Women's Health Archive

Research we're watching

Can your current or past menstrual cycle offer clues about your longevity? A study published Oct. 3, 2020, in The BMJ linked irregular or long menstrual cycles (defined as 40 days or more) throughout adolescence and adulthood to a higher risk of early death (before age 70), compared with that seen in women who had normal or short menstrual cycles. The study authors, who used data from nearly 80,000 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II, found that the association was stronger for deaths from heart and blood vessel disease and in women who smoked.

Women in the study were, on average, 38 years old and had no history of cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes when the study began. Researchers asked them to recall the regularity and length of their menstrual cycles at various times in their life. The researchers followed the women for 24 years, noting deaths from various causes over time. The association of early death with irregular or long menstrual cycles persisted even after they corrected for other factors, such as lifestyle and family history.

Research we're watching

Treatment for women with a type of early breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) might not be doing enough to prevent deaths from the disease, says a study published online Sept. 16, 2020, by JAMA Network Open. The study sought to determine whether women diagnosed with DCIS had a higher risk of dying from breast cancer than women who did not have the disease. They looked at 144,524 women who were diagnosed with DCIS from 1994 and 2014 and then treated for the condition. Researchers compared them against women without DCIS from the general population. They found that the women with DCIS had three times the risk of dying of breast cancer in the follow-up period, which ran until December 2016, than women without DCIS. Study authors suggest ways that might identify which women with DCIS need more aggressive therapy to prevent breast cancer death.

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Endometriosis occurs in women when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other places in the body, most commonly within the pelvis, causing pain and other symptoms. Many women with this condition are not diagnosed properly until middle age. There are several options for treatment, and it may take time to find what works best for each person.

Doctors typically recommend that women who have high blood pressure avoid using birth control that contains estrogen to avoid raising risks for a stroke or heart attack. According to a clinical update, this recommendation may be changing for some women with high blood pressure.

Ask the doctors

Q. I've been experiencing some menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes. Can acupuncture help?

A. There is some evidence that acupuncture may be able to provide short-term relief from some menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes. Acupuncture is a long-used type of Chinese medicine in which a trained practitioner inserts thin needles into specific locations on your body.

Research we're watching

Need another reason to quit smoking? A study published in the September 2020 issue of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry found that women ages 30 to 60 who smoked had four times the risk of having a brain aneurysm (a weakened artery in the brain that bulges and could burst) compared with nonsmokers.

Researchers looked at nearly 550 women who had a brain scan performed, most often because of persistent headaches. The scans showed that 113 of them had one or more brain aneurysms. These individuals were then matched with 113 people who did not have brain aneurysms. In comparing the two groups, the researchers found not only that smoking drove up the risk of finding a brain aneurysm, but also that women who both smoked and had high blood pressure had seven times the risk compared to nonsmokers with normal blood pressure. If future research shows that smokers also have a significantly higher risk of brain aneurysm rupture, women smokers ages 30 to 60 might be candidates for aneurysm screening.

The benefits of multivitamins are looking doubtful. Can we do without them?

The answer is a qualified yes – we can do without them, as long as you eat a well-balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

In the past, doctors often suggested a standard multivitamin with minerals each day. They don't cost much, and earlier studies had shown some benefits. For example, it appeared that folic acid and other B vitamins might lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and possibly cancer. But more recent studies have shown no added benefit of multivitamins for healthy people that eat a balanced diet.

Q.I am 53. I've had fibroids for some time but have experienced heavy menstrual bleeding lately. A recent ultrasound showed fibroids and polyps. What are my options?

A. As you know, you're almost certainly in perimenopause, the four to eight years leading up to menopause and the complete cessation of menstruation. Every woman's script for the transition to menopause is a little bit different, but it's very common for the menstrual cycle to be irregular and the amount of blood flow to vary. Erratic ovulation — the release of eggs from the ovaries — may result in hormonal changes that cause the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) to become thicker than usual, so when it sloughs off, the menstrual bleeding is heavier and more prolonged than women are used to.