#Womens Health

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#Womens Health

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>The Central Statistics Office (CSO) reported this week that a record number of babies were born to women over the age of 45 in 2023. File photo</p>

comment-analysis

Having babies later is a consequence of modern life

When I was pregnant with my first baby in my mid-30s, I felt like a teen mum and was surprised the midwives weren't commenting on how young I was, writes Margaret Donnellan

<p>Cork University Maternity Hospital consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Suzanne O’Sullivan said 'we’re outliers on the world stage'. Picture: Larry Cummins</p>

news

Women with incontinence 'are crying their eyes out, they don’t want to go abroad' for surgery

<p>Mary 'May' McGee and Seámus McGee on their wedding day. </p>

news

‘It was one up for the women’: Mary ‘May’ McGee's family to celebrate her life at funeral

Close up shot of young couple hugging at window

comment-analysis

Workplaces have a role in dealing with pregnancy loss

Tributes pour in for Mary 'May' McGee whose Supreme Court case helped end contraception ban

news

Tributes pour in for Mary 'May' McGee whose Supreme Court case helped end contraception ban

Cork endometriosis patient calls for further expansion of supports

munster

Cork endometriosis patient calls for further expansion of supports

Mental health survey

Gareth O'Callaghan: Suicide leaves behind so many unanswered questions for loved ones

Suicide is not a natural end to a life well lived, and it leaves a mark on everyone who encounters it

Sat, 25 Oct, 2025

Endometriosis framework welcomed as 'a good first step'

Endometriosis framework welcomed as 'a good first step'

There has been a mixed reception to the publication of Ireland's first national framework for endometriosis treatment

Wed, 22 Oct, 2025

Family ‘haunted’ as inquest hears sepsis fears in UHL miscarriage death were not acted on

Family ‘haunted’ as inquest hears sepsis fears in UHL miscarriage death were not acted on

The family of Leona Cusack told an inquest they are 'haunted' by fears sepsis was missed before her death.

Wed, 15 Oct, 2025

Women less likely to get dementia if they take HRT after menopause, Irish study says

Women less likely to get dementia if they take HRT after menopause, Irish study says

However, women who have early menopause face an increased risk of dementia, the study suggests

Tue, 14 Oct, 2025

Mature Caucasian Female Patient and Asian Female Doctor in Doctor's Office

'Your symptoms are part of being a woman': UCC study to explore diagnostic delays for women

Women in Ireland wait years for diagnosis of chronic health conditions — we need to focus on listening

Tue, 14 Oct, 2025

How to recognise urinary tract infections and prevent recurring UTIs

How to recognise urinary tract infections and prevent recurring UTIs

It is vital to prevent and properly treat urinary tract infections and it is also important to recognise the symptoms of a UTI, the experts tell Gemma Fullam

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025

UCC to become first university in Ireland to introduce pregnancy loss policy

UCC to become first university in Ireland to introduce pregnancy loss policy

While pregnancy loss affects approximately one in every four pregnancies, there are currently no statutory leave entitlements for pregnancy loss before 23 weeks

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025

Sarah Harte: Being proactive and vocal is key to women's health outcomes

Sarah Harte: Being proactive and vocal is key to women's health outcomes

After a scare of her own, Sarah Harte learns that women who miss their first breast cancer screening appointment are 40% more likely to die from the disease

Wed, 08 Oct, 2025

HSE CEO claims 'previously hidden need' behind surge in gynaecology waiting lists

HSE CEO claims 'previously hidden need' behind surge in gynaecology waiting lists

Of the 567 teenagers on the waiting list, 18 have been waiting longer than 18 months, the Oireachtas Health Committee heard

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

Image of modern fireplace, woodburning stove, coal buckets, log basket

Indoor wood burners cause damage 'in a similar way to cigarette smoke'

Study links the growing popularity of domestic wood burning to lung damage

Tue, 30 Sep, 2025

Health insurance

Health insurance premiums rise 11% to an average of €1,830

VHI remains the dominant player in Ireland with 48.3% of the market, followed by Laya

Tue, 30 Sep, 2025

Worried single pregnant woman worrying about her future

HSE homebirth service audit finds no agreed national standard for travel time, says advocacy group

Kara Spratt, from Births Rights Alliance Ireland, previously organised public demonstrations in support of homebirth services in Cork to protect its future

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

HIV IRELAND CONFERENCE

HIV resources 'haven't proportionally scaled up' alongside advances in treatment, says expert

Cork and Kerry share one HIV clinic, which is 'stretched', Cork Sexual Health Centre's fast-track cities programme manager Tara Russell told the 'Irish Examiner'

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Working mom breastfeeding baby with laptop on the couch

Breastfeeding is tricky to talk about, but we must show support

New mothers don’t need your judgement on how they feed their babies, but if they do decide they want to breastfeed they need your support

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Heart attacks in women: How we're missing a beat on women’s heart health

Heart attacks in women: How we're missing a beat on women’s heart health

A quick response can save a life in the event of a heart attack. But women are more likely to dismiss their symptoms — often different from the chest-clutching stereotype — because they see it as a condition that predominantly affects older men

Fri, 26 Sep, 2025

I'm a cardiologist - here are four signs your heart needs a check up

Four signs your heart needs a check-up

When it comes to heart health, a little awareness can go a long way

Fri, 26 Sep, 2025

Trump Autism Tylenol

Suzanne Crowe: Trump linking paracetamol with autism is misinformation at its most horrible

Shaming of mothers and their actions before, during or after childbirth is as old as time and is profoundly misogynistic

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Laura Dowling: 'It’s time to end the shame and stigma surrounding women's wonderful bodies'

Laura Dowling: 'It’s time to end the shame and stigma surrounding women's wonderful bodies'

From freeing your bush to going au naturel, women need to celebrate their bodies, says Laura Dowling, aka the Fabulous Pharmacist. In an exclusive extract from her new book, ‘Love Your Vulva’, she makes the case for embracing pubic hair for its many protective

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025

Medical students warned that trust in doctors is under severe threat

Medical students warned that trust in doctors is under severe threat

Conspiracy theories about vaccines and covid having destuctive impact, head of the school of medicine at Trinity College Dublin warns

Fri, 12 Sep, 2025

Jennifer Horgan: The betrayal of Ireland’s elderly is happening in plain sight

Jennifer Horgan: The betrayal of Ireland’s elderly is happening in plain sight

Michael D Higgins’ poetry forces us to confront Ireland’s failures in caring for its elderly, both within families and at State level

Fri, 12 Sep, 2025

Dentist and patient in dentist office

Dentist recruitment shortage is an emergency that must be addressed

We urgently need more places in dentistry courses and a new focus on making dental treatment accessible for everyone, writes Fintan Hourihan

Tue, 09 Sep, 2025

Close up of doctor woman hands typing on laptop siting on a desk at the office

'Significant gaps' in sepsis care create a challenge for early diagnosis

Health staff also said public knowledge of sepsis and resistance to antibiotics is 'poor'. They called for education on the risks and symptoms which should not frighten people

Mon, 08 Sep, 2025

Boy using asthma inhaler to treat inflammatory disease, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. Allergy tre

When our homes are making us unwell, housing becomes a health issue

Budget 2026 is an opportunity for the Government to show leadership by supporting a healthy population and healthy housing, writes Eilís Ní Chaithnía

Mon, 01 Sep, 2025

HEALTH Exercise Addiction 2

Stress and cost is preventing women from protecting heart health

Worries about the high cost of health checks identified as a key factor for women ignoring heart health

Mon, 01 Sep, 2025

Weight loss drugs can halve heart patients’ risk of early death, study finds

Weight loss drugs can halve heart patients’ risk of early death, study finds

GLP-1 agonists could be given to millions with heart conditions to help them stay out of hospital and live longer

Sun, 31 Aug, 2025

Garth Brooks Croke Park 9th Sept 2022

S Gareth O'Callaghan: The night Garth Brooks looked 35 again — and why it still stays with me

As weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy surge in popularity, one writer weighs fear, stigma and the lure of quick fixes

Sat, 30 Aug, 2025

Jennifer Horgan: Schools have second-class citizens in more ways than one

Jennifer Horgan: Schools have second-class citizens in more ways than one

School secretaries and caretakers deserve our support but girls are also experiencing inequality in our schools, writes Jennifer Horgan

Fri, 29 Aug, 2025

BreastCheck missing targets is a worrying step backwards

BreastCheck missing targets is a worrying step backwards

If a woman is referred to a diagnostic clinic, she should be scanned that day. Every week matters, and yet we are asking women to wait half a year while the disease potentially advances, writes Fianna Fáil senator Teresa Costello

Fri, 29 Aug, 2025

Sad woman

Surge in number of pregnant women suffering domestic violence

One in six pregnant women affected become homeless as a direct result of domestic violence

Tue, 26 Aug, 2025

How your menstrual cycle can impact your mental and physical health

How your menstrual cycle can impact your mental and physical health

While there is certainly evidence that sex hormones do positively (and negatively) impact women’s brains, the historical lack of women’s health research means there is a lot of catching up to do in this area

Mon, 25 Aug, 2025

TV Garraway 2

S Terry Prone: There is nothing healthy, physically or emotionally, about fat camp TV

What is it about weight that delivers such a dire permission to people whose opinions have not been elicited?

Mon, 25 Aug, 2025

Women suffer more extreme distress than men when diagnosed with cancer

Women suffer more extreme distress than men when diagnosed with cancer

Up to 46% of women deal with extreme distress at diagnosis compared to 18% of men

Sun, 24 Aug, 2025

healthy pregnancy. Side view pregnant woman with big belly advanced pregnancy in hands. mother waiting baby

Clients of closed midwife service urged to contact maternity hospitals

Private Midwives Ireland shut abruptly last week for financial reasons, leaving women scrambling for care

Sat, 23 Aug, 2025

HSE completes review of homebirth services suspended due to death of Limerick woman

HSE completes review of homebirth services suspended due to death of Limerick woman

HSE Midwest said it 'does not have a confirmed timeline for when home birth services will resume'

Wed, 20 Aug, 2025

File Photo The Health Service Executive has said it is working to establish how many patients may need to have their medical tes

HSE to launch platform for Cork and Kerry patients to give feedback on healthcare

The platform will work by offering patients the chance to upload feedback by telling stories about their care

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Pregnancy Stock

'I fear the HSE won't step up': Pregnant women scrambling for options following closure of private midwife service

Community midwife Sarah McCann said 'free birth is going to happen more often' following closure of Private Midwives Ireland

Fri, 15 Aug, 2025

SUDAN-CONFLICT-HEALTH-CHOLERA

Cholera patients treated on floor of Sudanese clinics with 40 dead in one week

During July, medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières treated over 2,300 cholera patients while working with Sudan's ministry of health

Fri, 15 Aug, 2025

healthy pregnancy. Side view pregnant woman with big belly advanced pregnancy in hands. mother waiting baby

Closure of private midwife service may lead to rise in free births, group warns

Private Midwives Ireland is part of UK-based Private Midwives, which is also closing

Thu, 14 Aug, 2025

Many women playing camogie and Gaelic football 'suffer in silence' with pelvic floor issues

Many women playing camogie and Gaelic football 'suffer in silence' with pelvic floor issues

Two thirds of the club and intercounty players surveyed reported urogenital pain, while almost half regularly have an urgent need to urinate

Fri, 08 Aug, 2025

Shooting At Blackstone Headquarters In New York

NFL shooting highlights battle to reduce brain injury in sport

The problems caused by contact sports are real — we need to make rugby and American Football safer

Wed, 06 Aug, 2025

Concern over weight gain after 'skinny jabs'

Concern over weight gain after 'skinny jabs'

Patients should be monitored for a year after stopping weight loss jabs to prevent them piling the pounds back on, new guidelines say

Tue, 05 Aug, 2025

HEALTH Breast Cancer 1

Three out of five breast cancer patients in Republic face financial and mental stress

Ninety per cent of patients in the North and 86% in the Republic suffering mental stress

Mon, 21 Jul, 2025

Woman lying on bed, suffering from strong stomach pain, endometriosis, menstruation.

Endometriosis education programme to be expanded across secondary schools

A new national endometriosis service is rolling out, but the HSE has acknowledged recruitment challenges

Sun, 20 Jul, 2025

Kerry mother: Doctor told my daughter that endometriosis ‘was all in her head’

Kerry mother: Doctor told my daughter that endometriosis ‘was all in her head’

After three years, four hospitals, and two countries, a Kerry teenager finally receives an endometriosis diagnosis abroad

Sat, 19 Jul, 2025