The Increase in Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Despite social distancing, experts say people are increasingly “hooking up.” Sexually transmitted diseases are growing as a result. An expert discusses STDs in a pandemic.
Reproductive Health Sub-categories:
- Abortion (2)
- Birth Control and Contraception (12)
Why Women Are Genetically Stronger
Women may have been known through the centuries as the weaker sex, but researchers have learned that they are anything but weak. Their 2 X chromosomes are both active and cooperate with each other, especially in immune response. An expert discusses new findings on their genetic superiority.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome affects about 10% of American women, but has such a wide variety of troubling symptoms that it’s often misdiagnosed. Experts discuss the disorder and what women should know.
The Risks of Egg Donation
Some agencies estimate that 50,000 children have been born in the US using donor eggs. But egg donation (or sale, as some insist) is not regulated, and while short term risks are known, few donors have been followed for years. Long term risks are not well understood. Experts discuss what we know… and what we don’t.
Fertility Rate Decline and the Aging Population (2019)
Experts explain that it may not be as good a thing as we may think, and cite nations like Japan and Italy which are facing labor shortages and elderly populations as a result of less-than-replacement-level fertility.
Medical Notes: Week of August 4, 2019
A kid's picky eating could be a sign of autism. Then, medication dispensing limits are supposed to save money, but that may not be the case for birth control pills. Finally, shrinking screens could be distorting your view of the news.
Medical Notes: Week of July 21, 2019
A study showing gestational diabetes during pregnancy can raise the risk for type 1 diabetes in the child. Then, a specific antibiotic that might help women with symptoms from endometriosis. And finally, gazing down at smartphones is causing the development of "horns" in young adults.
Cancer Treatment and Sex
Cancer treatment has always focused on survival. Now doctors are increasingly focusing on side effects, including the effect of treatment on sexual function and satisfaction. However, many patients are shy about bringing up their difficulties, unaware there are ways to help. One of the nation’s top experts discusses.
Can IUDs & Other Contraceptives Trigger Autoimmune Disease?
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus carry a genetic predisposition, but need an environmental trigger to take hold. Triggers are poorly understood, but some women claim their disease is a result of contraceptives, including birth control pills and IUDs. Experts and one women suffering from autoimmune disease discuss the issue.
Invisible Girls: Victims of Incest
Experts say incest is the most common of all sexual abuse, but the least discussed openly. A noted expert on sexual abuse discusses how incest makes girls feel particularly responsible and unable to come forward, and a non-profit organization that seeks to help them.
Is Sex Addiction Real?
The authoritative DSM-5 manual used by psychiatrists does not accept sex addiction as a real addiction, yet many doctors insist it’s as real as any other compulsion. Experts and an admitted former sex addict discuss the disorder, its treatment, and the wreckage it leaves behind.
The Vaccine Race and Ethics
Dr. Meredith Wadman discusses the controversial history of vaccines, and the balance of need and ethics in science and medicine.
