Contraception and birth control Archive

A 2024 study suggests that younger women with migraines and early menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats may have higher cardiovascular risks at midlife.

Not all drug side effects are created equal: some are tolerable, some are dangerous -- and some may turn out to be surprisingly beneficial with weight loss and hair growth as superstar examples. Silver linings like these can lead to a new purpose for some medications.

Exfoliation - the process of removing dead cells from the skin's outer layer - can make skin glow, help even out coloring, and offer other benefits, but it can also irritate or inflame. Which products should you choose and how often can you exfoliate?

When a PSA test produces an abnormal result, the next step is usually a prostate biopsy, but these have drawbacks. Researchers are exploring strategies to avoid unnecessary biopsies, and a test that screens for prostate cancer in urine samples has shown promising results in testing.

Most older men live with some prostate cancer. However, only a small number will develop aggressive cancer that affects their quality of life. Certain habits might lower men's risk, like eating a plant-based diet, doing vigorous activity, and having frequent ejaculations.

Women with high-risk strains of human papillomavirus-a well-known cause of cervical cancer-may face four times the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, according to a 2024 study.

Studies on alcohol's health effects have shown conflicting results, Harvard experts say, leaving people confused. No randomized, controlled trials have been performed, and observational studies can't easily tease apart drinking and other lifestyle habits that influence health, such as exercise, sleep, and social connectedness. However, drinking alcohol has been convincingly linked to developing breast cancer, so women concerned about their breast cancer risk should consider reducing or eliminating alcohol. For most other healthy people who enjoy an occasional drink, they can continue to do so.

In a 2024 study, men diagnosed with erectile dysfunction who took popular PDE5 inhibitors to treat their condition had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's than men who didn't use medication.

A 2023 study suggests that women who drink energy drinks before becoming pregnant have higher risks for high blood pressure during pregnancy.