Advanced nurse practitioner in general practice Helen Lewis explains the key features of primary hypothyroidism, as well as diagnosis and management in primary care Primary hypothyroidism is defined as low levels of blood thyroid hormones due to destruction of the thyroid gland, usually caused by autoimmunity or an intervention such as surgery, radioiodine or radiation….
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A lack of understanding of the rates and presentation of CVD in women could be causing unnecessary morbidity and mortality from often preventable and treatable disease. 

The cost of HRT may soon be reduced and prescriptions made simpler, the Government has announced. The commitment was agreed in parliament at the second reading of the Menopause Bill, introduced by Carolyn Harris, Welsh Labour MP for Swansea East. The cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is prescribed to ease symptoms associated with the…
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HRT reduces a women’s risk of an early death, according to research from the University of East Anglia, despite concerns over increased breast cancer risk. The pre-print study, accepted yesterday by the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, followed 105,199 women between 46 and 65 with an hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescription and compared them…
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Prescription charges for hormone replacement therapy could be scrapped in England under a proposed legislation.   The Menopause (Support and Services) Bill — which is scheduled for its second reading on 29 October 2021 in the House of Commons — was first presented to Parliament in June 2021 by Carolyn Harris, Labour MP for Swansea East.  Patients eligible for charges in England currently pay…
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1. Know the basics and be able to explain them to patients Symptoms of the menopause occur due to oestrogen deficiency after ovarian follicular activity ceases1; giving oestrogen alone would therefore treat these symptoms but leave the endometrium exposed to unopposed oestrogen. Over time, this causes endometrial proliferation as cells multiply in response to the…
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More people than ever are surviving cervical cancer, and for longer. Yet, to live well it is vital that we address the often long-lasting effects a cancer diagnosis and treatment can bring. In our research into the long term consequences of cervical cancer treatment, we found that 67% of women experienced changes to their sex…
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Falling numbers of nurses and health visitors working in schools is particularly ‘concerning’ as they help protect children against cancer, a new report from The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has warned.  

Kathryn Waldegrave writes about a study investigating non-surgical treatments for urinary incontinence. Female urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent condition worldwide, experienced by many women across all communities and care settings. Increasing with age, especially following the menopause, the most common types of UI in non-pregnant women are stress, urgency and mixed incontinence. The unpredictable…
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GP Dr David Edwards discusses how to help women suffering from sexual dysfunction in diabetes