Women's Health Package

Over 300,000 words, organized under six main topic areas. The selection of materials compiled by the editors of Harvard Health Publications, focuses on health and wellness issues specific to women including: reproductive health and pregnancy, nutrition, exercise and management of diseases most-common to women.

BREAST HEALTH
GYNECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS
SEXUALITY AND REPRODUCTION
MENTAL HEALTH IN WOMEN
EXERCISE, NUTRITION, AND WEIGHT LOSS
JUST FOR WOMEN: COMMON HEALTH CONCERNS

SEXUALITY AND REPRODUCTION
 

CONTRACEPTION AND ABORTION

By the Way, Doctor: How Risky are Birth Control Pills?
While birth control pills are not risk free, research shows that they are safe for most women.

HARVARD COMMENTARIES/COLUMNS

• The Concepts of Conception: What to Ignore about Getting Pregnant
• Birth Control Pills 101

HARVARD INTERACTIVE TOOLS

• Choosing The Best Birth Control: Reversible Options
• Choosing The Best Birth Control: Permanent Options

ASK-THE-EXPERT

• I am 29 years old and have been on the same birth control pill (Ortho-Novum 1/35) for 12 years. People (non-experts) often say that my body needs a "break." Is there any scientific evidence to back this up? What if any are the side effects of long-term oral contraceptive use?
• I have heard about the "quick start" approach to using birth control. What happens if you start taking birth control pills before you start your next period? When does it start being effective?
• If I took Depo-Provera shots, how long do I have to wait after the last shot before I can expect to become pregnant? (I had the last shot 2 1/2 years ago and my period is still not regular.) How long will it be in my system? And are there any long-term negative effects on my fertility?

HEALTH A-TO-Z
Abortion

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PREGNANCY

Alcohol Before Birth
A woman who drinks while pregnant could be giving her child a poor start in life.

Heart Beat: Pregnancy Problems Echo Later in Life
Many of the health problems that women develop during pregnancy seem to disappear after they give birth. Research suggests that some may reappear later in life, often as cardiovascular disease. In fact, some pregnancy-related conditions could be the first signal of future heart disease.

Depression During Pregnancy and After
For too many women, joyfully anticipated pregnancy and motherhood bring depression as an unexpected accompaniment.

Questions & Answers: Are Antidepressants Safe During Pregnancy?
Antidepressants, once considered safe during pregnancy, may cause birth defects. Women are warned of the effects and given alternatives.

By the Way, Doctor: Pre-conception Planning
I’ve heard a lot about what I should do during pregnancy to have a healthy baby, but I’d like to know what I can do now, before I become pregnant.

HARVARD COMMENTARIES/COLUMNS

• The Postpartum Period: Your "Fourth" Trimester
• Surviving Pregnancy Bed Rest
• Boy or Girl? Determining a Baby's Gender
• The Experience of Miscarriage
• Information to Ignore When Pregnant
• Eating for Two
• Exercising During Pregnancy (Part 1)
• Exercising During Pregnancy (Part 2)
• Get Your Body Back Mommy
• Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy

ASK-THE-EXPERT

• My first pregnancy ended at eight weeks in a miscarriage. When I get pregnant again, should I try to see my doctor early in the pregnancy as a precaution? Is there anything else I might do to prevent a miscarriage again?
• My daughter is breastfeeding, and her breasts have become very painful. It appears she has mastitis. What can she do at home to relieve the symptoms?
• Is it safe to swim in a chlorinated pool during pregnancy?

HARVARD INTERACTIVE TOOLS

• Interactive Pregnancy Guide
• Pregnancy Quiz
• Newborn Quiz
• Due Date Calculator
• Baby's Growth Timeline
• How to hold your baby
• How to breast feed your baby
• How to bottle feed your baby
• How to burp your baby
• How to sponge bathe your baby
• How to tub bathe your baby

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INFERTILITY

In Brief: Getting Help for Infertility
In the United States, 10 to 15 percent of all couples are diagnosed as infertile, that is, they are unable to conceive after a year of trying.

ASK-THE-EXPERT

• Can chronic bacterial vaginosis cause infertility? I have not been on birth control for 10 years and had one pregnancy eight years ago. Over the past two years I have had bacterial vaginosis off and on. Can this contribute to my infertility problem?
• Does aerobic exercise affect estrogen levels and fertility?
• Is HPV infection associated with infertility?

HEALTH A-TO-Z
Female Infertility

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SEXUALITY

What is Female Sexual Dysfunction?
A woman's sexual responsiveness is not the same as a man's. Ignoring its complexity can make difference look like dysfunction.

Sexuality: It Takes Two: Coping With Erectile Dysfunction
How to cope when your partner can’t get an erection.

HARVARD COMMENTARIES/COLUMNS

• Am I Sexually Normal?
• The Myth of the First Time
• "You Make Me Feel Like" (a Natural Woman)
• In Search of the Elusive Aphrodisiac: Sex, Food and Myth

ASK-THE-EXPERT

• My son was born by vaginal birth one month ago. I did not have any complications. I was told by my OB/Gyn not to have sex for six weeks. Why is that? What are the risks for having sex before the six-week period is up?
• Can you have sex the night before you are scheduled to have a Pap test, or would this interfere with the testing procedure or results?
• Can women take Levitra?

HEALTH A-TO-Z
Painful Sexual Intercourse (Dyspareunia)

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MENOPAUSE AND PERIMENOPAUSE

Menopause: Managing the Change of Life
Women go through many transitions in life, and each comes with its own complex set of physical and emotional responses. While every woman responds differently to menopause, all women approaching this transition are likely to consider some similar themes.

Perimenopause: Rocky Road to Menopause
Hormonal changes can precede menopause by months or years. The latest information about what characterizes this life change and how to treat its symptoms.

By the Way, Doctor: What Can I Do About Irregular Bleeding During Perimenopause?
What to do about irregular vaginal bleeding during perimenopause.

By the Way, Doctor: What’s the Latest on Tibolone, the Estrogen Alternative?
Tibilone showed promise in initial trials, but we need to wait for current large studies to determine if it's truly a safe alternative.

News Brief: Update on Black Cohosh for Hot Flashes
Hysterectomies are sometimes necessary, but for the most part, less invasive alternatives exist and should probably be considered first. Find out how to treat fibroids, endometriosis, and other conditions without major surgery.

By the Way, Doctor: Menopause and Cellulite
Menopause doesn't cause cellulite. While there is no cure for cellulite, the best solution may be exercise.

Hormone Therapy’s Unanswered Questions
Discussion of hormone therapy's long-term risks and benefits, and its role in disease prevention.

Hormone Therapy Revisited: Thanks for the Memories
Discusses the May 2003 Women's Health Initiative Memory Study that found Prempro slightly increases the risk for dementia in older women.

Hormone Therapy Revisited: What About Quality of Life?
New data from the Women's Health Initiative suggest that hormone therapy may not greatly improve quality of life for some menopausal women.

HARVARD COMMENTARIES/COLUMNS

• Menopause Makeover
• What You Need to Know about Fibroids
• Are You In, Out or Post-Menopause?
• Could it be Hormonal?
• Osteoporosis and Exercise

ASK-THE-EXPERT

• Is there a test that can determine if a woman is going through menopause?
• What is your opinion of the use of black cohosh for treatment of menopausal symptoms?
• Can you advise me on what types of vitamins or supplements a perimenopausal woman with arthritis should take? Also, I am highly allergic to iodine; is it found in multivitamins?