Heart Disease in Women

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Heart Disease in Women

Heart disease, in its most general sense, refers to several types of conditions like coronary heart (or artery) disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke.  It is responsible for approximately 600,000 deaths annually, which translates into about one in every four deaths.  It may not come as a surprise that heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women; however, more women die as a result of heart disease than men.  In fact, heart disease kills more women than all types of cancer combined.

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What is cervicitis?

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What is cervicitis?

Cervicitis is a condition that causes inflammation in the cervix. The cervix is located at the lower part of the uterus which opens into the vagina. There are millions of women that develop cervicitis in the United States every year. More than 50 percent of women will be affected by the condition at some point during their life. Cervicitis can be acute or chronic, meaning it can occur suddenly for a short period of time, or it can last for several months.

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What is vulvodynia?

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What is vulvodynia?

Vulvodynia is a condition that is characterized by chronic pain near the opening of the vulva (also known as the vagina). There is no known cause for vulvodynia. Women who experience vulvodynia often have symptoms such as burning and pain that may be severe enough to make it difficult to have sexual intercourse or even sit in a chair. Vulvodynia can last for months or even years. There are about six million women in the United States have vulvodynia. Vulvodynia may also be known as vulvar pain syndrome, vestibulitis, vestibulodynia, or clitoridynia.

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Symptoms of Vaginal Dryness

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Symptoms of Vaginal Dryness

Vaginal dryness can be an embarrassing topic to broach, but can negatively affect the lives of many women.  Because it is not openly discussed, women may not know that it is a common problem especially for women during and after menopause.  Although less common, it can also happen to women who aren’t menopausal.  Are you suffering from vaginal dryness? Here are some common symptoms that might help you figure that out.                  

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What is Bartholin’s cyst?

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What is Bartholin’s cyst?

Bartholin’s cyst is a fluid filled sac that develops in the Bartholin’s glands. The Bartholin’s glands are located on each side of the opening of the vagina. These glands are responsible for secreting fluid that provides lubrication for the vagina. The Bartholin’s glands can sometimes become blocked, which causes fluid to get backed up into the glands. As a result, a cyst forms called a Bartholin’s cyst. A Bartholin’s cyst is mostly painless but can swell. In some cases, a Bartholin’s cyst can become infected if bacteria gets trapped in the cyst. 

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Doctors concerned too many women getting mastectomies

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Doctors concerned too many women getting mastectomies

There has been a significant increase in the number of women requesting double mastectomies after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Some people are even calling it “the Angelina effect” after Angelina Jolie, who had a double mastectomy after finding out she was a carrier of the BRCA1 gene. The BRCA1 gene increases the risk for breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Jolie explained in an op-ed piece that her having the BRCA1 gene mutation gave her an estimated 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer and 50 percent risk of developing ovarian cancer. 

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Morning After Pill Increased Use Among Teens

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Morning After Pill Increased Use Among Teens

Did you know the morning after pill, usually from the brand name Plan B, can be purchased by teens without a prescription. One would assume this could lead to overuse. More than 1 in 5 sexually active teens have used the morning-after pill which experts have deemed that this increase is major and likely reflects how easy it is to obtain emergency contraceptive. A new report released this week concluded teens use the morning-after pill increased from a decade earlier where it was 1 in 12. Now all teens can purchase it without a prescription.

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Women With Memory Loss More Likely to Develop Alzheimer's

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Women With Memory Loss More Likely to Develop Alzheimer's

Recently a study published in JAMA Neurology found some indications that a man's memory actually worsens over time moreso than a woman's. But now two significant new studies are showing that women with memory loss are more likely to develop Alzheimer's Disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of cases, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.  It is important to note that Alzheimer’s is not a part of normal aging.  

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Learning About Fetal Tissue Donation

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Learning About Fetal Tissue Donation

Many of us may have never knew that fetal tissue can be donated until these past few weeks but since the pro-life organization, Center for Medical Progress, released videos that ignited a battle on some of these reproductive issues around abortion and Planned Parenthood, we're learning that this is quite common. What is fetal tissue donation? It's a little known byproduct of abortions where the use of organs and tissue from aborted fetuses and embryos are donated for both technical and monetary research. 

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Do you have ovarian cysts?

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Do you have ovarian cysts?

Ovarian cysts are a common condition among women, especially during their childbearing years. They occur on the outside of a woman’s ovaries and develop in the form of sacs that are filled with fluid. Ovarian cysts may not pose any problems or discomfort, but sometimes, they can be quite painful. Follicular cysts are the most common type of ovarian cysts. They often go away on their own but some may require treatment. Women have two ovaries that are located on each side of the uterus. Their role is to act as a host to the eggs that develop and mature when a woman is trying to have a baby.

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Women's Health: Learn About Uterine Cancer

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Women's Health: Learn About Uterine Cancer

There are several types of uterine cancer, and they are distinguished by the part of the uterus they affect.  The uterus is a hollow female organ located within the pelvis, also known in layman’s terms as the womb. When a woman becomes pregnant, the uterus is the site of development for the baby until it is time to give birth.  You can think of the uterus as a hollowed out, upside-down pear. Types of uterine cancer include endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma. Endometrial cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the innermost lining of the uterus, and sees abnormal changes in the surface cells of the endometrium.  Endometrial cancer is currently the most common female reproductive organ cancer. 

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Yeast Infections: What Women Need to Know

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Yeast Infections: What Women Need to Know

There are millions of cases of vaginal yeast infection in the U.S. every year. So what is it? A vaginal yeast infection causes itching and irritation of the vagina and vulva (folds of skin outside the vagina). Yeast is a type of fungus that normally live in the vagina, along with bacteria and other organisms. When something causes an imbalance in these organisms, yeast grow and cause irritation. A yeast infection is not an STD and clears up quickly with treatment. 

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7 reasons breast cancer survivors can safely eat soy

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7 reasons breast cancer survivors can safely eat soy

The question of whether soy foods can be consumed safely by breast cancer survivors has perplexed not only patients but even health professionals over the years.  There was often confusion on what to advise breast cancer survivors on what to do.  Now we have evidence that people’s fears of soy foods raising the risk of hormone-related cancers are unwarranted and soy can safely be consumed.

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Dysmenorrhea: Painful Menstruation

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Dysmenorrhea: Painful Menstruation

When that time of the month comes around, many women suffer from severe cramps, sometimes for several days. This can make for a long menstrual cycle. Popping the Midol, Aleve or Advil is not always the only solution. There are two causes for these types of cramps, one being chemical the other being functional. What actually happens is the uterine muscles contract due to stimulation by a chemical series called prostaglandins. 

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