News

During the menopause transition, hot flashes and night sweats don’t affect all women the same. Researchers over the years have attempted to address variation in symptom intensity, duration and onset. A new study now reveals how genetics may play a role. “Our research team was interested in the genetic factors that influence reproductive aging, hormone levels and trajectories, and the symptoms of the menopausal transition,” says Jennifer Smith, a genetic epidemiologist at the University of Michigan. “We (monitored) vasomotor symptoms before and during menopause, specifically, hot flashes and night sweats.” The study, published this Spring in Menopause, the journal of...

Cervical cancer, which is largely preventable, takes hundreds of thousands of lives each year. The disease impacts poorer countries at a greater rate due to insufficient access to testing and reliable diagnostic tools. This month, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Human Reproduction Programme (HRP) published new screening and treatment recommendations to prevent cervical cancer in women around the globe, including promoting the use of a more accurate and cost-effective human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA-based test. The goal of this global strategy is to have 70% of women tested by 2030, supported by several efforts: Administering the more accurate – and...

In honor of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month this January, we share with you an invaluable community resource called Cervivor, which gained its start through the visionary efforts of cervical cancer survivor Tamika Felder. When Tamika Felder was diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 25, she felt totally isolated and alone. It was an “embarrassing” and “stigmatized” cancer to talk about, and there were not support groups or patient meet-ups to connect with, learn from and gain support from. Tamika’s treatments were ultimately successful, but the chemotherapy, radiation and surgery left her changed both physically and emotionally. And still, even in that “life...

Soul Source recently donated dilators to the Women Like Us Foundation and Elizabeth Makous, a pelvic floor PT. Together, they have teamed up to help women in Kenya, Africa overcome the pelvic pain and incontinence problems caused by female genital mutilation (FGM) and other trauma. Makous, who reached out to the global nonprofit to create a program after treating one of these victims in California, now extends her generous efforts to many others abroad. “When I was able to help her overcome the physical pain caused by FGM, I knew I was supposed to help more of these precious innocent...