#Womens Health

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#Womens Health

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>At Cork University Maternity Hospital, visiting is limited to between 7am and 11pm. It can only be the woman’s partner or nominated support person. Children are not allowed in clinical areas for now. Picture: iStock</p>

news

Hospital visiting restrictions remain as total number of flu patients dips below 700

HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry cautioned cases could rise again as people socialise more over the holiday period

<p>Last year, five babies were sent for therapeutic hypothermia, known as cooling, which meant the Portiuncula Hospital's rate for this procedure was 'significantly' higher than at other hospitals. File photo</p>

news

HSE head unable to clarify when Portiuncula hospital will resume care for high-risk pregnancies

<p>(Left to right) Stephy Ouseph’s 10-year-old son Johann, her husband Baiju, and Juwann, at the pre-inquest hearing into her death in Cork City. Mrs Ouseph's post-mortem examination failed to find a cause of death. Picture: Neil Michael</p>

munster

Family seek first inquest of its kind here after 'reservations' over autopsy of woman who died in CUMH

Cancer patients urged to call triage helplines to avoid A&E over Christmas

news

Cancer patients urged to call triage helplines to avoid A&E over Christmas

Colorful medicines closeup on white background

politics

Government accused of being 'Scrooge-like' over plans for blister pack pharmacy charges

SFergus Finlay: Raise a glass to 30 years of divorce in Ireland

€250m nursing home PPP project still empty as delays push first residents to 2026

€250m nursing home PPP project still empty as delays push first residents to 2026

A €250m PPP project to deliver seven modern nursing homes is running years late, with only two units handed over and none yet occupied

Thu, 27 Nov, 2025

Ultra processed foods study

It's official: Ultra-processed foods are harmful and these are the next steps we must take

The evidence is clear on ultra-processed foods' harmful role in our diets — it's time we made manufacturers shape up or pay, writes Catherine Conlon

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

General practitioner doing blood test

Pinprick blood test could detect disease 10 years before symptoms appear, study finds

Molecular profiles will give detailed snapshot of person’s physiology and predict diseases from diabetes to cancer and dementia

Thu, 20 Nov, 2025

'I hope I can get the surgery I need. I don’t want to lose my leg'

'I hope I can get the surgery I need. I don’t want to lose my leg'

Meath woman Sarah Costello's injuries resulted from a procedure she underwent in Northern Ireland through the NTPF and she says she has since received inadequate care back home

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

Mother says Camino walk had life-changing impact on her after daughter’s suicide

Mother says Camino walk had life-changing impact on her after daughter’s suicide

Week-long pilgrimage in Spain gave Tracey Monaghan the opportunity to talk about her daughter and remember her openly

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

Mounjaro injections

Up to 80,000 people in Ireland may qualify for State-funded weight-loss injections

A forthcoming HSE assessment will determine who qualifies for Mounjaro, with access likely restricted to high-risk patients due to cost

Sat, 15 Nov, 2025

Good Bill of Health

Jennifer Horgan: Femtech has finally discovered the bleedin' obvious

The neglect of women’s health, the health of every second person, is baked into medical science, writes Jennifer Horgan

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Photo of newborn baby feet

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

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

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

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

Use of vaginal mesh implants has been paused here since 2018 but the HSE can reimburse women for surgery in other countries

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

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

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

Mary ‘May’ McGee and her husband Séamus took on the State to successfully challenge the ban on contraception

Fri, 31 Oct, 2025

Close up shot of young couple hugging at window

Workplaces have a role in dealing with pregnancy loss

Recognising pregnancy loss as a workplace issue and in working lives is essential, writes Professor Keelin O’Donoghue

Thu, 30 Oct, 2025

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

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

Tributes have been paid to Mary ‘May’ McGee, whose 1973 Supreme Court victory transformed Ireland’s laws on contraception and women’s rights

Wed, 29 Oct, 2025

Cork endometriosis patient calls for further expansion of supports

Cork endometriosis patient calls for further expansion of supports

Ireland’s first endometriosis framework aims to create a clearer care pathway and assist GPs in referring women for specialist treatment

Wed, 29 Oct, 2025

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

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

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

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