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Women's health

Women's health is a general term that describes a wide range of health issues that are either specific to women, such as menstruation and pregnancy, or those that affect women differently from men, such as heart disease.

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All Content on this topic

DW | In Good Shape | Filmstill | How to protect your baby from HIV

DW | In Good Shape | Filmstill | How to protect your baby from HIV

What viruses do to our bodies — and how to stay protected

With medical care and antiretroviral therapy, an HIV positive mother can avoid passing the virus on to her baby.

Kaiserschnitt

Kaiserschnitt

C-sections, complications, and postpartum depression

Many C-sections are unnecessary and cause health issues, and many new mothers suffer from depression. What can help?

Wildfire smoke rises over a fire burning in Argentina, February 2026.

Wildfire smoke rises over a fire burning in Argentina, February 2026.

Do not inhale! How wildfire smoke 'affects the whole body'

Wildfires destroy lives and livelihoods. But survivors and firefighters also suffer long-term harm to their health.

Three young siblings posing for portrait at Yellowstone National Park

Three young siblings posing for portrait at Yellowstone National Park

Making healthier and happier choices for a better life

Pleasure plays a vital role in our mental health. In Good Shape shows how to enjoy life without sugar, fat and alcohol.

A young woman holds her head, feeling/looking sad

A young woman holds her head, feeling/looking sad

For a healthy break, don't check your ex's social media

Repeated checking of an ex-partner's social media intensifies heartbreak, prolongs longing and slows emotional recovery.

Small red plates marked with letters, arranged in a circle and representing the different blood groups, on a green background

Small red plates marked with letters, arranged in a circle and representing the different blood groups, on a green background

Blood: How our "liquid organ" runs the body

Blood is red, liquid, and constantly moving. Is it just a bodily fluid? Or an organ in its own right?

An older and a younger woman practice yoga in the open

An older and a younger woman practice yoga in the open

Cycle syncing exercise could optimize results for women

Women in gyms hear it all the time: lift heavy or light, depending on your menstrual cycle. Is it backed by science?

A glass of red wine against a white background

A glass of red wine against a white background

Women get drunk faster than men due to biology not tolerance

Alcohol can affect women's brains differently. Its effects are stronger, sometimes more rewarding — but more addictive.

Black and white photo of a woman washing a window

Black and white photo of a woman washing a window

Women's health suffers, bearing the brunt of household labor

Women still shoulder most of the labor at home, leading to emotional fatigue and depression, according to research.

Brightly colored plastic toys like building blocks and cars

Brightly colored plastic toys like building blocks and cars

A pre-Christmas warning: Cheap toys can pose health hazard

For kids, presents are meant to be a source of happiness and fun. But some plastic gifts can be a health risk.

A woman sleeps on a bed holding a long pillow

A woman sleeps on a bed holding a long pillow

Do women need more sleep than men? Science says they do

Whether it's hormones or societal pressures, many women feel they need more than eight hours of sleep. Science agrees.

A girl receives an injection of the HPV vaccine from a female nurse

A girl receives an injection of the HPV vaccine from a female nurse

Can the US achieve cervical cancer herd immunity?

HPV causes almost 660,000 cervical cancer diagnoses. US findings show vaccines make a major impact.

Thyroid gland illustration

Thyroid gland illustration

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis — reducing the damage

Your blood values are OK, but you still feel tired and exhausted? What's really behind the symptoms!

Naked feet of two adults poking out of the end of a bed

Naked feet of two adults poking out of the end of a bed

Is the birth control pill destroying women's sex drive?

Common types of the contraceptive pill don't warn that it can lower libido. But research shows it does affect sex drive.

Science Unscripted Teaser 2025

Science Unscripted Teaser 2025

Painkillers, pregnancy & autism

A metastudy on pregnant women taking the painkiller acetaminophen is at odds with a leaked US 'autism report.'

View of a dancing couple in front of a house

View of a dancing couple in front of a house

How dancing keeps your brain sharp

Dancing is a fun workout – and trains your memory. Find out why neurologists say tango does wonders for the brain.

A woman in a headscarf with blurred face, hands clasped, greenery in background

A woman in a headscarf with blurred face, hands clasped, greenery in background

Why women in South Asia are aging faster than in Europe, US

Age is a stigma in South Asia, where a woman's worth is tied to her ability to have children and menopause starts early.

Picture of a woman in a white shirt, holding her stomach in pain, head bowed

Picture of a woman in a white shirt, holding her stomach in pain, head bowed

Taking women's health seriously — In Good Shape

PMS, the menopause, the perimenopause, endometriosis and lipedema are among the women's health topics in this edition.

A nurse wearing a facemask administers a HPV vaccine to a patient.

A nurse wearing a facemask administers a HPV vaccine to a patient.

Can chatting to AI increase vaccination rates?

Global health bodies are worried about declining rates of critical vaccination coverage. Could chatbots be a solution?

A twin brother and sister standing on grass wear similarly patterned clothing.

A twin brother and sister standing on grass wear similarly patterned clothing.

More people are having twins. How can we make births safer?

More twins are being born globally. What can be done to ensure safety for mothers during these high-risk pregnancies?

Close-up of lips kissing a tiny frog. (Photo: dpa/lby)

Close-up of lips kissing a tiny frog. (Photo: dpa/lby)

11 fun facts about kissing

Everything you always wanted to know about smooching but were afraid to ask.

A kneeling man interacts with his child on a tricycle.

A kneeling man interacts with his child on a tricycle.

Postpartum depression: New dads get baby blues too

Some mothers battle with depression after the birth of a baby. But new dads can also experience postpartum depression.

Cartoon-style liver with large googly eyes sitting on a table, surrounded by items including a hamburger, a wine bottle and glass, sweets, medication strips, and a glass of water.

Cartoon-style liver with large googly eyes sitting on a table, surrounded by items including a hamburger, a wine bottle and glass, sweets, medication strips, and a glass of water.

What does the liver do?

The liver filters our blood, but it's also key for hormones and the immune system.

Brain pathways during pregnancy

Brain pathways during pregnancy

Pregnancy completely rewires mothers' brains — study

The study is the first to map widescale changes to the brain's structure and function during pregnancy.

International Condom Day in Lima, Peru, a young person learns how to put a condom on a fake penis

International Condom Day in Lima, Peru, a young person learns how to put a condom on a fake penis

'Concerning' rise in unprotected sex among teenagers

Many teenagers in Europe, central Asia, and Canada don't use condoms. Experts warn of unwanted pregnancies and STIs.

A bald man and an overgrown, unkempt beard

A bald man and an overgrown, unkempt beard

A ba(l)d rap: Is it worth reversing hair loss?

What causes baldness and are their ways to reverse going bald? DW busts some myths about hair loss and its cures.

Mammogram images of breast cancer

Mammogram images of breast cancer

Health tips: How to prevent cancer

Cancer can often be avoided. Scientists know what causes it and we can all do something against the worst threats.

Neisseria gonorrhea bacterium in a false-color transmission electron micrograph

Neisseria gonorrhea bacterium in a false-color transmission electron micrograph

Gonorrhea resistance to antibiotics is increasing

European data suggests antimicrobial resistance to gonorrhea treatments is growing. The same is true in Africa and Asia.

Jugendliche liegen im Gras

Jugendliche liegen im Gras

Many kids experienced early-onset puberty in the pandemic

In the pandemic, precocious puberty in kids grew more common. That’s been confirmed by data from all over the world.

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[No title]

What to do when your hair falls out

Hormonal therapies? Hair transplant? Or just go bald? It might sound easy. But the decision is muddled by bad science.

DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Microplastics are in all of us

So what can we do about it? Also, we receive tips for what you should (not) eat during your pregnancy.

Man coughing

Man coughing

The mysterious spike in whooping cough cases

Cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, are spiking across the United States and Europe. Experts say it's unclear why.

DW Tomorrow Today Sendungslogo Composite

DW Tomorrow Today Sendungslogo Composite

Tomorrow Today - The Science Show

Why do fragrances help us learn? And how does electric current to the brain help paraplegics and Parkinson’s patients.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow

Menopause needs a societal rethink

Menopause has been overmedicalized for decades, but experts are calling for a major societal shift in how it is viewed.

DW Projekt Zukunft - Graue Haare

DW Projekt Zukunft - Graue Haare

Why does the hair turn gray?

This week's viewer question comes from Abu Ali A. in Egypt.

Woman at a doctor's appointment

Woman at a doctor's appointment

HELLP in pregnancy: Take your symptoms seriously!

HELLP syndrome is a severe form of preeclampsia, a common pregnancy complication. But it's not well understood.

DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

DW Podcast | Science Unscripted

Alzheimer's 'infections' & walking around parking lots

Was Alzheimer's transferred to a handful of patients? Also, a new study shows what parking lots do to your brain.

Woman checking pregnant belly

Woman checking pregnant belly

The deadly pregnancy complication you've never heard of

Preeclampsia is a top contributor to maternal death. Most women only learn what it is when they're diagnosed with it.

E-cigarettes

E-cigarettes

Vaping while pregnant: What we know

Research is inconclusive on whether it is safe to vape nicotine during pregnancy, even as a means of stopping smoking.

A pregnant woman is examined by her gynecologist at a hospital in Gauhati, India

A pregnant woman is examined by her gynecologist at a hospital in Gauhati, India

Maternal mortality: Pregnancy is 'shockingly dangerous'

While the maternal mortality rate in the US is rising, India is seeing fewer people die during pregnancy and childbirth.

A migrant stands, holding an infant on one arm, looking through a wire fence at processing center in Germany

A migrant stands, holding an infant on one arm, looking through a wire fence at processing center in Germany

Racism can make you sick

People who experience racial discrimination can develop high blood pressure, excess weight and mental health problems.

Tomorrow Today - The Science Show

Viruses and some bacteria make us sick but most of these microorganisms are surprisingly useful.

A pregnant woman holding up an ultrasound photo next to her stomach

A pregnant woman holding up an ultrasound photo next to her stomach

Pregnancy sickness: Major discovery offers hope for cure

The discovery could lead to better treatment of "underdiagnosed and undertreated" forms of severe pregnancy sickness.

Two young women smiling brightly as they take a selfie together

Two young women smiling brightly as they take a selfie together

Do women go through a second puberty?

TikTok is teeming with women who say they've found themselves in the throes of a second puberty. But is it a real thing?

Pictures of mifepristone and misoprostal

Pictures of mifepristone and misoprostal

Poland: A hunt for traces of abortion pills in women's blood

How researchers test for traces of the two drugs used in medication abortions in women who have had a miscarriage.

A woman breastfeeding her baby

A woman breastfeeding her baby

Breastmilk sugar molecule boosts infant brains — study

Researchers say they have discovered a molecule in breastmilk that could be vital for the development of infant brains.

Illustration of a mastectomy, a breast cancer surgery that removes the entire breast

Illustration of a mastectomy, a breast cancer surgery that removes the entire breast

Cancer: Predictive AI helps women in India, Pakistan

Early diagnosis and predicting risk of breast cancer with artificial intelligence is helping in India and Pakistan.

Same-sex couple celebrate with a kiss

Same-sex couple celebrate with a kiss

In love? Your brain is mixing chemicals

People go to extremes for love. Science says it’s love itself, a chemical concoction in the brain, that makes us do it.

Projekt Zukunft l Liebe

Projekt Zukunft l Liebe

What is love?

What happens in the brain when you’re in love?

A lateral flow test.

A lateral flow test.

New HPV test crucial step for eradicating cervical cancer

A new affordable, point-of-care HPV test could be a major step towards eradicating cervical cancer.