Outcomes Similar After Total, Partial Hysterectomy
Despite concerns that total hysterectomy might be harder on pelvic organs than less-extensive hysterectomy, new study findings suggest that neither procedure harms women's bladder, bowel or sexual function.
( Reuters, 10/24/2002 10:39 AM PDT)

Calif. Urges Study of Alarming Breast Cancer Rates
Faced with an alarming and unexplained rise in new breast cancer cases, California officials called on Wednesday for a pilot program to monitor breast milk for signs that environmental contamination plays in a role in the deadly disease.
( BY ANDREW QUINN, Reuters, 10/24/2002 10:33 AM PDT)

Tests Underway to Find Replacement for Hormones
Reports on Wednesday showed no single drug, and perhaps no herbal treatment, can replace hormone replacement therapy, dealing a blow to women hoping for a safe alternative to the once-popular drugs.
( BY MAGGIE FOX, Reuters, 10/24/2002 10:32 AM PDT)

Breast cancer care different for black, white women
Older black Medicare recipients with breast cancer may receive different treatment for their cancer and appear to be less likely to pursue breast conservation strategies than white women, according to the results of a national study.
( BY DANA FRISCH, Reuters, 10/23/2002 07:00 AM PDT)

Inflammation higher among 'apple-shaped' women
Obese women, particularly those who carry the bulk of their weight in their abdomens, are more prone to a type of low-grade inflammation that may increase their risk of heart disease and stroke, according to new study findings.
( Reuters, 10/23/2002 06:58 AM PDT)

Appetite trigger leptin may be key
Researchers have spotted a likely new reason for bone loss that afflicts women and teenage girls who exercise so much or eat so little that they wind up starving themselves.
( IRA DREYFUSS, Associated Press Writer, 10/22/2002 06:47 AM PDT)

An Expectant Mother's Questions About Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a condition that occurs during pregnancy which can be dangerous or even fatal for a mother or baby. The result of soaring blood pressure, preeclampsia most frequently strikes first-time mothers or women who are carrying twins or multiple pregnancies.
( Craig Bissinger, MD, 10/22/2002 11:53 AM PDT)

Girls More Socially Aggressive Than Boys: Study
These days, adolescent and teenage girls are not very popular. From recent books such as "Queen Bees and Wannabes" and "Odd Girl Out," which describe female bullying and the psychology of girls, to a recent New York Times magazine cover story titled "Mean Girls," females between the ages of 11 and 18 have come under intense social scrutiny.
( Reuters, 10/22/2002 11:49 AM PDT)

Women Should Start Colon Cancer Screening at 50
Even though research has suggested that women may develop colorectal cancer at an older age than men, findings presented on Sunday at the American College of Gastroenterology's annual meeting do not support beginning screening later in life in women.
( BY ROXANNE NELSON, Reuters, 10/22/2002 07:51 AM PDT)