Category: Women’s Health
Should You Worry About Data From Your Period-Tracking App Being Used Against You?
If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, women in some states could be prosecuted for seeking or obtaining an abortion. Could data from your smartphone app be used to prosecute you? The short answer: Yes.
Abortion has been common in the US since the 18th century – and debate over it started soon after
From the nation’s founding through the early 1800s, pre-quickening abortions – that is, abortions before a pregnant person feels fetal movement – were fairly common and even advertised.
More States Shield Against Rogue Abortion Prosecutions
Physicians, public health officials and women’s advocates have long cautioned that arrests for self-managed abortions and miscarriages will disproportionately stigmatize low-income people, immigrants and women of color who already lack access to reproductive health care.
What’s Next if ‘Roe v. Wade’ Falls? More Than Half of States Expected to Ban or Restrict Abortion
If the Supreme Court’s conservative majority affirms the leaked decision overturning abortion rights in the U.S., the effects would be sweeping for 40 million women in more than two dozen states where Republican-led legislatures have been eagerly awaiting the repudiation of the right to terminate a pregnancy.
Sex matters in biomedical research: Many conditions affect men and women differently
Though men, women and gender-diverse people share many similarities, understanding how sex differences are expressed through physical health is paramount to improving everyone’s quality of life.
Ovarian cancer is not a silent killer – recognizing its symptoms could help reduce misdiagnosis and late detection
Ovarian cancer has historically been called a “silent killer,” because clinicians thought its symptoms were undetectable. Patients were often diagnosed so late that doctors thought nothing could be done. But there have been many studies over the past 20 years demonstrating that ovarian cancer does have early warning signs.
Endometriosis: How advocacy, awareness and algorithms could shorten the long wait for diagnosis and treatment
Endometriosis affects an estimated 200 million people worldwide. Despite its prevalence, those living with the disease often wait an average of 7.5 years between start of symptoms and diagnosis. This delay is due to a variety of reasons, including medical dismissal, a low prioritization of the condition and its overall misrepresentation in research funding, policy and media.
Blue States Enact New Laws to Create Abortion Havens
In March, Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill prohibiting the state from taking legal action against people seeking an abortion and those who assist them, to ward off any attempts to enact a Texas-style abortion ban that calls on private citizens to sue anyone suspected of aiding an abortion.
Doctors Trying to Prescribe Abortion Pills Across State Lines Stymied by Legislation
Many states already restrict doctors’ ability to consult with patients online or by phone and/or dispense abortion pills through mail-order pharmacies. A crop of new legislation could shut them out, pushed by lawmakers who oppose abortion and argue the medication is too risky to be prescribed without a thorough, in-person examination.
Autism is still underdiagnosed in girls and women. That can compound the challenges they face
Being autistic, but not diagnosed, can lead to a lifetime of struggles and being misunderstood for women.
‘It changed who I felt I was.’ Women tell of devastation at early menopause diagnosis
Around 10% of women – including many who believe they have the prospect having children ahead of them – are suddenly told they are at the end of their fertile life, and at greater risk of diseases normally associated with middle age.
Here’s How Abortion Access Would Change if Supreme Court Erodes Roe
As the nation awaits a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that could significantly erode abortion rights, state laws on the issue have taken on a whole new meaning. Soon, more than at any time in nearly half a century, obtaining an abortion will depend on where you live.
‘Brain fog’ during menopause is real – it can disrupt women’s work and spark dementia fears
For nearly two-thirds of women, menopause comes with an undesirable change in memory.
Do Libido-Boosting Drugs for Women Actually Work?
In explaining the rationale for approving female-libido drugs, the FDA often cites the “unmet medical need.” Yet researchers are fiercely divided over the question of just how many women lack libido and how best to help them.
Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant or breastfeeding?
Experts explain the safety, evidence and clinical trials