Womens Health Issues - Women and Depression

One of the most serious womens health issues has to do with women's mental health rather than physical health. Over their lifetime, women are two times as likely as men to suffer from depression and depression-related problems.

The depression gender gap has been attributed to biological and cultural factors. Women experience hormone fluctuations during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause that can make them more susceptible to mood swings and sadness.

Culturally, women have a lower economic and social status than men, which can produce extraordinary stress that leads to depression. Women are also more likely to be overworked, handling domestic tasks as well as working outside the home.

Another factor is a history of sexual or physical abuse, which affects a significant percentage of women. Exercise, antidepressants, counseling, and social support can help offset women's risk of depression.

Women's Health Issues - HIV And Pregnancy

The use of prophylaxis has decreased the number of baby's born with HIV from 1994 by a third in 2005. In 2005, there were 111 babies born that tested positive for HIV infection after being born from mother's with the disease. It was in 1994 that the US Public Health Service began informing the public of the use of prophylaxis and how it could reduce the risk to babies being born with HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2004 further released new materials and information regarding this and promoted universal prenatal testing in women. These factors alone have greatly improved these sexual health issues for women and protection of babies.

Menstrual Cycle Disorders Top Womens Health Issues

Hormonal imbalances, structural conditions and other abnormal events that occur during a menstrual cycle are all menstrual cycle disorders that top women's health issues. Abnormal uterine bleeding, meaning heavy bleeding, spotting between periods, periods that last more than a week, long or short menstrual cycles and also the lack of a menstrual cycle are caused by many circumstances including fibroid tumors, hormonal imbalance, certain medications, liver or kidney disease and Leukemia. PMS or PMDD, which are behavioral symptoms before or after a period and menstrual cramps are also at the top of women's health issues. Consult your doctor for any questions or concerns you may have regarding your period.

womens health issues-Important facts to consider

Subscribing to several women's health magazines was one of the best decisions that I could have made. Being a woman myself I found that it was important for me to stay on top of many medical topics that pertained to women. Topics such as: pregnancy, dieting, sex, disease prevention and the latest womens health issues. I have gained important information in regards to the health of women that I would have otherwise missed out on.

One thing I have learned, for example, is that osteoporosis, a disease of the bones, doesn't just happen to post menopausal women, it occurs most often in Caucasian post menopausal women. What was more interesting to learn was that the reason for this frequency is unknown.

Another important thought for women to keep in mind is the fact that treatment for osteoporosis shouldn't be acquired after the symptoms of the disease are present, but treatments are more effective if they are used before symptoms present themselves.

In addition to this, a lot of treatments used for several women's diseases tend to be more along the lines of preventative measures rather than measures to cure. This is definitely something to consider.