Study Finds Arsenic, Lead in Tampon Products

• Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
• July 8, 2024
• Full Page

Researchers report they have discovered lead and arsenic in a wide variety of tampon products sold in the United States and Europe. 

Testing revealed lead in all 30 tampons from 14 brands obtained from major online retailers and stores in the U.S., the U.K. and Gree...

U.S. Girls Are Beginning Periods Earlier

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• May 29, 2024
• Full Page

U.S. girls are getting their periods at younger ages, a new study has found.

Girls born between 2000 and 2005 started their periods at an average age of 11.9 years -- a half year earlier than the average age of 12.5 years for girls born between 1950 and 1969, researchers...

One in 3 Women With Migraines Say Attacks Occur During Periods

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• April 15, 2024
• Full Page

Among U.S. women with migraine, a third say the attacks tend to coincide with their periods, a new survey finds.

Migraines that occur during menstruation are often frequent and severe, but only about one in five respondents said they used medications aimed at preventing...

Common Gynecologic Condition Tied to Cognitive Issues

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• February 1, 2024
• Full Page

Women with a common ovarian disorder might be more likely to have memory and thinking problems in middle age, a new study suggests.

Females diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) scored lower on cognitive tests than women without the condition, according to a re...

Starting Periods Early Linked to Higher Odds for Diabetes, Stroke

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• December 6, 2023
• Full Page

Girls whose periods begin before the age of 13 are at higher risk of becoming adult women with diabetes, compared to girls who start menstruation later, new research shows.

An earlier onset of periods also appears to hike a woman's odds for stroke before the age of 65, t...

Tear Gas Might Harm a Woman's Reproductive Health

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• September 25, 2023
• Full Page

Researchers in Minnesota have uncovered a new link between tear gas exposures and negative effects on reproductive health.

The study was prompted by anecdotal reports of irregular menstrual cycles among protestors who were exposed to tear gas during the nationwide protes...

PFAS 'Forever Chemicals' Found in Some Period Products

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• August 14, 2023
• Full Page

Some menstrual products -- pads, tampons, cups and underwear -- contain harmful "forever chemicals,"according to new research into the contents of these essential items.

Researchers analyzed more than 100 period products looking for fluorinated compounds, an indicator of...

Menstrual Discs Could Help Women With Heavy Periods, Study Finds

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• August 8, 2023
• Full Page

For women with heavy periods, some newer menstrual products may offer more security than old-fashioned pads and tampons.

That's among the findings of a new study that tested the absorbency levels of a range of period products -- from traditional pads and tampons, to newe...

Forty Percent of U.S. Girls, Young Women Are Iron Deficient

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• June 28, 2023
• Full Page

Nearly 4 out of 10 girls and young women aren't getting enough iron and they may have their periods to blame, a new U.S. study shows.

Menstrual bleeding, especially when heavy, is a major risk factor for iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia, the researchers explain...

PMS: What It Is, Symptoms & How to Get Relief

• Sue Benzuly, RN HealthDay Reporter
• May 30, 2023
• Full Page

Are you tired of feeling moody, bloated and achy every month right before you get your period?

You're not alone. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common condition that affects many women. Here, experts explore what PMS is, its symptoms and, most importantly, how to find ...

Florida Bill Would Ban Elementary School Kids From Learning About Menstruation

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 22, 2023
• Full Page

A proposed bill in Florida would prevent children from learning about menstruation in elementary school, even though some girls get their first periods in those years.

The bill would also ban other sex education topics through the fifth grade.

Sponsored by Republic...

Unraveling the Link Between Menstrual Cycles and Migraine

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• February 27, 2023
• Full Page

Many women experience blinding migraine headaches around their monthly period, and now researchers have a clue about why.

Levels of the female hormone estrogen fluctuate during menstruation, which may lead to increases in calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). This prot...

A Teen Girl's Diet Could Impact Her Odds for Menstrual Pain

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• October 12, 2022
• Full Page

While working on a senior research project as part of her undergraduate degree from Rutgers University, Serah Sannoh decided to analyze peer-reviewed studies on diet and menstrual period pain, partly because of her own struggles with the issue.

What did she find? Sa...

More Evidence COVID Vaccination Can Cause Temporary Change in Menstrual Cycle

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• September 28, 2022
• Full Page

Women may experience a small, but temporary, delay in their menstrual cycle after receiving a COVID shot, a new study finds.

The delay was, on average, less than one da...

Researchers May Have Noninvasive Way to Diagnose Endometriosis

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• September 20, 2022
• Full Page

Women can suffer for years with the debilitating pain and medical complications of endometriosis without a diagnosis.

Now, researchers believe they may be able to ...

Almost Two-Thirds of Women Have Troublesome Premenstrual Symptoms

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• September 7, 2022
• Full Page

A majority of women experience premenstrual mood swings and anxiety, making it a "key public health issue globally,"a new study finds.

Researchers found that 64% of women experience these symptoms, which disrupt their daily lives.

"Our study demonstrates that

Shorter Menstrual Cycles May Affect Timing of Menopause

• By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• August 25, 2022
• Full Page

The length of your monthly menstrual cycle may provide clues about the severity of symptoms you'll experience during menopause and when it will start, new research suggests.

In this study of more than 600 women, researchers found that women with short menstrual cycles (l...

Scotland Becomes 1st Country to Provide Free Period Products

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• August 15, 2022
• Full Page

On Monday Scotland became the world's first country to help its residents with what activists supporting the move call "period poverty."

The country now offers free period products for anyone who needs them, a decision first made in November 2020 by unanimous approval in...

Changes in Menstrual Cycle Can Come After COVID Shot

• Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling HealthDay Reporter
• July 18, 2022
• Full Page

Many have experienced side effects after getting a COVID vaccine -- tiredness, fever, headache and soreness are the most common. But a new study confirms that people who have periods may experience lesser known issues -- heavier periods or breakthrough bleeding.

Research...

Tampons Are in Short Supply Across United States

• By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• June 22, 2022
• Full Page

Women aren't imagining it as they view near-empty store shelves: Global supply chain issues have prompted a shortage of tampons.

Reports on social media of ...

Long or Irregular Periods May Put a Woman's Liver at Risk

• March 4, 2022
• Full Page

Women with long or irregular periods are at increased risk for a serious condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, according to a new study.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic disease in which excess fat builds up in the liver. It affects abou...

Any Change to Menstrual Cycle After COVID Vaccine Is Minor, Temporary: Studies

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt
• January 27, 2022
• Full Page

They've gotten some media headlines recently, but potential menstrual changes associated with getting a COVID vaccine are typically minor and temporary, two new international studies confirm.

That's great news for women, said an expert in fertility and reproductive healt...

COVID Vaccine May Temporarily Add 1 Day to Menstrual Cycle: Study

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• January 7, 2022
• Full Page

Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 may slightly and temporarily extend the time between a woman's menstrual periods, a new study reports.

On average,

PTSD Symptoms May Vary Throughout Menstrual Cycle: Study

• Robert Preidt
• October 28, 2021
• Full Page

Women's symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may vary with their menstrual cycle, which could have implications for diagnosis and treatment, researchers say.

Their study included 40 women between 18 and 33 years of age who had PTSD after experiencing or witn...

Lengthening Menstrual Cycles Near Menopause Could Predict Heart Health

• Robert Preidt
• October 13, 2021
• Full Page

The length of a woman's menstrual cycle as she nears menopause could reflect her future risk of heart disease, researchers report.

Some women's menstrual cycles become longer as they approach menopause, while others' cycles remain stable. This new study found that the wo...

California Expands Access to Free Menstrual Products in Schools

• Robert Preidt
• October 12, 2021
• Full Page

Free menstrual pads and tampons must be provided in restrooms at all California public schools and colleges starting in the 2022-2023 academic year.

The bill, signed on Oct. 8 by Gov. Gavin Newsom, adds to a 2017 law requiring low-income schools in disadvantaged areas to...

Pandemic Stress Altered Many Women's Menstrual Cycles

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• October 4, 2021
• Full Page

From the fear of getting sick to lockdown isolation, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased stress levels, and for many women, the uptick led to changes in their monthly periods.

More than half of respondents to