A national breast cancer charity is being accused of using misleading statistics to convince women to have mammograms, according to a paper published Thursday in the British Medical Journal.
The number of women dying of pregnancy and childbirth-related complications has been cut nearly in half over the past two decades, reflecting important and hard-won gains in improving access to family planning and maternal health across the world.
Doctors who treat breast cancer patients are very excited about an experimental drug that presents a whole new way of knocking out cancer cells.
The task force that sparked controversy with its breast cancer screening recommendations a few years ago -- and PSA prostate-cancer screening pronouncements last week -- is weighing in on hormone replacement therapy. But this time the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations are remarkable for their lack of controversy.
Sen. Scott Brown talks to CNN's Piers Morgan about contraception rights for women.
Q: This week the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued preliminary guidelines for ovarian cancer screening. It recommends against routine screening saying that the risk of false positive diagnoses outweighs the benefits. How can this be and why is it so hard to find a good screening test for ovarian cancer?
Gymnastics great Shannon Miller talks about her battle with a rare type of ovarian cancer. CNN's Susan Hendricks reports.
Q: The journal Annals of Internal Medicine has an article in it this week that talks about the "overdiagnosis" of breast cancer. What is that?
Women face shocking disparities when buying health insurance on the individual market: In the vast majority of states, nearly all the best-selling plans charge women more than men for the same coverage, a discriminatory practice known as "gender rating."
El doctor Baffi nos habla de lo factores que pueden aumentar el riesgo de padecer cáncer de cuello uterino.
Q: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is releasing new guidelines on cervical cancer screenings. What's changed?
I was recently diagnosed with polyps on my ovaries. Is this a serious condition? What are the risks and how concerned should I be about potential problems?
Congress is attempting to eviscerate women's health care. Like many women across America, I am outraged.
GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum challenges the prenatal testing policy found in the 2010 health care legislation.
The government shouldn't make health care providers fully cover prenatal tests like amniocentesis, which can determine the possibility of Down syndrome or other fetal problems, Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum said Sunday.
President Obama outlines the compromise reached with religious groups over the debate on contraceptives.
Congressional Democrats and Republicans escalated their rhetorical war Thursday over a pending federal rule requiring religiously affiliated employers to provide full contraception coverage to women -- one day after hints emerged of a possible compromise between the White House and conservative religious critics.
Students at a Pennsylvania university can now buy emergency contraceptive Plan B from a vending machine. WHP reports.
Vending machine offerings at a Pennsylvania university are expanding beyond the world of junk food and into the world of contraception.
Karen Handel, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation vice president?and lightning rod in the group's public relations storm over Planned Parenthood funding--stepped down from her position Tuesday. For many it was almost a satisfying ending to an eye-opening incident. None of it should have come as a shock.
Dee Stewart's birthday is Friday, and she'll be wearing red to celebrate. It's not her favorite color, but it is for her favorite cause.
Here's something to feel good about: Your body is a calorie-burning machine. You'll even torch a few while reading this article.
Young children are far more likely to experience attention and hyperactivity problems if their mother develops diabetes during pregnancy and they are born into a poor or lower-middle-class household, a new study suggests.
Matt Cherry clears up some myths about diabetes.
Giuliana Rancic announced that she will have a double mastectomy to fight breast cancer. A.J. Hammer reports
A Christian publisher is withdrawing copies of the "Cancer Awareness Bible," from stores because the Bible helped raised money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which in turn contributed to Planned Parenthood.
Giuliana Rancic is in good spirits after undergoing a successful double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery on Tuesday.
CNN's Kyra Phillips revisits a woman who served in Iraq and struggles to cope with post traumatic stress disorder.
A new combination of treatments can help battle some forms of metastatic breast cancer and slow down the spread of the disease, according to two separate studies.
Dr. Drew and his guests discuss what people should understand about the risks of breast cancer.
Giuliana Rancic will have a double mastectomy after lumpectomies failed to completely eradicate her breast cancer.
Elizabeth Cohen reports on women paying more for better breast cancer testing.
Imagine going in for a cancer screening, and the technician turns to you and says, "We're finished, but if I push this button over here, the machine can detect even smaller cancers. But here's the hitch: You have to pay $700 if you want me to push this button."
When new patients worry they don't know how they'll get through breast cancer, Cindy Davis puts her hand on theirs and says, "I know, but I want to tell you, I truly know, because I went through this two years ago."
As fall descends and there's an autumn chill in the air, the behemoth of all sports months takes flight. Which only brings to mind one thing ... pink?
Women who have a screening mammogram every other year are substantially less likely than those who opt for annual screening to experience false-positive results and biopsies that turn out to be unnecessary, according to a new study funded by the National Cancer Institute.
Elizabeth Cohen, senior medical correspondent, discusses Giuliana Rancic's cancer diagnosis and the dangers of IVF.
Giuliana Rancic said Monday that she has breast cancer, having discovered a tumor during a mammogram while undergoing another round of in-vitro fertilization in an effort to get pregnant.
One study finds that older women taking some supplements were at increased risk of dying earlier. Elizabeth Cohen reports.
Older women have a slightly increased risk of dying at an earlier age if they take multivitamins or certain other dietary supplements, according to a new study published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently announced that it is no longer recommending prostate cancer screening for men.
For Texas-based mom Tamara*, the journey to motherhood was anything but easy. In 2003, after developing severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome (a life-threatening complication of preeclampsia), doctors had to deliver her daughter via emergency cesarean section at just 25 weeks into her pregnancy. She was born a micro-preemie, weighing a mere 1 pound, 4 ounces; Tamara was advised never to pursue another pregnancy, as she was given a 60 percent chance of developing the same complications. For the first two years of her life, Tamara kept her daughter at home much of the time, due to a host of medical problems and issues with her feeding and growth. It was only as of her daughter's second birthday that Tamara finally started to venture out to meet other moms and give her daughter a chance to meet other kids.
Rather than risk a reoccurrence of breast cancer, the comedian underwent radical surgery
Wanda Sykes being outrageous -- that's expected. But for the actress-comedian to be serious? That's rare. Even when the issue is personal.
I had breast reduction surgery two years ago and went from a size GG to DD. I wanted to know, does a reduction lower the risk of breast cancer or abnormalities in the breast?
CNN's Anderson Cooper looks into Rep. Michele Bachmann's suggestion that the HPV vaccine is dangerous.
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) prevent unwanted pregnancies, and as an added benefit they may also help protect against cervical cancer, according to a new study in the Lancet Oncology, a British medical journal.
Middle-aged women searching for a safe alternative to hormone therapy to prevent bone loss and ease the symptoms of menopause are in for another letdown.
Christie Hall began putting off mammograms long before debate about appropriate screening became a hot-button issue.
I had fibroadenoma [a benign breast tumor] and had it removed with surgery. I am 31 and I want to know if I can take precautions to prevent breast cancer or other related problems.
Women are drastically more likely to develop a mental disorder at some point in their lives if they have been the victim of rape, sexual assault, stalking, or intimate-partner violence, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced new guidelines in Washington Monday requiring health insurance plans beginning on or after August 1, 2012 to cover several women's preventive services, including birth control and voluntary sterilization.
Many radiologists rely on specialized computer software to pinpoint suspicious areas in routine mammograms.
Contraceptives, sterilization and reproductive education should be covered by health insurance plans with no cost to patients under the health care reform law, a new report recommends.
Doctors and patients have a new tool to prevent breast cancer: A drug that is already approved for the treatment of the disease.
I have inflammatory breast cancer and I have been through chemo and a double mastectomy. They found active cancer cells so the cancer has spread. The oncologist said she didn't think there was anything more they could do for me. I start radiation soon but she didn't think that that would be very helpful either. Is there anything out there that may help me?
When she found the lump in her breast, Jessica Denton had known she was pregnant with her first child for just a few days.
In 2010, a study found women with no family history of breast cancer do not benefit from mammograms at an early age.
The use of mammograms has dipped since a medical task force made controversial recommendations that women in their 40s may not need to get breast cancer screenings every year, according to one of three small studies to be presented Monday.
A new study supports screening women for breast cancer after age 40. CNN's Elizabeth Cohen reports.
My husband has non-Hodgkins lymphoma, stage 4, and has been treated with chemotherapy. His doctor says it is under control. He wonders does that mean it is gone or just being held at bay? He has been having "hot flashes" since he began his treatment for his prostate cancer (cannot remember the Gleason score, but tumor was in both lobes of prostate, without changes to his bone marrow.) He was treated with hormones, brachytherapy and radiation for this. We can't seem to get an answer for the question of the "hot flashes." Are they a symptom of ongoing disease, the hormone therapy or will he just continue to have them for the rest of his life?
I have not had a period for the past five years and before that I had a normal menstrual cycle for 10 years. I went to both my primary care doctor and gynecologist but after the initial blood work and pelvic ultrasound came back normal, it was decided I should go on birth control and stay on it until I reach menopause age. I really don't like the idea of being on birth control for the next 20 years. Is there another specialist I should see or another test I should ask for specifically?
I had my first mammogram yesterday and my breasts are still really sore. I am fairly small-chested, and the tech said that usually makes it hurt more. What can I do for the pain now, and is there anything I can do to make it hurt less next time?
A new study questions the way breast cancer surgery is done. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.
Women with early stage breast cancer that has spread to their lymph nodes may require less extensive surgery than previously thought, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Women who smoke have an increased risk of developing breast cancer, especially if they become smokers early in life, a new study suggests.
One of my neighbors has breast cancer. Her doctor has asked her to completely stop eating soy and its products, including edamame and tofu. My neighbor used to eat tofu at least three times a week before she got breast cancer. Is there a link between soy and breast cancer? Is there a potential that I will get breast cancer because I used to eat edamame?
The antidepressant Lexapro (escitalopram) may reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes, the bouts of sweating and overheating that are an uncomfortable fact of life for many menopausal women, a new government-funded study suggests.
I'm pregnant with my third baby and am due next month. I had C-sections with the first two babies but would like to try having the baby naturally this time. People have told me that this is not safe, but I found an obstetrician who is willing to do a VBAC. What's the latest information on having a vaginal delivery after having a C-section?
On Thursday, December 2, as Aneka sat at home nine months pregnant, the phone rang.
If you're a woman in your 40s, you probably remember how checking the health of your breasts became a point of national contention last year.
Losing a pregnancy can break a mom-to-be's heart in more ways than one. According to a new study, women who experience a stillbirth or repeated miscarriages have a dramatically increased risk of heart attack later in life.
From January: A study may explain why more black patients die of heart disease. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.
Elizabeth Anderson had to act fast when she learned she had advanced breast cancer in April 2009.
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen explains a new option to help breast cancer survivors who opt for surgery.
Drinking too much soda, orange juice, or other sugary drinks appears to increase the risk of developing gout, an especially painful form of arthritis, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Just after she'd gotten a divorce and gone back to work, Alice Thornton would feel cold one minute and hot the next, and her temper was shorter than usual.
When Hallie Leighton received the letter from her doctor with the results of her recent mammogram, she opened it tentatively, afraid of what it might say. Her mother and grandmother had both had breast cancer, and she didn't want to suffer the same fate.
American Cancer Society Chief Medical Officer Dr. Otis Brawley shares his opinion on why mammography is still relevant.
After six weeks of radiation, the tennis legend feels "as good as new"
Is it really worth it to get a mammogram? Should I be getting mammograms?
A new study released Thursday suggests mammograms might not be as effective in reducing deaths from breast cancer in women over 50 as previously thought.
Many middle-aged women report sexual problems, including a loss of libido and a less-than-satisfying sex life. Now a new study suggests these problems are even more common among women who have had breast cancer.
Women who have gene mutations that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer can substantially reduce their chances of developing -- and dying from -- those cancers if they have their breasts or ovaries removed preemptively, according to a new study.
Inside an Afghan drug treatment center, CNN's Jill Dougherty meets women and children battling addiction.
It had been 29 years of clean living, almost three decades since her right breast -- "a lot of my womanhood, my female identity," she said -- had been removed because of cancer. She'd had a boyfriend at the time. He sent flowers to the hospital and never called again. "It was a really traumatic, dark time for me," recalls Peggy Frechione, now 60. And then it wasn't. She recovered, married, raised children in the Pittsburgh suburbs and held a job as a nurse. Her body cooperated; scan after scan came up clean.
I had a hysterectomy for multiple non-cancerous tumors and kept my ovaries. I am 47. Do I still need Pap smears? I do not take hormones.
Sweaty, sleepless nights. Inexplicable grouchiness. Weight gain, headaches, and no sex drive. Many women approaching menopause can relate -- and so can Mike Coleman.
Erin Riley immersed herself in warm bathwater, tilted her head against the tub and dozed in and out of sleep between contractions.
When women have a miscarriage, one of the first questions they often ask is how long they should wait before getting pregnant again. A new study suggests that the sooner they start trying, the better.
Sandra Gordon is dreading menopause. The 46-year-old from Weston, Connecticut, watched her mother's memory falter in her mid-50s, due to changing hormone levels. "Every time I get my period I say to myself, 'Yes! I'm so relieved!' " says Gordon.
Overweight women who experience hot flashes -- the uncomfortable flushing and sweating spells that accompany menopause -- may be able to cool those symptoms by losing weight, a new study suggests.
Millions of Americans already take fish oil to keep their hearts healthy and to treat ailments ranging from arthritis to depression. Now, a new study suggests that the supplements may also help women lower their risk of breast cancer.
I have been bleeding during sex. An ER doctor I saw said it could be precancer cells. I am just wondering what causes these cells. Why does it happen, and what are the symptoms? I don't have a gynecologist because I lost my insurance.
A simple doctor's-office blood test may one day be able to predict when a woman will start menopause, possibly even in women in their 20s.
Losing interest in sex would be unfortunate for most people, but for Linda Poelzl it was a professional hazard.
"The great question that has never been answered and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my 30 years of research into the feminine soul, is, 'What does a woman want?' "
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