A Quick Quiz in Honor of National Women's Health Week (May 14-20, 2012). See how you compare with your peers.

Chronic pelvic pain is a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma that can be frustrating for women, men, and healthcare providers. Read on to learn about this challenging multifactoral condition in women and men and guidelines for an integrated management approach.

When Younger Women Have a Heart Attack. According to a new study published in JAMA, younger women who seek out medical care for a myocardial infarction (MI) are more likely to present at the hospital without chest pain and are also more likely to die in the hospital following a heart attack

A Call for More Flexibility in Prescribing Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy. Many healthcare providers have adopted a strategy of providing “the lowest dose for the shortest possible time.” However, hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment available for menopausal hot flashes and night sweats.

AHA: Women at Equal Risk for Peripheral Artery Disease. Women with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are two to three times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack than women without PAD—yet the condition remains often unrecognized and untreated.

Do Older Women Really Need Osteoporosis Testing Every Two Years? While many women older than 65 years are referred for bone mineral density testing every two years, a new study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" suggests that the interval can safely be much longer.

From Milk Banks to Facebook in Search of Breast Milk  Print This Post Some new moms would like to breastfeed, but cannot. Some nursing women have more milk than they need. Learn how authorized milk banks are competing with the Internet and social media sites to match up these moms. There...

Which Women Are the Best Candidates for Bone Density Testing and Treatment? A study published in the journal "Menopause" suggests that 41% of women who underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) screening for osteoporosis did not need to be tested, based on criteria published by the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

Breastfeeding: Assumptions, Facts, and Myths. August 1-August 7 is World Breastfeeding Week. Primary Issues is pleased to present a closer look at the benefits of breastfeeding and provide some frequently asked questions (and answers!) to help you support and encourage moms who choose to breastfeed.

ACOG Endorses Annual Mammograms for Women Starting at Age 40. According to a newly published clinical guideline from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), annual screening mammography should begin at age 40 for women with an average risk of developing breast cancer. Writing in the August 2011 issue of "Obstetrics & Gynecology", the authors cite the brief "sojourn time"—the time from when a tumor is detected to when a patient becomes symptomatic—in this age group as the reason to perform annual mammograms.

Warning: Breast Thermography Not a Substitute for Mammography. Because of concerns about exposure to radiation from a mammogram, some imaging facilities, websites, and mobile units are promoting the use of thermography as a stand-alone evaluation tool for screening and diagnosing breast cancer, claiming that is a substitute for or superior to mammography.

Understanding HPV Epidemiology, Diseases, and Vaccines in Male and Female Patients. Primary care clinicians are at the frontline of vaccination to protect women against HPV; gynecologists are traditionally not ones to provide vaccines. Primary care providers most often do not think of HPV and sexually transmitted infections (STI), often leaving them to annual gynecologic examinations. Together, these factors have led to poor vaccination rates with what is deemed a critical vaccine for women by the CDC.

Updated Guidelines for Preventing Cardiovascular Disease in Women. Practical medical advice that works in the “real world” may more effectively prevent cardiovascular disease in women than recommendations based only on findings in clinical research settings, according to the 2011 update to the American Heart Association’s cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines for women.

New Recommendation: All Women Older Than 65 Should Be Routinely Screened for Osteoporosis. In an update to its 2002 recommendation, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that all women ages 65 and older be routinely screened for osteoporosis using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The recommendation applies to all racial and ethnic groups and became effective on January 18, 2011.

20-Something Female With Vaginal Rash and Pain. "I'm feeling really sore in my genital area and have this new rash too. Do you think I could have herpes?"