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Women's Health
Global breast cancer cases expected to rise to 3.5m by 2050 – Lancet
Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women globally, and the number of cases worldwide is estimated to reach more than 3.5m by 2050,...
Heart disease in young women likely to spike by 2050 – US study
Nearly a third of women aged 20 to 44 will have been diagnosed with a cardiovascular disease by 2050, according to a recent study,...
First birth in UK using transplanted womb from dead donor
A baby boy has become the first child in Britain to be born using a womb transplanted from a dead donor, reports the BBC.
Grace...
When will SA take the prevention of chronic HBV infection seriously?
South Africa bears a significant burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and a notable prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) among pregnant...
SA sanitary pad suppliers probed after study finds harmful chemicals
The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has opened an investigation into nine sanitary pad and panty liner suppliers, after a University of the Free State...
Harmful chemicals found in SA sanitary products – UFS study
Menstrual products used by millions of South Africans may contain hormone-disrupting chemicals – even when marketed as “free from harmful chemicals” – suggests research...
New drug holds promise for pre-eclampsia
A new drug for a dangerous condition that affects pregnant women, threatening not just their health but their babies’ lives as well, could transform...
Fallopian tubes removal cuts ovarian cancer risk – Canada corroboration
A team of Canada scientists has provided more evidence that fallopian tube removal can slash the risks of ovarian cancer risk, finding women who...
What HRT label removal means for breast cancer survivors
The announcement by the FDA that it would begin removal of black box warnings for menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) raises questions about the implications...
Menopause linked to Alzheimer’s-like brain changes – Cambridge study
British scientists have suggested that menopause is linked to changes in the brain similar to those seen in Alzheimer’s, and that hormone replacement therapy...
Experts call for SA lens on contraceptive link to meningioma
Increasing evidence has shown an association between the popular contraceptive injection depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (dMPA) – known as depo provera – and meningioma, leading...
No link between HRT and dementia – Lancet review
A recent meta-analysis commissioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which included health data from more than 1m women, found that hormone replacement therapy...
Experts flag dangers of lung float test
America’s largest organisation for medical examiners has issued a warning about a controversial, centuries-old forensic test that has contributed to cases in which pregnant...
New warning added to contraceptive drug label as lawsuits rise
With more than 1 800 lawsuits linked to Pfizer’s Depo-Provera contraceptive drug, the US Food & Drug Administration is now officially warning users of a...
Self-hypnosis could slash menopausal hot flushes – Texas study
Relief from one of menopause’s most frustrating symptoms could be a self-guided session away, say experts. A gentle breeze; water trickling over a fountain;...
Can a mammogram help find heart disease?
A growing body of evidence has proved that cardiovascular disease clues lie in the breasts, with experts calling for more emphasis on the importance...
Testosterone helps restore South African women’s libido in midlife
Testosterone treatment is revolutionising the sexual health landscape for women by restoring libido post menopause, say experts, with interest in this rapidly increasing not...
US approves changes for cervical cancer screening
The American Cancer Society (ACS) is introducing two key changes for cervical cancer screening: the option of self-collection of vaginal samples for primary human...
General anaesthesia safe option for C-sections – US review
Regional anaesthesia, typically with a spinal or epidural block, has long been favoured for Caesarean births, due partly to concerns about the effects general...
SA’s cervical cancer crisis a wake-up call
Sixteen women die from cervical cancer every day in South Africa; a sobering reality which calls for authorities to take stock of its approach...
Human trials for artificial wombs for prem babies edge closer
For parents who have buried infants born too soon, a device like the AquaWomb is a miracle in waiting – and an impossible choice,...
Unpacking the FDA's updated labelling for menopausal hormone therapy
In a significant shift in the regulation for hormone therapy for perimenopausal and menopausal women, the Food and Drug Agency has moved towards what...
Women need less exercise than men for heart benefits – Chinese study
A recent study has suggested that women may have an edge over men when it comes to heart health and exercise, deriving more benefits...
Menopause brain changes may affect memory, mood – Puerto Rican study
A research team from Puerto Rico that carried out a literature review to compile findings on how menopause may reshape the brain identified consistent...
FDA green-lights menopause pill for US women
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a treatment for menopause relief, bringing the country in line with Britain, Australia, Canada and Switzerland, where...
Toxic BPA found in breast milk, but no SA law to stop exposure
In South Africa, there is no law preventing toxic chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) from being used in most food packaging, even though research...
New guidelines to monitor postpartum haemorrhage
The World Health Organisation has published new guidelines recommending that women who lose 300ml of blood after giving birth should be diagnosed with postpartum...
Pfizer’s birth control injection blamed for woman’s brain tumours
An ongoing lawsuit in the United States alleges that Pfizer failed to warn users of potential risks linked to the Depo-Provera birth control injection,...
FDA plan to change ‘black box’ warning on HRT sparks concern
The US Food and Drug Administration says plans are imminent to tweak the lengthy “black box” warning on many hormone replacement products for women...
US ‘pregnancy crimes’ escalate with hundreds of women charged
More than 400 American women have been charged with pregnancy-related crimes in the first two years since the US Supreme Court’s controversial overturning of...
Causes of heart attack in younger women more varied – Mayo Clinic study
Traditionally, most heart attacks have been blamed on clogged arteries causing atherothrombosis – where blood clots block flow to the heart. But recent research...
Non-hormonal pill eases menopause symptoms, study finds
Menopausal hot flushes and night sweats were significantly reduced for women taking a non-hormonal pill from Bayer in a late-stage trial, researchers have reported,...
Are menstrual cycles synced with the moon?
In ancient times, women’s menstrual cycles were more closely synchronised with the moon, but scientists say this connection has weakened in the modern era...
Hysterectomy ups stroke risk – meta-analysis of 2m women
The surgical removal of the uterus and both ovaries may come at a serious and overlooked cost to individual health, scientists from China suggest,...
Oral HRT linked to heart disease risk in diabetic women – UK study
New research suggests that while women with type 2 diabetes using HRT skin patches are not at a higher risk for blood clots or...
New link flagged between women who have heart attacks – US study
After a 30-year study, American researchers have suggested that inflammation could be a key factor in explaining why some women experience heart attacks and strokes – despite...
Ovarian cancer blood test may ID disease early – British-US study
Scientists say they have developed a simple blood test to spot ovarian cancer early that could “significantly improve” outcomes for women with the disease,...
Birth control jab linked to higher brain tumour risks – large US analysis
Research carried out by the Cleveland Clinic in the United States found that although rare, there was a higher meningioma risk in women who...
HRT shortage leaves women struggling
A worldwide shortage of hormone replacement therapy medication is affecting women around the globe, leaving them unable to find relief from menopausal symptoms that...
Innovative project sees Groote Schuur interns tackle GBV
Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital has provided 50 medical interns with specialised training on how to sensitively screen for intimate partner violence (IPV) and...