The Office on Women's Health (OWH), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services External link (HHS), works to improve the health and sense of well-being of all U.S. women and girls. OWH serves as the focal point for women's health activities within HHS offices and agencies. OWH leads programs to improve women's health and collaborates across HHS and with other partners on women's health activities.
OWH has a national office in Washington, DC. Ten Regional Women's Health Coordinators are located throughout the country to serve women and girls through local public health initiatives.
Our mission is to provide leadership to promote health equity for women and girls through sex/gender-specific approaches. OWH achieves its mission and vision by developing innovative programs, educating health professionals, and motivating behavior change in consumers through the dissemination of health information.
Many women, especially first-time mothers-to-be, think they are in labor when they're not. This is called false labor. "Practice" contractions called Braxton Hicks contractions are common in the ...
December 18, 2012 - 9:59pm
Soon, you'll experience the amazing process of childbirth! Find out how to spot the signs of labor, and get the facts on pain management, cesarean delivery, and more.
Spot the signs of labor ...
December 17, 2012 - 1:13pm
First-time mothers-to-be often have lots of questions and even some worries: How will I know I'm in labor? Will it hurt? Will my baby know how to breastfeed? How do I care for a newborn? ...
December 12, 2012 - 2:32pm
Pregnancies with a greater chance of complications are called "high-risk." But this doesn't mean there will be problems.
The following factors may increase the risk of problems during ...
December 10, 2012 - 6:34am
Tests are used during pregnancy to check your and your baby's health. At your fist prenatal visit, your doctor will use tests to check for a number of things, such as:
- Your blood type and Rh ...
December 4, 2012 - 8:15pm
After 28 weeks, keep track of your baby's movement. This will help you to notice if your baby is moving less than normal, which could be a sign that your baby is in distress and needs a doctor's ...
December 2, 2012 - 6:50pm
During pregnancy, regular checkups are very important. This consistent care can help keep you and your baby healthy, spot problems if they occur, and prevent problems during delivery. Typically, ...
November 29, 2012 - 1:22pm
Many women have strong views about where and how they'd like to deliver their babies. In general, women can choose to deliver at a hospital, birth center, or at home. You will need to contact your ...
November 26, 2012 - 9:30am
You will see your prenatal care provider many times before you have your baby. So you want to be sure that the person you choose has a good reputation, and listens to and respects you.
You ...
November 21, 2012 - 12:44pm
A doula (DOO-luh) is a professional labor coach, who gives physical and emotional support to women during labor and delivery. They offer advice on breathing, relaxation, movement, and positioning. ...
November 19, 2012 - 5:48am
At 32 weeks:
- Your baby's bones are fully formed, but still soft.
- Your baby's kicks and jabs are forceful.
- The eyes can open and close and sense changes in light.
- Lungs are not ...
November 14, 2012 - 12:10pm
At 16 weeks:
- Muscle tissue and bone continue to form, creating a more complete skeleton.
- Skin begins to form. You can nearly see through it.
- Meconium (mih-KOH-nee-uhm) develops in ...
November 13, 2012 - 9:01am
At four weeks:
- Your baby's brain and spinal cord have begun to form.
- The heart begins to form.
- Arm and leg buds appear.
- Your baby is now an embryo and one-twenty-fifth inch ...
November 7, 2012 - 1:21pm
You're in the home stretch! Some of the same discomforts you had in your second trimester will continue.
Plus, many women find breathing difficult and notice they have to go to the bathroom ...
November 6, 2012 - 9:05am
Most women find the second trimester of pregnancy easier than the first. But it is just as important to stay informed about your pregnancy during these months.
You might notice that symptoms ...
October 31, 2012 - 1:06pm
During the first trimester your body undergoes many changes. Hormonal changes affect almost every organ system in your body. These changes can trigger symptoms even in the very first weeks of ...
October 30, 2012 - 11:58am
Unplanned pregnancy is common. About 1 in 2 pregnancies in America are unplanned. Ideally, a woman who is surprised by an unplanned pregnancy is in good preconception health and is ready and able ...
October 24, 2012 - 5:17pm
A missed period is often the first clue that a woman might be pregnant. Sometimes, a woman might suspect she is pregnant even sooner. Symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and breast tenderness, can ...
October 23, 2012 - 4:07am
This involves recording your menstrual cycle on a calendar for eight to 12 months. The first day of your period is Day 1. Circle Day 1 on the calendar.
The length of your cycle may vary from ...
October 17, 2012 - 1:46am
Basal body temperature is your temperature at rest as soon as you awake in the morning. A woman's basal body temperature rises slightly with ovulation. So by recording this temperature daily for ...
October 15, 2012 - 1:18pm
Why preconception health matters
Preconception health is a woman's health before she becomes pregnant. It means knowing how health conditions and risk factors could affect a woman or her unborn ...
October 11, 2012 - 5:47am
Becoming a mother might be the last thing on your mind right now. But you should set some goals about having (or not having) children — especially if you are sexually active. This is called a ...
October 9, 2012 - 12:22pm
Learning your family's health history is important for your own health. This information will help your doctor identify health problems that might run in your family that could affect your own ...
October 3, 2012 - 9:16am
Stroke is a major cause of death and disability. A stroke occurs when part of your brain doesn't get the blood that it needs. Depending on the parts of the brain damaged by a stroke, people who ...
October 1, 2012 - 8:54am
About 1 in 4 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women smokes. Smoking is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer. And research suggests that Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders who ...
September 26, 2012 - 8:42am
Tuberculosis (too-bur-kyuh-LOH-suhss), or TB, is a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air. TB usually affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts ...
September 24, 2012 - 8:46am
Overweight and obesity are serious health problems for Latino families. For instance, about 3 in 4 Mexican-American women are overweight or obese.
Mexican-American women make up the largest ...
September 19, 2012 - 5:25pm
Gallstones are pieces of solid matter that form in the gallbladder. The gallbladder stores bile, which helps your body digest food. Gallstones form when parts of the bile turn into crystals. ...
September 18, 2012 - 8:59am
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders have high rates of overweight and obesity. This contributes to the high rates of health problems common in this group.
Being overweight or obese ...
September 13, 2012 - 2:04pm
Osteoporosis (OSS-tee-oh-puh-ROH-suhss) is a disease that thins and weakens the bones. This makes it easier for bones to break. There are no symptoms. In fact, many people don't know they have ...
September 12, 2012 - 9:29am
Alcohol and drug abuse are significant problems for many American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Alcohol and drug abuse have been linked to increases in injuries, violence, and mental ...
September 6, 2012 - 8:33am
Cancer is a disease in which cells become abnormal and form more cells in an uncontrolled way. With breast cancer, the cancer begins in the tissues that make up the breasts. The cancer cells may ...
September 5, 2012 - 8:41am
Heart disease is the number one killer of American women. Heart disease is a group of diseases of the heart and the blood vessel system in the heart. Coronary artery disease, the most common type, ...
August 31, 2012 - 11:31am
Lupus (LOO-puhss) is a disease in which the body attacks its own healthy tissues and organs. It can damage the joints, skin, kidneys, and other parts of the body. No one knows for sure what causes ...
August 29, 2012 - 1:47pm
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders consist of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, and other Pacific Islands. This small population often is grouped with Asians in studies and ...
August 23, 2012 - 1:39pm
Money problems, health problems, and the loss of loved ones are all sources of stress, worry, and sadness. During stressful times, feeling sad, worried, or anxious for a little while is normal. ...
August 22, 2012 - 1:10pm
Diabetes is a disease that causes blood sugar levels to be too high. Over time high blood sugar levels can hurt many parts of your body, such as your skin, mouth, kidneys, heart, nerves, eyes, and ...
August 15, 2012 - 1:40pm
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV weakens your body's defense system, which makes it hard for your body to fight off other health problems that it could normally resist. As time goes on, your ...
August 13, 2012 - 12:51pm
Slavery. Many people think it's something from a history book. But modern-day slavery — human trafficking — is happening every day around the world and in the United States.
Trafficking is the ...
August 10, 2012 - 8:20am
Accidental injuries are the leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives ages 1 to 44 years old. They are the third leading cause of death overall, with nearly half of these ...
August 8, 2012 - 1:45pm
Asthma (AZ-muh) is a chronic disease of the lung airways. With asthma, the airways are inflamed (swollen) and react easily to certain "triggers," like smoke or dust mites. When the inflamed ...
August 2, 2012 - 8:50am
Hepatitis (HEP-uh-TEYE-tuhss) B is a liver disease. It is caused by the hepatitis B virus, or HBV. Hepatitis that does not get better can cause scarring of the liver, liver cancer, or even death. ...
July 30, 2012 - 8:25am
Cirrhosis (suh-ROH-suhss) is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or diseases you have had for a long time. Scar tissue cannot do what healthy liver tissue does. This ...
July 26, 2012 - 12:11pm
Blindness affects African-Americans more frequently than whites and Hispanics. Glaucoma and cataracts can lead to blindness and are serious problems for African-Americans.
Glaucoma ...
July 24, 2012 - 8:24am
Project leader: Adrienne M. Smith, Ph.D., M.S., C.H.E.S.
The Office on Women's Health (OWH) established the Minority Women's Health Panel of Experts in response to its 1997 conference, ...
July 19, 2012 - 11:57am
Lack of access to health care, language barriers, and discrimination are all factors contributing to minority health disparities. These issues are often greatly magnified in recent immigrants and ...
July 17, 2012 - 9:31am
Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders consist of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, and other Pacific Islands. This small population often is grouped with Asians in studies and ...
July 11, 2012 - 8:37am
For generations, the Indian way of life sought to seek balance — in body, mind, and spirit. Yet displacement, cultural trauma, and high rates of poverty have taken a heavy toll on native peoples ...
July 9, 2012 - 9:21am
Latinos are the largest, fastest-growing, and youngest minority group in the United States. They are sometimes called Hispanic-Americans. Latino is not a race, but an ethnicity. Latinos are ...
July 6, 2012 - 8:33am
Asian-Americans are an incredibly diverse population. They are people whose family roots trace to the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent. They are sometimes stereotyped as the ...
July 2, 2012 - 11:49am
