Health Matters for Women

New from CDC

CDC Changes Reporting of Numbers of Pregnant Women Affected by Zika Virus
To gain a more complete picture of the impact of Zika virus infection during pregnancy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will begin reporting the total number of pregnant women with Zika virus infection from two newly established enhanced surveillance systems: the US Zika Pregnancy Registry and the Puerto Rico Zika Active Pregnancy Surveillance System.

Possible Zika Virus Infection Among Pregnant Women — United States and Territories, May 2016
This report launches the weekly reporting of pregnant women with laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection in U.S. states and territories.

Update: Ongoing Zika Virus Transmission — Puerto Rico, November 1, 2015–April 14, 2016
During November 1, 2015–April 14, 2016, a total of 6,157 specimens from suspected Zika virus–infected patients were evaluated by the Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDH) and CDC Dengue Branch.

Interim Guidance for Zika Virus Testing of Urine — United States, 2016
Recent reports suggest Zika virus RNA can be detected in urine for at least 2 weeks after onset of symptoms. Currently, the CDC Trioplex rRT-PCR assay is the only diagnostic tool authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for Zika virus testing of urine.

Comparison of Test Results for Zika Virus RNA in Urine, Serum, and Saliva Specimens from Persons with Travel-Associated Zika Virus Disease — Florida, 2016
As of April 20, 2016, the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Public Health Laboratories (BPHL) tested specimens from 913 persons who met state criteria for Zika virus testing.

Maternal Depression
As many as 1 in 9 women experience depression before, during, or after pregnancy. Learn about symptoms of depression and treatment options.

Preventing Multiple Forms of Violence
CDC’s new strategic vision outlines preventing multiple forms of violence.

Cancer and Women
Every year, cancer claims the lives of more than a quarter of a million women in America. Learn ways to lower the risk of cancer in several ways.

Falls Among Persons Aged ≥65 Years With and Without Severe Vision Impairment — United States, 2014
In 2014, an estimated 2.8 million persons aged ≥65 years in the United States reported severe vision impairment* defined as being blind or having severe difficulty seeing, even with eyeglasses.

QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Who Met Federal Guidelines for Aerobic Physical Activity, by Poverty Status — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2014
The percentage of adults aged ≥18 years who met federal guidelines for aerobic physical activity ranged from 34.8% for those with family incomes <100% of the poverty level to 66.8% for those with family incomes ≥600% of the poverty level.

Hearing Loss Data: 3 Insights
The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) program at CDC is leading the national effort to collect quality data on deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) babies and very young children.

Medication Use During Pregnancy
The safety of most medications taken by pregnant women is unknown and dependent on many factors. Pregnant women should not stop or start taking any type of medication that they need without first talking with a doctor.

Declines in Triplet and Higher-order Multiple Births in the United States, 1998–2014
The triplet and higher-order birth rate declined 41% from 1998 to 2014, or from about 1 in every 515 births in 1998 to one in every 880 births in 2014.

Prevalence of Doctor-Diagnosed Arthritis at State and County Levels — United States, 2014
Age-standardized prevalences were higher for women than men and among persons with less compared with more education.

QuickStats: Age-Adjusted Suicide Rates for Females and Males, by Method — National Vital Statistics System, United States, 2000 and 2014
From 2000 to 2014, the age-adjusted suicide rate increased from 4.0 to 5.8 per 100,000 for females and from 17.7 to 20.7 for males.