Young women who smoke, use birth control pills and suffer from migraine headaches with aura are at greater risk of suffering a stroke.

Hearts attacks among middle-aged American women have increased over the past two decades. Their chance of survival has improved.

Researchers noted that breast cancer may be developing in more women at younger ages.

Women with breast cancer are likely to have low levels of vitamin D, which could contribute to decreased bone mass and greater risk of fractures.

A new study reports evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome, the mysterious collection of symptoms including severe fatigue, joint pain, and headache, might be caused by a type of virus.

Earlier this week a Ralph Lauren advertisement featuring a retouched photo of a model so emaciated that her head is larger than her waist made news. According to Kimberly Dennis, M.D., medical director of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center as well as someone in recovery from an eating disorder, advertisements like this send a damaging and possibly deadly message to women of all ages.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and there's good news for post-menopausal women. Engaging in moderate to vigorous exercise may result in a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Some 692,000 American women are diagnosed with cancer according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance. About one quarter (26%) have breast cancer.

An estimated six million women in the United States currently use hormone replacement therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause.

The Oprah Winfrey show today focused on a call to action for all women. Lisa Shannon, founder of Run for Congo Women, appeared on today's inspiring show to discuss her personal mission to help 1,000 Congolese women through Women for Women International. Shannon's mission and "Half the Sky” authors Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn made for an intense hour on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Pre- and post-menopausal women who self-rated themselves as being sexually satisfied had a higher overall psychological well-being score and scores for "positive well-being" and "vitality," compared with sexually dissatisfied women in a study of 295 women sexually active more than twice a month. The study, published today in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, also uncovered a positive association between age and well-being, but a negative association for general health.

A recently published study determined that women who make poor shoe choices early in life suffer with foot pain in later years. Research shows that men do not experience the same foot pain as women, due to type of shoes they wear. Details of this study appear in the October issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology.