Womens Health INFO CENTER

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, and statins are one of the most common methods for preventing it. However, not many women-specific studies on statins exist.

Women who carry mutations in the BRCA genes have higher risks for both breast and ovarian cancer. One way to reduce these risks is to have both their ovaries and breasts surgically removed. A new analysis looked at another possible way — birth control pills.

Being overweight or obese can increase one’s odds for a number of diseases, including cancer. But it's not only weight that can affect cancer risk; ethnicity may play a role as well.

Eating nutritious fruits and vegetables is an important part of keeping your body strong and healthy. A new study shows that a plant-based diet may also play a role in preventing cancer.

Most breast cancers are treated with surgery to remove either the tumor or the breast itself. Either operation requires some form of anesthesia to numb the body from pain and put the patient to sleep. New research suggests the type of anesthesia used during breast cancer surgery may affect outcomes.

Sometimes cancer needs more than one kind of treatment to shrink or disappear. That’s why treatment often includes a mixture of surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy. In a recent study, ovarian cancer responded to a double-pronged attack.

Typically, pregnant women are discouraged from eating while in labor because of possible risks. But that "rule" may be loosening some.

As women age, osteoporosis — a condition that makes the bones weak and more likely to break — becomes a greater concern. As a result, preventing osteoporosis may become more important for older women.

About a third of Americans take a multivitamin with minerals — the most commonly used type of dietary supplement in the US. A new study looked at the impact of this use on breast cancer survival.

Women who have overcome fertility problems know the joy of finally becoming pregnant. But their infertility history may help them prepare for the pregnancy as well.











