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Women's Health
Planned C-sections tied to childhood cancer risk – Swedish cohort study
Researchers from the Swedish Karolinska Institutet have suggested that children born via planned Caesarean section procedures might have a heightened risk of developing certain childhood cancers,...
Gut bacteria tied to fertility issues in women with PCOS – Chinese study
Research by a team of scientists in China has suggested that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have lower levels of a specific gut...
Home hormone-checking saliva test ‘as good as birth control pills’
A new at-home saliva test, which the makers say is as effective as birth control pills at preventing pregnancy – and which tracks a...
Long-term contraceptive pill use tied to tumour risk – French study
Recent research has suggested that the contraceptive pill desogestrel is linked to a small increase in the risk of developing an intracranial meningioma brain...
Trump gambles with women's health research
If the Trump administration’s medical and research purge continues, say concerned experts, the United States could shift towards a time where being a woman...
Gynaecologists should tune into TikTok for patient insight
Online stories can supplement scientific literature and experience, and doctors, particularly in obstetrics and gynaecology, should acknowledge the importance of forums like TikTok and...
Study flags role of dairy in reducing fracture risk in older women
Consuming more dairy in liquid form appears to reduce the risk of osteoporotic and other fractures, while cheese is specifically linked to a reduced...
US doctors report first pregnancy using new AI system
The first pregnancy using an artificial intelligence (AI) procedure has been carried out by doctors at Columbia University Fertility Centre in a couple that...
Older breast cancer patients using oestrogen cream lived longer – US study
American researchers have suggested that oestrogen creams may improve survival rates, despite previous fears they could stimulate cancer cell growth.
This after their recent study...
Common UTI drugs may be tied to cancer, warn experts
A medication commonly used to treat urinary tract infections may be accompanied by a potential cancer risk, suggest experts, who have flagged the active...
Why women are beating men to the finish line
Across a variety of sports, women are not just catching up after generations of exclusion from athletics, they’re setting the pace and proving their...
US cuts affect vital cervical cancer screening, research in SA
More than 1 400 cervical cancer patients in Gauteng will be transferred to already overstretched public hospitals after the abrupt closure of several cervical...
Late first birth and weight increases breast cancer risk – UK study
A British study has suggested a link between weight gain and having children later in life with a heightened risk of breast cancer, finding...
Wits study IDs breast cancer genes in black SA women
Genetic factors contribute to some 30% of breast cancer cases in SA, say leading scientists, necessitating investment in genomic research in African contexts.
Their seminal...
Early periods can be tied to what girls eat – US study
The foods in a child’s lunchbox could influence whether they experience their first menstrual cycle too early, according to recent research, which found that...
UK radiological group calls for male nurses to do mammograms
Male health workers should be allowed to perform breast screening examinations to help relieve staff shortages, says Britain’s Society of Radiographers (SoR), which has...
Study links maternal diabetes to ADHD risk in children
Experts have issued reassurances after a recent study where researchers reviewed data from 56.1m pregnancies to probe possible connections between diabetes and ADHD, autism...
Blood test on the cards to predict postpartum blues – US study
A simple blood test may soon be able to predict postpartum depression before symptoms appear, hinting at a future where treatments could shift from...
UK’s first baby born to woman with transplanted womb
A “miracle” baby girl has become the first child in the UK to be born to a mother using a donated womb – from...
Global experts flag high mortality rates linked to pregnancy
Worldwide, more than a quarter of a million women died during their pregnancy or within six weeks of giving birth in 2023, WHO figures...
Israeli study confirms benefits of breast milk
The debate over whether breast is best has been ongoing for decades, but recent research suggests that longer or exclusive breastfeeding might be linked...
Diet may cut back endometriosis pain – Scottish study
Dietary changes could reduce the pain of endometriosis for half of those suffering from the disease, suggests the largest international survey ever conducted on...
New antibiotic approved to treat UTIs
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first new antibiotic to treat UTIs in 30 years. The medication, gepotidacin, targets E. coli bacteria,...
Israeli study maps pregnancy’s lasting effects on the body
An "unprecedented view" of how the body changes during and after pregnancy has revealed many long-lasting impacts on the liver, kidneys and more, said...
‘Dangerous’ online censure of women’s health terminology
Content with words like abortion, breast and vagina or that deal with menstrual or sexual health is being flagged as sexually explicit and removed...
Excessive napping may be tied to dementia – US study
Twenty-four-hour sleepiness, particularly excessive napping, has been associated with a doubled risk of developing dementia, the latest study on disturbed sleep patterns and the...
Danish experts warn of hazards from ill-fitting menstrual cups
An alert has been issued by doctors about ill-fitting menstrual cups, which they warn could potentially lead to health concerns after the case of...
Ovarian cancer screening test less effective for black women, review finds
A common test for ovarian cancer may be less effective on black and Native American patients, a review of more than 200 000 patients...
New daily endometriosis pill for NHS England patients
England’s NHS will soon be offering patients the first-of-its-kind pill for endometriosis, the combination drug, relugolix–estradiol–norethisterone (also known as relugolix combination therapy or Ryeqo),...
Postnatal depression linked to brain change during pregnancy – Spanish study
A study from scientists in Madrid has shed new light on what happens in the brains of pregnant women who experience postpartum depression, which...
Antibiotics for men curbs women’s vaginosis – Australian study
Scientists say that asking their male sexual partners to use antibiotic pills and cream could help women fight recurring bacterial vaginosis, after a trial...
WHO study sheds light on maternal deaths
Haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders like pre-eclampsia are the leading causes of maternal deaths globally, according to a study released this week by the World...
Sweden may green-light home abortions
A Swedish Government-commissioned investigation has recommended a legislative change that would allow home abortions without requiring patients to visit a clinic for their first...
Breast cancer deaths to rise 68% by 2050 – WHO study
Global cancer researchers have warned that breast cancer diagnoses and deaths are expected to surge worldwide in the coming decades, rising to more than...
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...
Pros and cons of growing trend of testosterone therapy for women
The effects of low testosterone in women can range from low libido, lack of energy, loss of strength and muscle tone, to cognitive difficulties...
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...
Sepsis and necrosis after butt-lifts, UK investigation finds
A British “beauty consultant” is carrying out potentially dangerous cosmetic procedures – many of which result in disfiguring infection and needing surgery – and...
UK mesh victims still awaiting compensation
British women harmed by pelvic mesh implants are still waiting for government compensation a year after a call for urgent action by a major...
Major study of 100 000 black women to probe cancer risks
When the VOICES of Black Women pilot study launched in 2023, its co-principal investigator Lauren McCullough, PhD, MSPH, was the first participant to sign...