June 18, 2020

COVID Fears Keeping Americans From Vital Doctor Visits

WEDNESDAY, June 17, 2020 -- A ruptured appendix is one medical emergency that a general surgeon colleague of Dr. Jacqueline Fincher hadn't treated for more than 15 years in their small town of Thomson, Ga.

That's because the signs and symptoms of appendicitis are so well-known that nearly everyone gets to the hospital well before an inflamed appendix has a chance to burst.

June 4, 2020

Maria Shriver and AARP Take on Alzheimer's in Women

TUESDAY, June 2, 2020 -- An Alzheimer's diagnosis is devastating, no matter your sex. But the disease strikes far more women than men.

Journalist and author Maria Shriver is determined to help researchers figure out why women make up two-thirds of those with Alzheimer's disease. And why certain races and ethnicities are harder hit, too.

June 4, 2020

At-Home Gene Test for Breast, Ovarian Cancers Looks Effective

WEDNESDAY, June 3, 2020 -- Screening for breast and ovarian cancer genes might be added to the list of medical tests that can be safely and effectively done from home, new research suggests.

The study looked at screening for BRCA1, BRCA2 and other gene mutations linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have as much as a 7 in 10 chance of getting breast cancer by age 80, according to the American Cancer Society.

May 21, 2020

High Blood Pressure May Affect More Pregnant Women Than Thought: Study

MONDAY, May 4, 2020 -- Twice as many women who have high blood pressure during pregnancy may be at an increased risk for heart and kidney disease than once thought, a new study suggests.

For the study, researchers collected data on more than 9,800 pregnancies among more than 7,500 women in Olmsted County, Minn., who gave birth between 1976 and 1982.

May 19, 2020

AHA News: Is It Safe to Go to the Hospital During COVID-19 Pandemic?

MONDAY, May 4, 2020 (American Heart Association News) -- When concerns about catching the coronavirus encourage people to stay physically distant, that's healthy. When those fears drive ailing people away from hospitals, though, it could be dangerous.

To such people, doctors say: Your emergency room is safe. And if you need to go, you should.

May 19, 2020

'Good Bacteria' Might Help Fight a Common Gynecologic Infection

WEDNESDAY, May 13, 2020 -- A dose of healthy bacteria could give women the upper hand in ridding themselves of a common but annoying vaginal infection, a new clinical trial reports.

Women treated with Lactin-V -- an experimental vaginal suppository containing live bacteria -- were much more likely to end their recurring bouts of bacterial vaginosis than women treated with a placebo, the researchers said.