Women who have mutations in the BRCA genes are at higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Research has suggested that women with these altered genes may also have problems conceiving children and that they go through menopause earlier than women without the defective genes.

About 80 percent of women are affected by uterine fibroids — non-cancerous tumors in the uterus (womb) - by age 50. And they can have a significant impact on a woman’s quality of life.

Early puberty in females has been linked to a greater risk of heart disease, cancer and obesity. According to a new study, menstruation at an early age may also boost the odds of getting diabetes.

In looking for a cause of autism, researchers often investigate every possibility imaginable. This includes conditions that occur when a woman is pregnant.

The possible causes of autism are one of the great mysteries of medicine today. I t is possible that certain health conditions during pregnancy might play a role in autism.

Women have been told it's important not to smoke while they're pregnant. Some women may not realize how much smoking in pregnancy might affect their children later on.

One of the challenges of looking for the causes of autism is that some findings are misleading. Just because something is related to autism doesn't it mean it caused it.  Such is the dilemma in the findings of a recent study looking at autism risk and babies born early.

The recommendations not to drink alcohol while pregnant are clear from obstetric medical organizations in the US. Yet pregnant women feeling depressed may be at risk for ignoring this advice.

One of the concerns pregnant women may have about their diet is the amount of seafood they can eat. Seafood contains mercury, a substance pregnant women should try to avoid.

As a child grows up, a mom's memory of the pregnancy and delivery tends to fade over time. But some pregnancy complications may be important to recall later.