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Gynaecology
Time for change in the world of contraception?
Something is changing when it comes to contraception. Lots of people aren’t using it. In The Guardian, columnist Martha Gill observes that when contraception has...
Some hormonal contraceptives linked to clots – Danish study
A team of researchers has suggested that some progesterone-only hormonal contraceptives may carry similar clot risk to certain combined pills, according to their study.
The Danish...
Hysterectomies still not clear-cut for most women
Aside from C-sections, hysterectomies are still the most common surgical procedure among women, but most women who undergo the procedure don't understand their full...
Rare embolism sees mother 'die' for 45 minutes in triplet birth
A mother from Texas says she has no recollection of giving giving birth to triplets after she was declared “clinically dead” for 45 minutes...
FDA approves new oral drug for UTIs, despite concerns
A new oral antibiotic has cracked the nod from the FDA for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections, despite the agency’s reviewers voicing...
Tygerberg faces C-section backlog crisis
The backlog of pregnant women awaiting elective Caesareans at Tygerberg Hospital’s maternity ward has increased, according to staff, who say that while the waiting...
Heart defect risk for babies conceived through IVF – Swedish study
Babies conceived through certain fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilisation, are more likely to have major heart defects, although cases are still rare, researchers...
More risk of lupus, diabetes if periods stop early – Finnish study
Women with premature ovarian insufficiency, whose periods stop before 40, have a much greater risk of severe autoimmune diseases like diabetes and lupus, according...
FDA alert on menopausal drug
The FDA has issued an alert warning women about menopausal medicine for hot flushes, saying fezolinetant (Veozah), a hormone-free pill, could cause rare but...
Pregnancy rates after ‘tubes tied’ higher than thought – US study
American researchers have found that rates of pregnancy after tubal sterilisation may be higher than previously expected, according to their analysis of national survey...
Fallopian tube removal in sterilisation is safe – Swedish experts
The removal of fallopian tubes during sterilisation is about as safe as sterilisation procedures that damage the tubes but leave them intact, a recent...
Easier self-tests may soon replace the dreaded Pap smear
Healthcare companies are preparing to introduce a new model for cervical cancer screening and prevention: self-collection, in which a woman swabs her vagina in...
Updated guidelines for IUDs acknowledge insertion pain
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated guidelines on intrauterine contraceptive devices(IUD) insertions to include pain management.
In the first update...
US sterilisations double after Roe v Wade overturned
US doctors say that since the controversial overturning by the Supreme Court of Roe v Wade in June 2022, sterilisations in certain states have tripled, with...
Florida passes law allowing C-sections out of hospitals
American doctors have warned of safely risks after a law recently passed in Florida that will allow some Caesarean sections to take place outside...
Premenstrual disorders tied to higher suicide risk – Swedish study
Women with premenstrual disorders (PMDs) have been associated with a higher risk of death from non-natural causes, a study in Sweden has suggested, with...
What period blood can reveal about health
In a move highlighting the potential for future studies and findings, the FDA recently approved the first at-home diagnostic test based on period blood,...
Written consent now a must for pelvic exams at US hospitals
American hospitals must now obtain written informed consent from patients before they undergo intimate physical exams, including those performed under anaesthesia – otherwise they...
Depression risk ‘40% higher’ in perimenopause – UK meta-analysis
British researchers have suggested that women who are approaching menopause have a 40% higher risk of suffering from anxiety and depression than those with...
Prolonged use of some hormone drugs tied to tumour risk
Researchers in France have suggested that prolonged use of certain progestogen hormone drugs might be associated with an increased risk of developing a type...
Social media fuels birth control backlash
Medical experts are becoming increasingly concerned about searches for “birth control” on TikTok or Instagram unleashing a cascade of misleading videos vilifying hormonal contraception...
Contraceptive pill link to stress responses – Danish study
Scientists say social activities like playing board games or singing songs reduced stress hormone ACTH levels in women not using birth-control pills, but the...
The key to easier menopause lies in your gut, say experts
About eight out of every 10 women find at least one menopause symptom “very difficult” to live with, having problems ranging from brain fog...
Antibiotic offers hope to endometriosis sufferers – Japanese study
A research group has discovered that using an antibiotic to target Fusobacterium, a common bacterium that causes inflammation, improved the symptoms of the gynaecological...
The role of diet in menopausal hot flushes
There’s been only preliminary research on the link between diet and hot flushes, but some nutrients show promise for this uncomfortable and surprisingly mysterious...
Study finds vaginal ring safe in late pregnancy and while breastfeeding
The monthly anti-retroviral vaginal ring can be safely used to prevent HIV infection during late pregnancy and while breastfeeding, research has found, and should...
No milestone gaps between IVF-conceived children and their peers, large study finds
In vitro fertilisation has been around long enough that researchers can now compare developmental and academic achievements between these children and their peers at...
Prevent ovarian cancer by removing fallopian tubes, urge experts
A top research group is urging more women, even those without genetic risks, to have their fallopian tubes removed under certain circumstances, acknowledging that...
Type of cervix-closure sutures not a factor in miscarriage – UK trial
For pregnant women who have their cervix stitched closed to reduce miscarriage risk, rates of pregnancy loss do not differ after receiving either of...
US analysis shows how diet can affect period pain severity
A recent review has revealed that period pain and discomfort can be reduced by avoiding certain foods and incorporating others into the diet.
The latest...
Tin in permanent contraception implants most likely behind side effects – French study
Tin in the Essure implants, which arrived on the market in 2002 as permanent contraception for women older than age 45 years with children,...
Vibrators: From sex toys to medical devices
The stigma around vibrators should be removed and they should no longer be viewed merely as sexual objects, writes MedPage Today. A review of...
Antibiotics may increase, not reduce, risk of further UTIs – Harvard/MIT/Washington study
Women who get recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) may be caught in a vicious cycle in which antibiotics given to eradicate one infection predispose...
HRT should be given earlier as menopause ‘reshapes the brainʼ – Nature Scientific Reports
Hormone replacement therapy should be seen as a “protective” measure for peri-menopausal women to halt “rewiring” of the brain and should be prescribed earlier,...
ALTAR trial supports antibiotic alternative for recurrent urinary tract infections
The results of the ALATAR randomised clinical trial in the UK suggest a non-antibiotic antiseptic treatment may be as good as antibiotics for preventing...
HRT not linked to increased risk of dementia — Largest study yet
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not linked to an increased risk of developing dementia, according to the largest study of its kind, in the British...
New estimates of breast cancer risks associated with HRT
A study published by The BMJ provides new estimates of the increased risks of breast cancer associated with use of different hormone replacement therapy...
Irregular and long menstrual cycles linked to greater risk of early death
Irregular and long menstrual cycles in adolescence and adulthood are associated with a greater risk of early death (before age 70), finds a study...
Antibiotic use with hormonal contraception linked to 7x higher risk of unwanted pregnancy
The combined use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and hormonal birth control was associated with a higher risk of unintended pregnancy, MedPageToday reports researchers found. Individuals...
Microbiome therapy reduces recurrent bacterial vaginosis in trial
A product containing healthy vaginal bacteria has proved effective against recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BV), an extremely common vaginal infection that is associated with preterm...