT news694970581 Breastfeeding not only affects your weight while you are breastfeeding—women gain up to 6.5 kilos less on average later in life if they breastfeed for at least three months, according to a new study. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-breastfeeding-months-weight-gain-decades.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:20:01 EDT news694946402 Currently, in U.S. states where abortion remains legal, women have to visit specialized clinics to access in-person medication abortion, as drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol are not available over-the-counter (OTC). A recent study makes the argument that these drugs do qualify under the FDA's over-the-counter criteria, which states that people should be able to rely on the product's packaging and its drug facts label to decide for themselves if the medicine is safe and appropriate, without having to consult a doctor first. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-case-counter-abortion-pills-people.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:04 EDT news694785463 A Georgia State University study shows standard cognitive screening tools used to monitor Alzheimer's disease may not reflect underlying brain changes in the same way for women and men. According to the Alzheimer's Association, nearly two-thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer's are women. New Georgia State research published in the journal Brain Communications adds to growing evidence that Alzheimer's may progress differently in men and women—and that those differences could matter in clinical care. It also suggests doctors may need to interpret common tests differently for each sex. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-alzheimer-screening-tools-differently-women.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:50:01 EDT news694784222