June 2014

Certain acne products can cause serious allergic reactions

The use of certain acne products containing the active ingredients benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid can cause rare but serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions or severe irritation according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The acne products the FDA is warning about are sold over-the-counter (OTC) and applied to the skin (topical). Their serious allergic reactions differ from the less harmful irritations already included in the product Drug Facts labels, which include burning, dryness, itching, peeling, redness, and slight swelling where the product is applied.

Addressing Problems at the VA

Disturbing reports about mismanagement at the Veteran’s Affairs (VA) medical centers had led to Congressional action.  One of our Leadership Council members at the Women’s Health Research Institute, Melina R.

Sex Differences in Gout

Research presented at the European Congress of Rheumatology indicated that “women have different predisposing risk factors for gout than do men, who more often fit the stereotypical profile of patients with gout who consume foods that increase the risk of the disease.” The research, “based on data collected from participants in the Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA) gout registry,” indicated that “women with gout were more likely to have taken predisposing medications and to have more gout-associated comorbidities, whereas men were more likely to consume foods linked to the disorder, such as alco

Estimates of Young Breast Cancer Survivors at Risk for Infertility in the U.S.

Gonadotoxic therapies, such as chemotherapy, used to treat breast cancer can have harmful effects on fertility- they destroy ovarian follicles, or women’s reserve of ova, resulting in amenorrhea and/or early menopause. Additionally, many endocrine therapies used to treat breast cancer have indirect effects on fertility, often impairing ovulatory and endometrial function.

Approximately 11% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are under age 45, and one of the largest predictors of infertility after cancer treatment in women is age: 5% of women diagnosed with cancer at age 30, 32% of women diagnosed at age 35, and 80% of women diagnosed at age 40 are infertile after cancer treatment. Women under age 45 have unique survivorship concerns- including the risk of infertility due to cancer treatment.

Delinquent girls more likely than boys, to die violently as adults

Delinquency in youth predicts a significantly higher rate of violent death in adulthood — especially from firearms — and females are among the most vulnerable, reports a new Northwestern Medicine® study.

Delinquent females died violently at nearly five times the rate of those in the general population, according to the study, while delinquent males died at three times general population rates.

Death rates in Hispanic males and females were five and nine times more than the general population rates, respectively.

Are you taking too much calcium?

Bone health in women has raised a lot of concern and generated many recommendations. Current guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that women ages 65 and older be screened routinely for osteoporosis. To reduce bone loss and decrease risk of fractures, calcium and vitamin D recommends have been outlined as well; premenopausal women should consume at least 1,000 mg per day and postmenopausal women should consume 1,2000 mg per day (total diet and supplement). But are women taking too much calcium?

Oncofertility Patient Education

A variety of patient education materials have been created for providers to use in the oncofertility care setting- materials that describe fertility preservation options in easy-to-understand language and have been designed in multiple platforms ranging from informational fact sheets to internet videos. The Oncofertility Consortium has gathered the existing oncofertility patient aids and organized them within our Oncofertility Decision Tool Web Portal.

An entire section of the portal is devoted to patient education. We have done this so providers can quickly access materials when reproductive age patients whose fertility is threatened by their disease or treatment are on their clinic schedule.

Alaskan campaign places pregnancy tests in bar bathrooms

As the state with the highest rates of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the U.S., Alaska is introducing a new campaign aimed at preventing pregnant women from drinking, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Starting in December, pregnancy tests will be placed in the bathrooms of 20 bars and restaurants across the state.

Oncofertility Clinical Guidelines, Recommendations, & Opinions

Need to stay up to date on the latest clinical guidelines, recommendations, and opinions? Our Oncofertility Decision Tool Web Portal has an entire section devoted to bringing you ALL of the clinical guidelines affecting fertility preservation and oncology care.  We designed it this way so the resources you need are at your fingertips- organized in one easy to access online location. Check out our Clinical Recommendations, Guidelines, and Opinions section of the Oncofertility Web Portal today!

The Sitdown: Teresa Woodruff is a driving force for sex equity in medical science

Women’s Health Research Institute Director, Dr. Teresa Woodruff was featured in a recent Chicago Sun-Times piece. Discussing everything from her research, her advocacy efforts, and even her hobbies, Dr. Woodruff breaks down the importance of sex-based research. From basic science to clinical trials, both sexes need to be examined to determine differences (if any) in treatment or prescription drug dosage.