https://medicalxpress.com/womens-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Women's Health Faculty members at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine are working together across academic departments to learn more about how menopausal hormone therapy, sometimes referred to as hormone replacement therapy, affects women's bodies. Among their many focuses is eye health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-potential-menopausal-hormone-therapy-ocular.html Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:20:01 EDT news703485242 Migraines, digestive problems, anxiety and depression can be part of endometriosis, although they are often interpreted as separate conditions. Research led by the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) and published in Human Reproduction has identified different symptom patterns in more than 22,000 women, reinforcing the idea that the disease extends far beyond its traditional gynecological manifestations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-endometriosis-symptom-patterns-pain.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 19:20:01 EDT news703420219 Perimenopause uncertainty is prevalent among 34% of women aged 35 years or older, according to a study published online July 14 in Menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-women-years-older-perimenopause-uncertainty.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:20:03 EDT news703427257 For women who underwent spinal surgery during adolescence, approaching pregnancy often brings unique questions about labor and delivery. A common concern is whether a spinal fusion affects the ability to have a vaginal birth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-scoliosis-history-birthing.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:20:01 EDT news703410703 New research from The Kids Research Institute Australia suggests a simple dietary intervention during pregnancy could help protect against the increased risk of food allergies associated with antibiotics taken before birth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-prebiotics-pregnancy-babies-antibiotic-linked.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:20:01 EDT news703410578 Black African and Black Caribbean women in the UK want clearer and more accessible information about breast cancer screening, according to a study from the University of Surrey. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-black-women-accessing-breast-cancer.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 19:00:03 EDT news703346118 Having an epidural during labor is not associated with clinically significant increased risks of harm to newborn babies, including brain injury, severe breathing problems, sepsis and death, or cerebral palsy later in childhood, according to a study published in The BMJ. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-epidurals-linked-newborns-children.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:30:06 EDT news703314795 Women should ignore most of the exercise advice they see on social media, University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka researchers say. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-debunks-women-advice.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:20:01 EDT news703338642 New data on breastfeeding initiation across the U.S. reveal broad geographic patterns as well as local factors that can inform targeted public health interventions. The study by Tony Grubesic from the University of California Riverside and colleagues was published in the open-access journal PLOS Global Public Health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-geographic-local-drivers-breastfeeding.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:00:38 EDT news703325729 Nearly half the world's population experiences menopause, yet many of its emotional, cognitive and social impacts may never be discussed during medical appointments. New research published today in JAMA Network Open, led by UMD Professor Yulin Hswen, highlights these "silent symptoms" by comparing clinical notes that include menopause symptoms with the top Reddit posts in menopause forums. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-reddit-reveal-silent-symptoms-menopause.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:40:03 EDT news703329123 Amid all the advances in modern medicine, much of the science behind a woman's menstrual cycle remains mysterious, so a team at Hudson Institute of Medical Research is aiming to change that. Professor Caroline Gargett is an expert in the human endometrium, the highly regenerative lining of the uterus, and is world-renowned for discovering the stem/progenitor cells it contains. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-stem-cell-science-mysteries-menstrual.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 10:00:09 EDT news703325825 Perimenopause is an underrecognized life stage that is often accompanied by complex and fluctuating symptoms. A new study sought to quantify the prevalence of perimenopause uncertainty and identify its primary causes. It found that perimenopause uncertainty is prevalent and largely driven by knowledge gaps and barriers to confirmation and care. Results of the study are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-women-perimenopause.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:30:01 EDT news703318458 A new national study provides the first comprehensive look at prenatal care services offered by federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), revealing that while these safety-net providers play a critical role in caring for low-income and racially diverse pregnant populations, significant gaps in access remain. The work is published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-community-health-centers-prenatal-lack.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:00:11 EDT news703257841 Men and women are not born with the same risk of heart disease, and for decades scientists have struggled to explain why. A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, published in Genes & Development, offers an answer: The female heart depends on a molecular safeguard that the male heart can largely do without—and when that safeguard is removed, female hearts fail while male hearts keep beating. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-genetic-safeguard-female-heart-lost.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:00:09 EDT news703254841 The COVID pandemic feels like a long time ago. Now, we have widespread immunity from vaccination and natural infection. And getting COVID is less risky than it was five years ago. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-covid-vaccine.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:20:04 EDT news703236422 Though thousands of women in the United States step forward to donate their eggs each year, new research led by The University of Manchester in the U.K. published in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology reveals only a tiny fraction make it through the rigorous selection process. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-women-egg-donors.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 09:00:04 EDT news703236361 Pregnancy can be a warning light. Rutgers researchers found that cardiovascular health during pregnancy was linked to how soon women were later diagnosed with chronic hypertension or metabolic conditions after giving birth. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-pregnancy-flag-future-heart-metabolic.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:40:07 EDT news703233336 The odds of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related cancers are higher among people with HIV (PWH) and solid-organ transplant recipients (SOTRs), according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-odds-hpv-cancers-people-hiv.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 20:40:06 EDT news703143827 Uterine fibroids and endometriosis are two of the most common gynecologic diseases, affecting 15% to 80% of women of childbearing age. Existing treatments—hormonal drugs and selective estrogen receptor modulators—have side effects and cannot reliably prevent recurrence. This is why less harmful non-hormonal therapies are urgently needed. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-natural-compound-estrogen-arena.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:40:02 EDT news703147759 Despite affecting an estimated 2 billion people, menstrual health continues to be overlooked by governments, businesses and the scientific community, prompting calls for it to be recognized as a fundamental public health issue. A new international commentary by Marni Sommer, DrPH, MSN, professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, was published today in the journal The Lancet Haematology, part of a full report by a Commission of The Lancet released today. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-menstrual-health-overlooked-affecting-billion.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 18:00:03 EDT news703176462 Testosterone may play a bigger role in the emotional development of girls entering puberty than previously thought, according to new research from the University of Georgia published in Psychoneuroendocrinology. Greater changes in the hormone were linked to more emotional difficulties among girls ages 10–12, even when accounting for levels of other hormones. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-hormonal-puberty-linked-emotional-distress.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:40:01 EDT news703164002 Soccer players who are pregnant or have recently given birth can kick off the season with more confidence, using a new FIFA tool developed in collaboration with a University of Alberta researcher. Two decision aids, one for playing during pregnancy and one for returning to the game postpartum, have been launched by FIFA, an international governing body for the sport. Both are published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-moms-game-fifa-pregnant-partum.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:20:01 EDT news703156107 As cosmetic procedures surge worldwide and beauty content increasingly dominates social media platforms, a new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem suggests that for some women, cosmetic treatments may begin to resemble compulsive or addiction-like behavior. The study, led by Dr. Vera Skvirsky alongside Dr. Uri Lifshin, Dr. Dvora Shmulewitz and Prof. Mario Mikulincer from the Department of Psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Center for Addiction and Mental Health (ICAMH), examined what the researchers describe as "addictive cosmetic procedure use," or ACPU, among Jewish Israeli women. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-cosmetic-procedures-addictive-links-addiction.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 11:40:01 EDT news703155281 A new report in The Lancet Haematology, led by Cleveland Clinic hematologist Bethany Samuelson Bannow, M.D., outlines practical strategies to improve diagnosis, care and outcomes globally for women and girls with hematological conditions, such as bleeding disorders, heavy menstrual bleeding, postpartum hemorrhage, thrombosis and maternal hematologic complications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-global-outlines-strategies-hematologic-women.html Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:00:03 EDT news703139161 Most women are aware that fertility declines dramatically with age. This is mainly due to the gradual loss of eggs and follicles from the ovaries, leading to infertility, irregular cycles and ultimately menopause. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-gene-discovery-infertility-early-menopause.html Sun, 12 Jul 2026 20:30:01 EDT news702809186 Menopause. Suddenly, the topic is everywhere in the headlines, in our news feeds, on podcasts. Until recently, this normal life stage marking the end of a woman's reproductive years was discussed only in certain circles, limiting knowledge and research. Occurring in middle-aged women, the transition can cause more than 4 out of 5 to suffer debilitating symptoms that can significantly affect their lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-menopause-latest-guidance-empower-women.html Sun, 12 Jul 2026 15:00:03 EDT news702809295 A new study led by UC San Francisco has found an alarming rise in invasive breast cancer among Asian American women over the last two decades. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-breast-cancer-fast-asian-american.html Sat, 11 Jul 2026 04:06:25 EDT news702961561 An innovative experimental procedure that uses high-energy sound waves to treat a rare and serious pregnancy condition called twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is safe, according to an early-stage research trial involving U.K. and European patients. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-invasive-treatment-twin-pregnancy-complications.html Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:40:05 EDT news702894062 Individuals seeking abortion face considerable challenges, including high costs, logistical difficulties such as travel and dependent care, and fear of stigma. In recent years, access to care has improved through telehealth abortion-related medical care via video consultations and phone calls, with medication delivered by mail, along with pre-abortion counseling. This increasingly used care option is patient-centered and is comparably safe and effective as in-person care. However, the factors that guide patient selection of telehealth abortion remain uncertain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-food-insecurity-linked-choice-telehealth.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:40:01 EDT news702809252 A study has found some tampons leach low levels of chemicals that disrupt hormones, regardless of whether they are synthetic or organic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-synthetic-tampons-leach-hormone-disrupting.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:20:01 EDT news702809760