Women's Health

When drink enters the picture, first sexual experiences tend to be riskier and less wanted.

Drinking Makes Teens' First Sexual Experience Riskier, Less Satisfying

4:23pm October 16, 2015

by Nancy Shute

When drinking is part of the picture, young women are more apt to say their first sexual experience was coerced, and that it wasn't planned with a romantic partner in an ongoing relationship.

Although false alarms are not at all unusual when it comes to mammograms, they can cause women much anxiety. Doctors are thinking about ways to ease those fears.

Called Back After A Mammogram? Doctors Are Trying To Make It Less Scary

7:03pm October 15, 2015

by Katherine Hobson

Mammograms often find spots that turn out to be nothing serious. But cancer worries can start with the phone call about a follow-up test. Letting women know how common callbacks are could help.

Leahya Ellis and other spinning class participants use exercise as a way to shake away stress, anger and depression.

Biking Behind Bars: Female Inmates Battle Weight Gain

10:25am October 14, 2015

by Taunya English

Women in prison often eat to relieve stress or boredom. The resulting weight gain can make other physical and emotional problems worse. In one prison, spinning helps keep the pounds and rage at bay.

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Ovarian tissue containing hundreds of small resting eggs is prepared to be transplanted back after cancer treatment.

Freezing Ovaries Before Cancer Treatment May Preserve Fertility

2:29pm October 07, 2015

by Rob Stein

One-third of women who froze ovarian tissue before undergoing cancer treatment and later had it transplanted back ended up having babies, according to a study of women in Denmark.

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Women Find A Fertility Test Isn't As Reliable As They'd Like

10:35am October 07, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

It's hard to predict how quickly a woman's fertility will decline and if she'll be a good candidate for egg freezing. But doctors try to figure that out with something called an ovarian reserve test.

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New York City's health department launched the "Maybe the IUD" campaign this week, aimed at increasing awareness about the IUD as a highly effective and low-maintenance option for birth control.

Ladies, New York City Wants You To Consider An IUD

5:40pm October 05, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

Bet you never thought you'd see IUDs promoted on cheery subway posters. New York City's health department wants women to realize that the long-term birth control is a good choice for many.

Cover detail from Stories from the Shadows, by James O'Connell.

House Calls To The Homeless: A Doctor Treats Boston's Most Isolated Patients

11:39am September 30, 2015

James O'Connell refers to himself as a "street doctor." Since 1985, he has cared for homeless patients, sometimes making visits on park benches or in alleys. His memoir is Stories from the Shadows.

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Better keep that window open, lady. There aren't many effective options for reducing hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause.

Sad To Say, Most Remedies For Hot Flashes Fizzle

3:22pm September 24, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

Women have precious few choices when it comes to treating menopause symptoms, an expert panel says. Cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis top the list.

Surgeon Seeks To Help Women Navigate Breast Cancer Treatment

3:51pm September 22, 2015

Thirty years ago no one uttered the words "breast cancer" in public. Now there's no shortage of information, but the glut can make it hard for women to make choices about care.

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The Essure contraceptive device is placed in the fallopian tubes, where it causes scarring that blocks sperm from reaching eggs.

FDA Revisits Safety Of Essure Contraceptive Device

10:23am September 21, 2015

by Rob Stein

It's the only available, nonsurgical permanent birth control option that's FDA-approved. But thousands of women have complained of serious side effects like severe pain, heavy bleeding and depression.

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