Women's Health Archive

Gravity is not kind to your body as you age. Nor are childbirth, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, and the hormone declines that lead to muscle loss, loose skin, and thinning hair. Worry about having your partner see your sagging skin or generous waistline can discourage you from having sex, or you may demand that sex take place only under the covers, with the lights out. Needless to say, these conditions don't leave much room for a sense of closeness or inspired lovemaking. Often, a preoccupation with your appearance while making love will prevent you from initiating or responding to sexual advances.

A negative self-image isn't always rooted in your appearance. Career setbacks or other disappointments can lead to feelings of failure and depression, both of which sap desire. For men, episodes of impotence can undercut confidence in their masculinity.

Infections from a drug-resistant fungus have been occuring around the world for the past decade. It’s not cause for panic, but it’s wise to understand the facts and ways to protect yourself.

A drug holiday is one recommendation to reduce the risk of a rare bone condition that affects the jaw.

A dentist refers a woman to an oral surgeon because she needs a tooth pulled. But upon reviewing her chart, the oral surgeon turns her away.

The reason? She's taking a common medication to treat her osteoporosis, a condition that causes bones to become thin, brittle, and prone to fracture.

Ask the doctors

Q. I have endometriosis, and I recently heard that it might increase my risk of certain cancers. Is this true?

A. Researchers have linked endometriosis, an often painful condition that causes endometrial-like tissue to grow outside the uterus, to a higher risk of two types of ovarian cancer — endometrioid and clear-cell subtypes. That said, even though your risk of these cancers may be higher than that of the average woman who doesn't have endometriosis, your chances of developing one of these cancers is still very small — less than 1%.

People attempting to conceive through in vitro fertilization may face the question of what to do with extra embryos, especially if they reach a point where they feel their family is complete.

Q. I'm 61 and recently began to have a vaginal discharge. It's not itchy, but sexual intercourse is painful. My doctor diagnosed it as strep B vaginitis and prescribed amoxicillin, which helped. But the discharge returned within a week. What do you recommend?

A. Some vaginal discharge is normal. It helps to protect against vaginal infections and provides lubrication for the vaginal tissues. The discharge consists of vaginal skin cells, mucus, and fluid, as well as Candida (a type of yeast) and vaginal flora, the bacteria normally found in the vagina. Strep B, or group B streptococcus, is one possible constituent of the vaginal flora. Most of the time, vaginal flora and Candida co-exist peacefully. But a change in the balance and in vaginal pH (acidity) may result in vaginal inflammation, or vaginitis.