Women's Health Archive

Women are disproportionately affected by conditions that cause chronic pain, but they sometimes have difficulty getting a definitive diagnosis as to what is causing their pain and may be less likely to receive appropriate treatments even when they do.

Breast cancer survival rates have markedly improved over the past several decades, driven by improved treatments. Less intensive chemotherapy can often be used, and immunotherapy and targeted drugs enable doctors to tailor treatment combinations to each woman. Women with metastatic breast cancer are often living many years because of new treatments that extend their lives. To improve outcomes, women with early-stage breast cancer should seek a multidisciplinary care team, in which many different specialists work in collaboration.

A 2023 study suggests that women who have used menopausal hormone therapy are significantly more likely to develop gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Vaginitis encompasses several conditions that inflame or infect the vagina, including bacterial vaginosis, yeast infection, sexually transmitted infections, and atrophic vaginitis. Women should see a primary care clinician or gynecologist to properly diagnose and treat the problem.

Nail fungal infections affect up to 14% of the adult population. While completely curing these infections is difficult, the right treatments can discourage the problem from spreading and make your nails look better.

Pregnancy and reproductive complications, including high blood pressure, diabetes, pre-eclampsia, infertility, and stillbirth, are linked with higher cardiovascular risks in affected women many years later. Such complications affect 5% to 10% of pregnancies and are rising as obesity rates increase and more women postpone pregnancy. Ongoing preventive care and screenings are crucial for women who experienced pregnancy complications to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels and treat any irregularities aggressively.

In May 2023, the FDA approved fezolinetant (Veozah), a nonhormonal drug specifically designed to reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes in women. Potential side effects include liver damage, abdominal pain, diarrhea, insomnia, or back pain.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released updated draft guidelines in May 2023 proposing that women at average risk of breast cancer be screened every other year starting at age 40.

Bleeding after sex can happen for many reasons, including vaginal dryness; inflammation from vaginal infections, including sexually transmitted infections; cervical polyps; or gynecological cancers. Women should see a doctor about unusual vaginal bleeding.