(This is me, right after I had a complete hysterectomy. It's been several years, but this time in my life is indelibly imprinted in my mind....)

On the outside it appears as if I have everything a woman could possibly want. I'm living a fairy tale life with a wonderful husband, extraordinary daughter, and a beautiful home. But on the inside I am crumbling.

Disintegrating. And slowly. I'm trapped in a body that I no longer know, as if my mind and heart have been plucked from my old, familiar body and thrust into a new one that is not only foreign, it is falling apart.

THURSDAY, Aug. 21 (HealthDay News) -- One reason why abstinence-only programs don't do much to prevent teen sexual activity is because abstinence can mean different things to teens than it does to adults, according to a University of Washington study.

Teens' attitudes and intentions about sex are more powerful than their attitudes and intentions about being abstinent, the researchers found.

(HealthDay News) -- Most women need regular pap tests to check for early signs of cervical cancer. It's important to prepare before the test to get the most accurate results possible.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in the two days before the test, you should avoid:

* Douching.
* Using a tampon.
* Using any suppositories, creams or medications that must be inserted into the vagina.
* Using any vaginal deodorant sprays or powders.
* Having sex.

TOKYO (Reuters) - A 61-year-old Japanese woman has given birth to a surrogate child, an obstetrician in central Japan said on Wednesday. She is believed to be the oldest surrogate mother yet recorded in Japan.

The woman became pregnant with an embryo created from the egg of her daughter, who has no uterus, and sperm from the daughter's husband, the maternity clinic involved said in a statement.

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4Women.gov

WHAT IS MENOPAUSE?

WASHINGTON - More women in their early 40s are childless, and those who are having children are having fewer than ever before, the Census Bureau said Monday.

In the last 30 years, the number of women age 40 to 44 with no children has doubled, from 10 percent to 20 percent. And those who are mothers have an average of 1.9 children each, more than one child fewer than women of the same age in 1976.

Read full story

Watch Dr. Shoshana Bennett, Ph.D., being interviewed about Postpartum Depression, which has been experienced by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields and Courtney Cox. Host Shay Pausa talks with Dr. Shoshana Bennett and brave mom, Melissa McGarry!

A premature baby who was pronounced dead "came back to life" Sunday after five hours in Nahariya Hospital.

The baby girl, who was in a cooler at the hospital, suddenly showed signs of life and was being treated in the premature baby unit.

Read full story from the Jerusalem Post

FRIDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthDay News) -- In mice, high levels of the male sex hormone testosterone may play an important role in the spread of disease, according to Penn State researchers.

Previous studies have linked testosterone to immune system suppression and found that males experience more bouts of disease and are responsible for more disease transmission than females. But it's not clear why males are more likely to spread disease.

FRIDAY, Aug. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Statins might quickly help reverse erectile dysfunction among men who have metabolic syndrome, new animal research suggests.

A threat to cardiovascular health, metabolic syndrome is also known to raise the risk for erectile dysfunction (ED). The current finding indicates that statins may reduce levels of a specific protein that contributes to ED.