![]() |
Mary Wood's Health Tip of the Month:
"Taken daily, three months prior to conception and during the first two months of pregnancy, folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects and serious birth defects involving the spine or brain." |
![]() |
In 1996, more than 184,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the United States and an estimated 44,300 women will die. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. According to the most recent data, mortality rates are falling for Caucasians but not for African Americans. This may be because of a lack of access to screening procedures and/or improved treatment. Breast cancer risk increases with age; other risk factors include a personal or family history of breast cancer, early age at menarche, late age at menopause, never having children, or late age at first live birth. Risk factors appear to be more useful in providing clues to the development of this cancer than in identifying prevention strategies. Because adult women may not be able to alter their personal risk factors in any practical sense, the best current opportunity for reducing mortality is through early detection. The American Cancer Society recommends that women ages 40 to 49 without symptoms have a screening mammogram every 1 to 2 years and that women ages 50 and older have one every year. In addition, a clinical breast exam (performed by a health professional) is recommended every three years for women ages 20 to 40, and every year for women above age 40. Monthly breast self-examination is recommended as a routine good health habit for women ages 20 and older.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in American women, claiming nearly 500,000 lives each year. One in 9 women between the ages 45 and 64 has some form of cardiovascular disease; the ratio climbs to one in 3 in women ages 65 and older. After menopause, a woman's risk of heart attack steadily increase Cardiovascular diseases affect the heart and blood vessel system. Included are coronary artery disease, a disease of the heart's blood vessels that causes heart attacks; high blood pressure, also called hypertension; stroke; and angina (chest pain) Certain groups of women are at greater risk than others. The death rate from heart attacks among African-American women ages 35 to 74 is one and one-half times that of Caucasian women and three times that of women of other races in the same age group. African-American women are 24 percent more likely to die of coronary artery disease and their death rate for stroke is 83 percent higher than Caucasian women. After age 75, death rates for Caucasian women are higher. The more women know how age, race, nutrition, physical activity, tobacco use, and estrogen affect heart disease, the sooner they can take an active role in prevention.
A gradual loss of bone mass, generally beginning at about age 35, is a normal occurrence for both men and women. After growth is complete, women usually lose from 30 percent to 50 percent of their bone density. If bone is no longer replaced as quickly as it is removed, a condition called osteoporosis develops, in which the bones become thin and brittle. This condition particularly afflicts women after menopause. Known as the "silent thief," osteoporosis progresses without symptoms or pain until bones start to break, generally in the hip, spine, or wrist. Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for 25 million Americans, 80 percent of whom are women. In the United States, from 7 million to 8 million people have the disease and approximately 17 million more have low bone mass, which places them at increased risk. Nearly half of all people ages 75 or older are affected by this disease. The exact medical cause of osteoporosis is not known, but a number of factors are known to heighten the risk, including a calcium-poor diet, physical inactivity, reduced levels of estrogen, heredity, excessive cortisone or thyroid hormone, low body weight, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol use. The disease can be prevented through consumption of adequate calcium and vitamin D during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood.
Menopause, defined as the cessation of menstrual periods, occurs on average at age 51. This natural process begins several years before, as a woman's ovaries begin to produce less estrogen. Lack of estrogen can have a number of effects, however, not all women have all of these symptoms and they are not always long lasting. Hot flashes can occur. These are sudden feelings of heat that spread over the body, often accompanied by a flushed face and sweating. They appear at any time without warning and are most troublesome at night, when they can interfere with sleep. Vaginal tissues may become dryer, thinner, and less flexible. This can result in painful intercourse, urinary tract problems, or sagging pelvic organs. Osteoporosis can cause bones to become thin and brittle. Supplemental estrogen can help guard against this disease, as can a diet high in calcium, regular physical activity, and the avoidance of tobacco. Cardiovascular disease becomes more of a risk for women after menopause because estrogen no longer gives them natural protection from heart attacks and strokes. Managing menopause is an individual decision and may include a balanced regime of hormone replacement therapy, healthy nutritional choices, and a routine program of physical activity.
In the general population, mental disorders are as common as heart disease and cancer, causing needless suffering and costly disabilities. Unfortunately, these very real medical illnesses often go untreated because of societal stigma and limited access to treatment, which often stem from a wide-spread lack of understanding or discriminatory medical insurance coverage. Depression, for example, is not simply a "bout sadness" or a character flaw, but a complex medical condition affecting more than 17 million Americans every year. It is much more common among women than men. Recent research indicates that symptoms of depression may be caused by chemical changes in the brain and/or a genetic predisposition in some people. An accurate diagnosis by a health professional of any mental illness is essential. General or family practitioners, and particularly obstetricians and gynecologists, can play an important role in recognizing and treating symptoms in women and providing appropriate referrals when necessary. An improved quality of life is possible through a treatment regimen of medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. Treatment works.