Women's Health (cont.)
Female Anatomy
There are major differences in
body anatomy between males and females that require consideration. As more women
are participating in sports, a number of these anatomic differences are being
identified, often because men and women athletes sustain different types of
injuries. In females, the hamstrings (muscles behind the leg) are not as strong
as in males. Women also have a wider hip-to-knee ratio than men. A woman's legs
are relatively longer and her torso shorter than a man of comparable size. She
has a lower center of gravity, less muscle mass, less dense bones, and higher
body fat.
Anatomic differences between men and women go well beyond the
reproductive and skeletal systems. For example, they involve the
brain and organs such as the heart. In fact, heart disease is the
leading cause of death among women in the United States. It is now
described as an "equal opportunity killer." Nine million American
women suffer from heart disease. One in ten women between 45 to 64
years of age has some form of heart disease as does one in three women over
age 65.
Women tend to suffer their first heart attack 10 years later than men.
For reasons that remain unclear (and require more research), the likelihood for
a younger woman to die from a heart attack is significantly greater than that of
a man. A recent study found that among women younger than 50 years of age, the
mortality rate was more than twice that of men of the same age! Moreover, the
symptoms of an impending heart attack may be somewhat different in a woman than
in a man. A woman may more often ignore the symptoms and fail to seek medical
attention. Every woman needs to develop her own healthy
heart program.
The Female Reproductive
System
Since the
female reproductive system plays such an important role throughout the life of a
woman, it receives special consideration. A woman's reproductive system includes
her uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, and external genitalia. The
breasts can also be included even though, technically speaking, they are not
part of the reproductive system. The
breasts do play a major role in pregnancy
and motherhood.
Although the
primary function of the reproductive system is to conceive and bear children, a
female's reproductive system makes a major contribution to her being a woman.
Due to the complexity of her reproductive system, she can experience a number of
problems ranging from yeast infections of the vagina to
fibroids of the uterus
or cysts of the ovary.
If a
woman is to make informed choices about her health care, she must understand her
reproductive system. In the U.S., the most common major surgery performed on women
who are not pregnant is a hysterectomy. A hysterectomy, the surgical removal of
the uterus, ends menstruation and a woman's ability to become pregnant. A woman
needs to comprehend her options before she can decide if a hysterectomy is the
best solution for her particular medical condition.
Next: Female Hormones »
- Birth Control Pills (Oral Contraceptives) - Read about the different types of birth control pills (oral contraceptives) such as monophasic, biphasic, and triphasic. Find out which birth control pill may be the best for you.
- Pap Smear - Read about Pap smear, a test to screen for cervical cancer, and precancerous changes in the cervix. Risk factors for abnormal Pap include HPV, smoking medicaitons, and a weakened immune system.
- Urinary Tract Infection (UTI In Adults) - Learn about urinary tract infection causes, symptoms, signs, diagnosis and treatment of UTIs in men and women. Antibiotics may be used to treat recurrent bladder infections.
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