Reproductive health and birth
Pregnancy and childbirth are natural processes, but they are far from simple. Several parts of the body are involved in reproductive processes, in both men and women Reproductive health includes getting pregnant, avoiding pregnancy, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. It involves sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases, and great changes in life such as puberty and menopause. The organs of reproduction, like the breasts and uterus in women, and the prostate in men, can also be affected by infections and diseases.
Feature: Coping with pain during childbirth
When they look back, many women and their partners say they found it helpful to plan what kind of pain relief they would like to use during childbirth. We describe traditional pain relief options, medicines and alternative approaches as well as their possible adverse effects. You will also find out whether emotional support can help relieve pain during labour.
Feature: Menopause
The menopause has been in the headlines a lot in the last few years. And for good reason. Researchers found that commonly prescribed hormone therapy did not have the longterm benefits many experts previously thought it had. For women who struggle with severe menopausal symptoms, this disappointing news did not make life any easier. That is why we set out to find what is known for sure about the benefits and harms of hormones and other options.
Feature: Preterm birth
Babies who are born far too soon are not completely ready for life outside the uterus (womb), and so they face quite a lot of risks. While sometimes there is no warning and a baby is born very suddenly, often there is at least a bit of time before the baby is actually born. That means there are some things that can be done then to help your baby have a better chance of survival once he or she is born.
Research summaries
Menopause: What are the effects of longterm hormone therapy?
Longterm hormone therapy for healthy women after the menopause causes more health problems than it prevents. This is particularly so for oestrogen combined with a progestogen. This might reduce the risk of bowel cancer and osteoporosis, but it increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and breast cancer.
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