women\u2019s health<\/a>\u2014from fibroids to breast cancer to osteoporosis\u2014and dispel some old beliefs about what\u2019s involved in certain procedures. Ultimately, we want to educate women and encourage them to take charge of their own health.\u201d<\/p>\nHere\u2019s a glimpse at some of the findings:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Heart Disease. Researchers are working on better ways to evaluate heart disease in women, even routine assessment of risk factors like high cholesterol. For example, a recent study showed that a woman\u2019s menstrual cycle can impact her cholesterol levels: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels peak around ovulation, when estrogen levels are highest, and total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels decline a couple of days after ovulation. \u201cUntil recently, we have not had scientific information to help us understand better how to predict, diagnose, prevent or treat heart disease in women,\u201d says Dr. Vivian Pinn, director of the Federal Government\u2019s Office of Research on Women\u2019s Health. \u201cThis type of research is not only needed, but will be extremely beneficial in helping to improve the health of women.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Breast Cancer. Promising screening techniques and drug therapies are stirring new optimism. A new Computed Tomography (CT) scanner, custom designed for the breast, eliminates the need to compress breast tissue and produces a 3D image in as little as 10 seconds. The CT scanner can also detect tumors as small as 3 mm that are difficult to see on a mammogram.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Fibroids. About one in five women develops uterine fibroids during her child-bearing years. Some fibroids don\u2019t need treatment, or can be managed by taking birth-control pills or other drugs. But others do require surgery, in some cases a hysterectomy. In the past, a hysterectomy would require many weeks of painful recovery, leaving large scars. Thanks in part to newer robotic surgery techniques, called da Vinci Surgery, hysterectomy patients can leave the hospital the next morning with only a few tiny (1\/2 to 1 inch) incisions to heal, reaching full recovery within days.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis. Advances are being made in the treatment of osteoporosis, namely drugs to increase bone mass rather than just prevent bone loss.<\/p>\n
\u201cMajor new developments are expected in drugs that increase bone mass, rather than just inhibiting bone loss,\u201d says Dr. Sundeep Khosla, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic and the president of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. One existing osteoporosis drug\u2014Forteo\u2014works in this way, but it\u2019s expensive ($12,000 to $16,000 a year), requires daily injections, and has been shown to cause cancer in animals, so physicians usually limit its duration of use to a couple of years. \u201cIt was important for being the first in its class,\u201d says Dr. Khosla, \u201cbut the pharmaceutical industry is busy developing new drugs to stimulate bone growth that aren\u2019t as expensive and are easier to administer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022 Gestational Diabetes. About 135,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with gestational diabetes each year, or 4 percent of all pregnant women. The number of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes may double under new testing standards announced in March, according to the American Diabetes Association. That would mean more women affected by the condition would have the chance to alter their diets or take medication to reduce their blood-sugar levels, keeping themselves\u2014and their babies\u2014safe. Left untreated, gestational diabetes can lead to overweight babies, complications during delivery and a higher risk for both mother and child of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we can identify these women and intervene to make sure they\u2019re taking preventative measures for themselves and their children, that would make a dent in the overall diabetes epidemic,\u201d says Carol Homco, an ADA spokeswoman and associate professor of nursing at Temple University in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
Women are encouraged to put their health first, so they can better take care of their families today and every day. To read more about the exciting progress being made for women\u2019s health and to find a free, educational event near you, log on to EverydayHealth.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n
![\"Innovations](\"https:\/\/www.quinessence.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/womens-health.jpg\")
Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of women\u2019s health conditions have come a long way, baby. In honor of Women\u2019s Health Awareness Month and National Women\u2019s Health Week (May 8-14), the popular health and wellness website EverydayHealth.com, is working with the HHS Office on Women\u2019s Health and da Vinci Surgery to present \u201cWomen\u2019s Works: Tools for a Healthier You.\u201d Free educational programs are taking place at over 250 hospitals nationwide throughout the month of May. Each will shine a light on the advances and innovations in some of the top conditions that affect women. Events are made possible through support by da Vinci Surgery.<\/p>\n