Air pollution and cardiovascular disease: Increased risk for women with diabetes Air pollution is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and some people may be more susceptible to its effects than others. Investigators used data from a nationwide study of nurses to look for factors that made people more vulnerable to the effects of long-term air pollution exposure. One factor in particular stood out to the researchers is type 2 diabetes.
Sex reassignment surgery may be better for transgender women’s health than hormones only Transgender women may be at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes compared with men and women in the general population. Transgender women who received only hormone therapy had poorer metabolic health than transgender women who underwent sex reassignment surgery in addition to receiving hormone therapy, suggesting that sex reassignment surgery may be metabolically protective.
New online tool created to tackle complications of pregnancy, childbirth An interdisciplinary team of biologists and medical researchers has created a new platform, which they call GEneSTATION specifically designed to leverage the growing knowledge of human genomics and evolution to advance scientific understanding of human pregnancy and translate it into new treatments for the problems that occur when this complex process goes awry.
Stress main cause of smoking after childbirth Mothers who quit smoking in pregnancy are more likely to light up again after their baby is born if they feel stressed. Researchers studied more than 1,000 new mothers and found that the stress of caring for a newborn, sleepless nights, social pressure, and the idea that they no longer need to protect the baby -- all contribute to relapse.They also found that women who felt they were being supported by a partner were less likely to start smoking again.
How childhood stress can affect female fertility Can events you endured as a child really impact your ability to have children yourself? New research examines the mechanism by which adverse experiences in childhood impact female fertility. Researchers explore the hypothesis that negative experiences in childhood can result in menstrual cycle irregularities, which consequently impact fertility. They relate their hypothesis to life-history theory, which talks of balancing the preservation of one’s health and the production of offspring that will survive to reproduce themselves.
Postnatal mental health: Are women getting the support they need? There is a need for postnatal support that encompasses all mental health issues, not only postnatal depression, new research suggests. Common postnatal mental health symptoms include tearfulness, anxiousness, feeling stressed, isolated, lonely, angry and other emotions.
Prenatal cocaine exposure linked to adolescents engaging in sex by age 15 Since 1994, researchers have studied mothers -- some who used cocaine while pregnant and others who did not -- to understand how the drug affected their children's cognitive and social development . Their latest findings suggest a link between prenatal cocaine exposure and an adolescent's likelihood to have sexual intercourse before age 15.
Targeting mistreatment of women during childbirth Scientists have synthesized qualitative and quantitative evidence to form a clearer picture of the extent and types of mistreatment that occurs during childbirth in health facilities. Such initiatives are key to developing policies to reduce and ultimately eliminate this inhumane and degrading phenomenon.
Women's faces get redder at ovulation, but human eyes can't pick up on it Past research shows men find female faces more attractive at peak fertility. A new study shows an increased redness of women's face skin at the most fertile point of ovulatory cycle, but just under the threshold for detectability, ruling out skin coloration as a driver of the attractiveness effect.
Female cystic fibrosis patients need more contraceptive guidance Only half of women with cystic fibrosis report using contraception and frequently apt to become pregnant unintentionally. As recently as the 1960s, children with cystic fibrosis -- an inherited disease that causes thick, sticky mucus to form in the lungs, pancreas, and other organs -- often died before attending elementary school. Today many people with the disease live into their 30s, 40s and beyond
Non-hormonal management of menopausal vasomotor symptoms Hot flashes are a common menopausal symptom. They tend to intensify during the perimenopause and usually subside within 5 years after the final menstrual period. However in some women frequent hot flashes are a long term problem and may last for more than 7 years.
'Thinspiration' images of women on social media sites examined Some of the most popular social media sites are filled with images of extremely thin women that might be harmful to those who view them -- whether they are seeking them or not, according to research. The images were often cropped to remove heads or focus on just a few body parts.
When do mothers need others? New research examines how mothers underwent a remarkable transition from the past – when they had one dependent offspring at a time, ended support of their young at weaning and received no help from others – to the present, when mothers often have multiple kids who help rear other children.
Elevated upper body position improves respiratory safety in women following childbirth Although obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is less common in young women, sleep apnea was found in 4.9 percent in a cohort of pregnant women. In addition, OSA worsens as pregnancy progresses and is likely to persist into the early postpartum period. An elevated upper body position might improve respiratory safety in women early after childbirth without impairing sleep quality, a new study concludes
