A new study shows that deaths from heart disease in young women have increased in the past decade due to obesity, type 2 diabetes and diseases of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia and preterm delivery. Although heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, cancer has been the main cause of death among young women in the United States. For the study, researchers used death certificates to compare deaths from cancer with deaths from heart disease in women under age 65 between 1999 and…

Dr. Holly L. Thacker discusses the three stages of menopause and how women can know when they are entering each menopause stage.

Read Dr. Holly L. Thacker’s column on the skinny, fat and sweet truth about chocolate! Did you know that chocolate as well as other foods and activities have fabulous flavonoids that boost the neurotransmitters in our bodies and make us feel good?

Don't skip your breast cancer screening mammogram. This is the overarching message of an extended study of more than a half-million Swedish women. Those who missed even one recommended screening mammogram were more likely to die from breast cancer, the study found. The new findings -- which appear March 2 in the journal Radiology -- are concerning given the widespread delays and cancellations of preventative cancer screenings that took place during early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. "You…

The length of the female reproductive period (the time from the onset of menses to the final menstrual period) has important health implications. A new study compared the length of reproductive periods for women with type 1 diabetes with women without diabetes to confirm the effect diabetes has on the female reproductive system. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). Insulin plays a key role in regulating…

If you are approaching menopause and you have some extra belly fat, new research suggests you might want to shed some inches now. Women who carry weight around their midsection during menopause may be more likely to develop heart disease even if their overall weight remains the same, researchers report. For every 20% increase in belly fat, the thickness of the carotid artery lining grew by 2%, according to their study. The carotid arteries carry blood to the head and neck, and carotid artery…

Read Dr. Tiffany Cochran's column on rosacea and their common symptoms, the different types of rosacea and the best treatments for your specific rosacea diagnosis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 25% of all American adults 18 and up are providing care or assistance to a family member or friend with a long-term illness or disability, primarily the elderly. And this is no easy feat since caring for an elderly person entails providing companionship, assisting with housework, supplying physical care, and even providing medical assistance in some cases. With that said, we have a few tips to offer on the matter: Create…

All adults in the United States are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, with all 50 states and Washington, D.C., meeting the April 19 deadline President Joe Biden had set for opening eligibility. Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont were the last states to open eligibility to everyone age 16 and older on Monday. The April 19 deadline had been moved up from the May 1 goal Biden initially set for all adults to qualify for vaccination.

Half of adults in the United States have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 33% of adults are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Calling all those who are sleep-deprived: We interrupt your yawns with an important announcement. If you're trying to get by on about six hours or less of sleep a night during the work week, you're setting up your brain for future failure, according to a new study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications. After following nearly 8,000 people for 25 years, the study found a higher dementia risk with a "sleep duration of six hours or less at age 50 and 60" as compared to those who…

Read Dr. Holly L. Thacker’s column on the common, dreaded, irritating cold sores caused by the common virus herpes simplex (I or II).

Dr. Holly L. Thacker shares tips for the best ways to protect your skin from the sun and what you really need to know about sunscreens.

New study suggests that some of the same genetic variants that help to predict reproductive aging are associated with frequency and severity of hot flashes. CLEVELAND, Ohio (April 28, 2021)—Hot flashes are a hallmark of the menopause transition. Yet, they don’t strike with the same frequency or severity for all women. A new study suggests that some of the same genetic factors that affect a woman’s reproductive life cycle may also help predict her likelihood of having bothersome hot flashes.…

Dr. Roxanne B. Sukol and Dr. Holly J. Pederson share the latest updates on the advancement in breast cancer genetic testing and management.

Listen to the virtual midlife women's health event! Speaking of Women's Health hosted a free online event where Dr. Tiffany Cochran and Dr. Tara Iyer discussed popular midlife women's health topics, including menopause, skin care, hormones and osteoporosis and then answered women's questions. Listen to the Recording!

Read Dr. Holly L Thacker’s column on CHEESE! Everything you wanted to know about which cheeses are healthy and which cheeses you should avoid.

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Vaginal pessaries are an excellent, low risk treatment option for women who have pelvic organ prolapse or urinary incontinence. Dr. Shannon Wallace discusses the types of pessaries available and how they work.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved BREXAFEMME®(ibrexafungerp) as the first and only oral non-azole treatment for vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) also known as vaginal yeast infections. BREXAFEMME was approved based on positive results from the two Phase 3 studies in which oral ibrexafungerp demonstrated efficacy and a favorable tolerability profile in women with vaginal yeast infections. BREXAFEMME is the first approved drug in a novel antifungal class in more than 20 years…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Wegovy (semaglutide) injection (2.4 mg once weekly) for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight with at least one weight-related condition (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol), for use in addition to a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity. This under-the-skin injection is the first approved drug for chronic weight management in adults with general obesity or overweight since…