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The 18th Annual Women’s Health Week kicks off on Mother’s Day this Sunday, May 14, in a continued effort to empower women to make their health a priority. To get the week started, NewYork-Presbyterian physicians across multiple disciplines share their top five women’s health tips.

Tip 1: Women’s Heart Health

“Women should talk to their doctors about heart risk as early as age 20. Conditions that occur during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia, can increase the risk of heart disease in the future. Know your risks and trust your instincts.” – Dr. Nisha Jhalani, cardiologist, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center

Tip 2: Cancer Prevention

“Recent studies have shown that rates of colon and rectal cancer are rising sharply among young Americans. No matter your age, if you have signs or symptoms such as rectal bleeding, bloody stool or significant unexplained weight loss, speak with your doctor. Know your body, if something changes or feels different, get it checked.” – Dr. Felice Schnoll-Sussman, gastroenterologist and director of The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center

Tip 3: Osteoporosis - Exercise and Vitamin D

“Most osteoporosis-associated fractures are the result of a fall on weakened bone. To help prevent osteoporosis and osteoporosis-associated fractures when post-menopausal, it’s important to exercise regularly to keep your body strong and to ensure you are getting enough vitamin D and eating a calcium-rich diet in your 30s-50s.” – Dr. Ethel Siris, director, Toni Stabile Osteoporosis Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center

Tip 4: Fertility

“Women are born with a fixed number of eggs in the ovary and this number declines throughout their lifetime. In fact, the number of eggs in the ovary peaks at 20 weeks of fetal life, and at birth, a baby girl has already lost several million eggs. By the late 30s, the rate of decline increases as does the quality of the remaining eggs. This is why it is significantly more difficult to achieve pregnancies as women age. Those women who are not ready to start a family, should consider fertility preservation options such as egg freezing. Women over 35 who have been trying to conceive for 6 months or more should seek help with a fertility specialist sooner rather than later.  When it comes to fertility, earlier is always better!” – Dr. Alexis Melnick, assistant attending OB/GYN and assistant attending physician, Reproductive Medicine at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center

Tip 5: Sexually Transmitted Infections

“Young women who are sexually active, should get tested for chlamydia and gonorrhea at least once a year, up to age 25. These common infections may have no symptoms and if left untreated can cause fertility problems down the line. Antibiotics provide a complete cure, and condoms prevent infection in the first place.” – Dr. Anne Davis, OB/GYN, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center

NewYork-Presbyterian

NewYork-Presbyterian is one of the nation’s most comprehensive, integrated academic healthcare delivery systems, whose organizations are dedicated to providing the highest quality, most compassionate care and service to patients in the New York metropolitan area, nationally, and throughout the globe. In collaboration with two renowned medical schools, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian is consistently recognized as a leader in medical education, groundbreaking research and innovative, patient-centered clinical care.

NewYork-Presbyterian has four major divisions:

• NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital is ranked #1 in the New York metropolitan area by U.S. News and World Report and repeatedly named to the Honor Roll of “America’s Best Hospitals.”
• NewYork-Presbyterian Regional Hospital Network comprises hospitals and other facilities in the New York metropolitan region.
• NewYork-Presbyterian Physician Services, which connects medical experts with patients in their communities.
• NewYork-Presbyterian Community and Population Health, encompassing ambulatory care network sites and community healthcare initiatives, including NewYork Quality Care, the Accountable Care Organization jointly established by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia.

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