Surgery is by far the most frequent treatment for fibroids, which afflict up to 80 percent of women of childbearing years, and doctors say most people are like Spellman and don’t know there are other options available and in the works. Up to a quarter of sufferers have symptoms, and many live with the excessive bleeding, cramping and pressure because they want to avoid invasive procedures that come with risks and recoveries lasting weeks or months.
Tag: risks
FDA to Require “Black Box” Warning, But Leaves Controversial Essure Implant on Market
The Food and Drug Administration said Monday that it will require German drug maker Bayer AG to undertake new safety studies on its permanent birth-control device Essure, after thousands of women complained about suffering complications from the controversial implant. The agency also plans to require a “black box” label warning about the device’s potentially serious side effects, plus a checklist for doctors to discuss potential risks with patients.
Freeze Sperm at 18, Bioethicist Urges Men
The sperm of all 18-year-olds should be frozen for use in later life because of the risks attached with being an older father, a UK bioethicist has argued.
FDA to Again Consider Drug Aimed at Women’s Sexual Dysfunction
The Food and Drug Administration said that safety concerns outweighed any benefits, and, in 2013, again rejected the drug for approval.The manufacturer, Sprout Pharmaceuticals resubmitted an application for approval in February with additional safety studies.And on Thursday, an advisory committee of the FDA will again examine the risks and rewards of the drug. Their vote could influence the final FDA decision, due in August.
Pregnancy After Tubal Ligation
It was not all that long ago a woman would choose to have her fallopian tubes “tied” being absolutely sure her baby making years are over and they were, in fact … truly over. Today, that has changed and women can once again get pregnant. There are two procedures to assist her. As a physician who practices fertility medicine, I am fortunate to have at my disposal both accepted techniques to help women who lament their tubal ligation — Tubal Reversal Surgery or In Vitro Fertilization. Each process has its own benefit, success rate and risks. I’d like to share my thoughts about how I approach these patients.
FAQ: Are Compounded Bioidentical Hormones Safe for HRT?
An analysis of two large surveys published in February in Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society, reported that 28% to 68% of women using hormones at menopause take compounded, so-called “bioidentical” hormones. The analysis further revealed that women do not understand that compounded hormone products, which are not clinically tested or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), carry innate risks.
Egg Freezing: 5 Things You Need to Know
The announcement that Apple and Facebook will cover the steep cost of egg freezing for their employees has many people talking about the risks and benefits of the procedure.
In Plastics and Cans, a Threat to Women
A few years ago, Jodi Flaws, a bioscientist at the University of Illinois, began testing a theory about the risks to women posed by the widely used industrial compound bisphenol A, or BPA.
Couple That Fought to Ban Medical Procedure After Wife’s Cancer Looks Back at Year of Changes
Noorchashm, a cardio-thoracic surgeon, and his wife Dr. Amy Reed, a certified-anesthesiologist, spearheaded a campaign last fall to ban the practice of using laparoscopic power morcellation in the removal of uterine fibroids or the uterus due to possible cancer risks.
A New Kind of Midlife Crisis: Unwanted Pregnancies
When Carrie (not her real name) was 33, she discovered she was pregnant for the fourth time. For the married Ottawa-area mother of three, the pregnancy was the product of an affair. They had used condoms all but once and, while she knew the risks of getting pregnant, they seemed small, given her age and the fact that she’d struggled with serious health complications in her last two pregnancies.