Women's Health

Testing for changes in cells of the cervix or for presence of the HPV virus are both good ways to screen for cervical cancer, health organizations say.

For Many Women, Cervical Cancer Screening May Get A Lot Simpler

11:29am September 12, 2017

by Tara Haelle

For decades the Pap test was the only option for cervical cancer screening. Now there's the HPV test, too. A federal task force says that for most women, either test will do just fine.

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.

While many women experience miscarriage, few talk about it openly. But researchers have found there is discussion and a lot of sharing happening on social media. Their hope is that greater public discourse will help reduce stigma and the sense of isolatio

What The Public Is Saying About Miscarriage In 140 Characters

9:58am August 27, 2017

Miscarriage, while widely experienced, is not often discussed in public. Researchers have turned to social media to see what people are saying about the topic and how much they're choosing to share.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, D, center, recently signed a bill into law that would require insurers in the state to cover reproductive health services.

Oregon, Texas Lay Down Markers On Abortion Coverage

5:00am August 23, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Highlighting the country's sharp divide over abortion and mixed reactions to requirements in the Affordable Care Act, Texas restricts insurance coverage while Oregon requires that it be covered.

Nicole O'Hara was diagnosed with breast cancer at 29 years old. She decided to have her mastectomy scars covered up with a tattoo.

VIDEO: Where Mastectomy Scars Raged, A Tattoo Garden Blooms

5:00am August 12, 2017

Nicole O'Hara was 29 when she had a double mastectomy after a cancer diagnosis. She chose to cover the scars with a tattoo that blooms like her garden, with apple blossoms, bluebells and heather.

Ariel Levy first wrote about the miscarriage she suffered in Mongolia in the Nov. 17, 2013 issue of The New Yorker.

'I Was Somebody's Mother': Reflections On The Guilt And Grief Of Miscarriage

12:41am August 02, 2017

by Terry Gross

Ariel Levy was five months pregnant and alone in a hotel room in Mongolia when she gave birth. Her son lived only 10 minutes. Afterward, Levy was haunted by the notion that she had caused his death.

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Lara Hogan developed preeclampsia when she was pregnant with her son Zion in 2016. Both are fine now, but she's taking extra precautions to stay healthy.

Women With High-Risk Pregnancies Are More Likely To Develop Heart Disease

9:41am July 10, 2017

by Anna Gorman

Women who develop diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy, or whose babies are born prematurely, often are unaware of their own increased risk of heart disease later. So are their doctors.

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Mammography has helped increase the early detection of breast tumors. Now, researchers say, the goal is to discern which of those tumors need aggressive treatment, including chemotherapy or radiation after surgery.

Tumor Test Helps Identify Which Breast Cancers Don't Require Extra Treatment

6:47pm June 29, 2017

Researchers say the test, which measures gene activity, can help avoid "overtreating" tumors that are not life-threatening. It might allow some patients to avoid radiation and chemotherapy.

Women have gotten conflicting advice from doctors about when to have mammograms.

OB-GYNs Give Women More Say In When They Have Mammograms

3:55pm June 23, 2017

by Katherine Hobson

Updated guidelines on mammograms from the nation's gynecologists are intended to incorporate recommendations from three other medical societies and consider women's preferences, too.

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A new study suggests that some small tumors are small because they are biologically prone to slow growth.

Health & Safety

Some Small Tumors In Breasts May Not Be So Bad After All

5:32pm June 07, 2017

by Rob Stein

Research indicates a significant number of the tumors detected through mammography are small because they are prone to slow growth. The findings suggest many are unlikely to become life-threatening.

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