women

In India, a traditional midwife attempts to induce abortion by massaging herbs and oil on a woman's belly.

Nearly Half of All Abortions Unsafe In Developing Countries

5:24pm October 03, 2017

by Susan Brink

Gilda Sedgh, the author of a new study on global abortion, explains the difference between safe and unsafe abortions and what women in low-income countries will need to access safe procedures.

A public health worker in Nepal takes a sample of hair for mercury analysis.

Seal Meat, Gold Mining: How Lower-Income Women Are Exposed To Mercury

1:28pm October 03, 2017

by Greta Jochem

A study looked at women in 25 countries and found that many of them have elevated levels of mercury, likely due to human-caused pollution.

Mothers helping other mothers through the challenges of postpartum depression and anxiety makes Florida's mentoring program unique.

Mommy Mentors Help Fight The Stigma Of Postpartum Mood Disorder

1:01pm September 29, 2017

by Juli Fraga

Postpartum depression and anxiety are common among new mothers, but few talk about these feelings. A Florida nonprofit is hoping to break the cycle by pairing new moms with moms who've been there.

Marines participate in an exercise during the Infantry Officer Course in August at Quantico, Va. The first female Marine to complete the course graduated on Monday.

National

First Female Marine Completes Grueling Infantry Officer Course

5:20pm September 25, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

The 13-week program is considered one of the toughest in the U.S. military, and one-third of the class dropped out before graduation. The lieutenant has asked to keep her identity private.

A camp where more than 1,300 women and children, all foreign nationals and believed to be relatives of Islamic State militants, were kept on the outskirts of Mosul. They have been moved by Iraqi officials, to the concern of aid agencies.

World News

'Grave Fears' After Iraq Moves More Than 1,300 Wives, Children Of ISIS Suspects

4:45pm September 18, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

"These women and children are extremely vulnerable. Regardless of what their family members may be accused of, they have a right to protection and assistance," says the Norwegian Refugee Council.

Abortion rights opponents gather during a rally in downtown Louisville earlier this summer. A federal judge issued an order to keep protesters away from a "buffer zone" outside the EMW Women's Surgical Center.

Kentucky Could Become The Only State Without A Clinic That Performs Abortions

12:27pm September 06, 2017

by Sarah McCammon

A federal trial pits the last remaining clinic providing abortions in Kentucky against the state's Republican administration, which says the center failed to meet state health standards.

A California jury awarded a woman $417 million in a case against Johnson & Johnson. The woman claimed that her use of Johnson's Baby Powder led to terminal ovarian cancer. Scientists disagree on how strong a link there is between talc and ovarian cancer.

Does Baby Powder Cause Cancer? A Jury Says Yes. Scientists Aren't So Sure

6:49pm August 22, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

Scientists have found an association between talc and ovarian cancer, but they don't agree on exactly what that means.

Queue Listen Now

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and other female senators were excluded from the Senate leadership health task force this summer.

Often Missing From The Current Health Care Debate: Women's Voices

1:33pm August 16, 2017

When leaders in Washington discuss the future of American health care, women are not always in the room. Here, eight women from around the country share their personal stories, fears and hopes.

Over 200 men and women sent in their stories of street harassment to NPR, and across the U.S. all of their experiences were similar.

National

Why Street Harassers Speak The Same Language Across The U.S.

11:21am August 13, 2017

by Christianna Silva

People across the U.S. wrote NPR with their stories of street harassment, and from Alaska to New York, there were a whole lotta "Hey baby"s and "Hi beautiful"s.

On Sunday, Afghanistan's national women's wheelchair basketball team won its first championship at the 4th annual Bali Cup International Tournament in Indonesia.

A Big Win For Afghan Women's Wheelchair Hoopsters

5:05pm August 01, 2017

by Malaka Gharib

The players used to be shy about playing sports as women using wheelchairs. Today, they're international champions and role models in their country.