THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OFWOMENS HEALTHSixth Editioni-xvi-WmHealth_fm.indd i12/9/08 3:17:30 PMi-xvi-WmHealth_fm.indd ii12/9/08 3:17:30 PMThe encyclopedia ofWomens heal Thsixth editionchristine ammerForeword by Joann e. manson, m.d., dr.p .h., professor of medicine and elizabeth f. Brigham p rofessor of Womens health, harvard medical school, chief of preventive medicine, Brigham and Womens hospitalThe Encyclopedia of Womens Health, Sixth EditionCopyright2009byChristineAmmer1992TrustAllrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereproducedorutilizedinanyformorbyanymeans,elec- tronicormechanical,includingphotocopying,recording,orbyanyinformationstorageorretrievalsys- tems,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublisher.Forinformationcontact: FactsOnFile,Inc.AnimprintofInfobasePublishing 132West31stStreetNewYorkNY10001Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ammer,Christine.Theencyclopediaofwomenshealth/ChristineAmmer;forewordbyJoAnnE.Manson.6thed. p.cm.Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.ISBN-13:978-0-8160-7407-5(hardcover:alk.paper) ISBN-10:0-8160-7407-0(hardcover:alk.paper)1.WomenHealthandhygieneEncyclopedias.2.WomenDiseasesEncyclopedias.I.Title.RA778.A4942009613.0424403dc222008013641FactsOnFilebooksareavailableatspecialdiscountswhenpurchasedinbulkquantitiesforbusinesses, associations,institutions,orsalespromotions.PleasecallourSpecialSalesDepartmentinNewYorkat (212)967-8800or(800)322-8755.YoucanndFactsOnFileontheWorldWideWebat
http://www.factson le.com.TextandcoverdesignbyCathyRincon IllustrationsbyDaleDyer PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmericaVBHermitage10987654321Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaperandcontains30percentpostconsumerrecycledcontent.i-xvi-WmHealth_fm.indd iv 12/9/08 3:17:31 PMCONTENTSForeword viiAuthors Note ixAcknowledgments xiHow to Use This Book xiiiEntries A-Z 1Appendix: Resources 447Index 456i-xvi-WmHealth_fm.indd v 12/9/08 3:17:31 PMi-xvi-WmHealth_fm.indd vi12/9/08 3:17:31 PMviiAsChristineAmmernotes,theunderlyingassumptionofThe Encyclopedia of Womens Health,herclassicandconcisereferenceforwom-enshealth,isthateverywomanwantstotakeresponsibilityforherownhealth.Byhelpingusunderstandhowourbodieswork,themarvelofourbodiesnormalfunctionsandtheprofoundconse-quencesofitsmalfunctions,andthecareandtreat-mentsavailabletous,shehelpsustotakechargeofourownhealth.Thesixtheditionofthebookcomesatanopportunetimewhenmedicalknowl-edgeandadvancesinwomenshealthareburgeon-ing.Thepresenteditionisextensivelyupdatedtoincludemanynewndingsandadvances,includ-ingexcitingnewresearchonnutrition,exercise,pregnancyandreproductivehealth,menopausalhealthandtreatmentoptions,botanicalandherbalremedies,mentalhealth,sexuality,qualityoflife,andmedicalcareissuessuchashowtoworkwithyourhealthcareprovidertogetoptimalcare. Theeldsofwomenshealthandgenderbiol-ogyareexplodingwithexcitingnewinformationthatdirectlyaffectsthehealthcareofwomen.Large-scalewomenshealthstudies,includingtheWomensHealthInitiative,theWomensHealthStudy,theNursesHealthStudy,andmanyotherresearchprojects,regularlyreportnew ndingsthataffectwomenshealthandmedicalcare.Meanwhile,theevidenceismountingthathealthliteracyknowledgeofriskfactors,accesstomedi-calcare,andmotivationtomakebehavioralchangesisakeyvariablein uencinghealthinthe21stcentury.Thepublicisbombardedwithinformationfromnumeroussources,oftencontra- dictory,misleading,andbiased.Althoughknowl-edgeispower,theinformationmustbereliableandcredible.ChristineAmmersThe Encyclopedia of Womens Healthisasuperbcompendiumofwom-enshealthinformationthatcanbetrusted,withinformationpresentedinadirect,straightforward,andreadilyusableformat.Thebookisamust-haveforthemodernwomanofanyagewhowishestounderstandherbody,learnofrecentprogressinwomenshealth,andtakeresponsibilityforachievingoptimalhealth.Despitesigni cantadvancesingeneticmedicine,ithasbecomeincreasinglyclearthatourhealthdependsonaninteractionbetweenourgenes,life-style,andenvironment.Formostchronicdiseases,ourheredityisnotourdestiny,andwecanlargelycontrolourownfatesbyourlifestylechoices.Understandinghealthyagingandhowtoreduceourrisksofmajorillnesses,suchasheartdisease,stroke,diabetes,osteoporosis,cancer,andcogni-tivedecline,remainmajorchallengesbutarenolongerthedarkmysteriestheyweregenerationsago.Wealsohavenewinsightsintohowearlylifeexposures,includingournutritionandrateofgrowthinthewomb,caninuenceourhealthinadulthood,suchasourriskofhypertension,diabe-tes,heartdisease,andbreastcancer.Theseintrigu-ingnewndingsunderscoretheimportanceofwomensreproductivehealthandthequalityofprenatalcare,whichcanaffecthealthoutcomesforgenerationstocome.Additionally,pregnancyoutcomesreectthemotherscumulativehealth,notjustherhealthduringthelimitedperiodofherbabysgestation.Nutrition,physicalactivity,FOREWORDi-xvi-WmHealth_fm.indd viiSee colonoscopyvisiting nurse 307visualization 438vitamin 438-440, 438-439tvitamin A 438, 438t, 440vitamin B group 440vitamin B1 438tvitamin B2 439tvitamin B6 439t, 440vitamin B12 438, 439 tvitamin C 439 tvitamin D 438 t, 438, 440vitamin E 438 t,, 438, 440vitamin K 438 t, 439VNUS closure procedure 435voluntary sterilization 402von Willebrand disease 440vulva 53, 440, 441vulvar biopsy 53vulvar cancer 91vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia 91vulvar lichen planus 440 vulvar vestibulitis 441vulvitis 440-441vulvodynia 441-442vulvovaginal glands. See Bartholins glandsvulvovaginitis. See vaginitisWwaist-to-hip ratio 40, 40 t, 308warts. See condyloma acuminataWasserman test 407water pill. See diureticwater retention. See edemawaters. See amniotic fluidwedge excision. See lumpectomyweight, body 308, 443weight gain 443Wertheim procedure 232, 369wet nurse 56, 57wet smear 432 t, 442white blood cell count 59 twhitehead 9white leg. See phlegmasiawinter blues. See seasonal affective disorderwire-localization biopsy 53 withdrawal bleeding 173withdrawal method. See coitus interruptuswomb. See uteruswomb room 322 womens doctor. See gynecologistwomens health clinic 444XYZX-linked (trait) 57, 195yeast infection 431-433, 432t, 445-446yogurt 446ZIFT. See zygote intrafallopian transferzinc 292tzoledronic acid (Zometa) 82, 319Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride) 37Zometa 82, 319Zomig (zolmitriptan) 291zona pellucida 181zygote 164, 446zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) 164, 191