Pelvic Organ Prolapse, or POP, is a little talked about female health issue that half of all childbearing women will experience late in life. There are more than 300,000 surgeries for POP annually. Due to various causes such as menopause, estrogen loss, genetics, childbirth or heavy lifting, a woman's pelvic organs can shift or drop. This can lead to POP symptoms, including some painful and embarrassing ones, as well as impacting a woman's sexuality. The condition has probably always existed, but has received little press or public acknowledgement so women could learn about the condition and treatment options. This book on POP fills an unfortunate void in women's health awareness. Sherrie Palm writes about her own personal experiences in Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic. She had never heard about the condition until she needed surgery for it. Palm explores the subject from all angles, providing the information women need to recognize the symptoms of POP and to become advocates for their own health. Pelvic Organ Prolapse: The Silent Epidemic named the winner for Women's Health in the USA Book News National "BEST BOOKS 2009" Awards. http://www.usabooknews.com/2009bestbooksawards. html More information about Sherrie Palm, and how she is creating awareness for this women's health issue can be found on her website: http://sherriepalm.com/home About the Author: First-time author Sherrie Palm is a retired business owner. She lives in Wisconsin with her significant other; she has four children and seven grandchildren. Palm plans to conduct educational seminars on POP. She is also actively involved with the local Special Olympics and will donate a portion of the book's proceeds to the group.

Most European countries have experienced labour market reforms at varying times leading to extended working life and a postponement of retirement age. This book provides a gender perspective on the impact of extended working life on the different dimensions of well-being, the factors which can limit extended working life, and the working conditions of older workers. Over the course of 11 chapters the book explores factors that can limit access to paid work or affect working conditions for older workers, including care for dependent individuals, negative stereotypes surrounding aged workers and poor health. It also investigates differences in working conditions for older workers by gender compared to other groups of workers and across European countries including case-studies from Austria, France, Spain, Poland, Croatia, Albania and Turkey. It will be of interest to all scholars and students of social policy, sociology, gender studies and labour studies more broadly.

A Groundbreaking Guide to the HPV Vaccine and the science, safety, and business Behind It Cancer strikes fear in people's hearts around globe. So the appearance of a vaccine to prevent cancer-as we are assured the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine will-seemed like a game-changer. Since 2006, over eighty countries have approved the vaccine, with glowing endorsements from the world's foremost medical authorities. Bringing in over $2.5 billion in annual sales, the HPV vaccine is a pharmaceutical juggernaut. Yet scandal now engulfs it worldwide. The HPV Vaccine on Trial is a shocking tale, chronicling the global efforts to sell and compel this alleged miracle. The book opens with the vaccine's invention, winds through its regulatory labyrinths, details the crushing denial and dismissal of reported harms and deaths, and uncovers the enormous profits pharma and inventors have reaped. Authors Holland, Mack Rosenberg, and Iorio drill down into the clinical trial data, government approvals, advertising, and personal accounts of egregious injuries that have followed in countries as far-flung as Japan, Australia, Colombia, India, Ireland, the U.K. and Denmark. The authors have written an unprecedented expose about this vaunted vaccine. Written in plain language, the book is for everyone concerned - parents, patients, doctors, nurses, scientists, healthcare organizations, government officials, and schools. Ultimately, this book is not just about the HPV vaccine, but about how industry, government, and medical authorities may be putting the world's children in harm's way.

Exhausted and overworked lawyer, triathlete, wife and mom Meredith Atwood decided one morning that she'd had it. She didn't take her kids to school. She didn't go to work. She didn't go to the gym. When she pulled herself out of bed hours later than she should have, she found a note from her husband next to two empty bottles of wine and a stack of unpaid bills: You need to get your sh*t together. And that's what Meredith began to do, starting with identifying the nonsense in her life that was holding her back: saying "yes" too much, not practising self-care, keeping frenemies around and more. In The Year of No Nonsense, Atwood shares what she learned, tackling struggles with work, family and body image, and also willpower and time management. Ultimately, she's the tough-as-nails coach /slash/ best friend who shares a practical plan for identifying and getting rid of your own nonsense in order to move forward and live an authentic, healthy life. From recognising lies you believe about yourself and your abilities, to making a "nonsense" list and developing a "no nonsense blueprint," this book walks you through reclaiming yourself with grit and determination, step by step. With targeted, practical chapters to help you stop feeling stuck and get on with your life, The Year of No Nonsense is equal parts girlfriend and been-there-done-that. The best part? Like any friend, she helps you get to the other side.

This book is dedicated to improving the practice of the policing of domestic abuse. Its objective is to help inform those working in policing about the dynamics of how domestic abuse occurs, how best to respond to and investigate it, and in the longer term how to prevent it. Divided into thematic areas, the book uses recent research findings to update some of the theoretical analysis and to highlight areas of good practice: 'what works and why'. An effective investigation and the prosecution of offenders are considered, as well as an evaluation of the success of current treatment options. Policing domestic abuse can only be dealt with through an effective partnership response. The responsibilities of each agency and the statutory processes in place when policy is not adhered to are outlined. Core content includes: A critique of definitions and theoretical approaches to domestic abuse, including coverage of the myths surrounding domestic abuse and their impact on policing. An exploration on the challenges of collecting data on domestic abuse, looking at police data and the role of health and victim support services. A critical review of different forms of abuse, different perpetrators and victims, and risk assessment tools used by the police. A critical examination of the law relating to domestic abuse; how police resources are deployed to respond to and manage it; and best practice in investigation, gathering evidence, and prosecution Key perspectives on preventing domestic abuse, protecting victims, and reducing harm. Written with the student and budding practitioner in mind, this book is filled with case studies, current research, reports, and media examples, as well as a variety of reflective questions and a glossary of key terms, to help shed light on the challenges of policing domestic violence and the links between academic research and best practice.

Period. is everything you need to know about periods. PERIOD. Period. is a book for everyone; for children and adults, mums and dads, womb-owners and ex-womb-owners. There is no beating around the bush in this funny and informative book written and illustrated by Natalie Byrne, full of practical tips and advice from what a period actually is, to who and who doesn't have them. This book is a myth-busting must-read. For each book sold we will donate menstrual supplies to asylum seekers, refugees and those who can't afford them through Bloody Good Period.

Expanding population of aging women who are transitioning through and beyond menopause who desire to optimize their health Integrative medicine overview and how to address holistic health and wellness blending conventional and unconventional medicine Holistic healing strategies outside of the conventional medicine paradigm Self-Advocacy strategies to encourage women to create their own web of care Preventive care that is essential for chronic disease mitigation Wide audience appeal: Both consumers and health practitioners Potential reading audience is steadily growing, partly due to longevity and overall better health practices.

This new edition of Sarah Franklin's classic monograph on the development of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) includes two entirely new chapters reflecting on the relevance of the book's findings in the context of the past two decades and providing a 'state-of-the-art' review of the field today. Over the past 25 years, both the assisted conception industry and the academic field of reproductive studies have grown enormously. IVF, in particular, is belatedly becoming recognised as one of the most influential technologies of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, with a far-reaching set of implications that have to date been underestimated, understudied and under-reported. This pioneering text was the first to explore the emergence of commercial IVF in the United Kingdom, where the technique was originally developed. During the 1980s, the British Parliament devised a unique system of comprehensive national regulation of assisted reproduction amidst fractious public and media debate over IVF and embryo research. Franklin chronicles these developments and explores their significance in relation to classic anthropological debates about the meanings of kinship, gender and the 'biological facts' of parenthood. Drawing on extensive personal interviews with women and couples undergoing IVF, as well as ethnographic fieldword in early IVF clinics, the book explores the unique demands of the IVF technique. In richly detailed chapters, it documents the 'topsy-turvy' world of IVF, and how the experience of undergoing IVF changes its users in ways they had not anticipated. Franklin argues that such experiences reveal a crucial feature of translational biomedical procedures more widely - namely, that these are 'hope technologies' that paradoxically generate new uncertainties and risks in the very space of their supposed resolution. The final chapter closely engages with the 'hope technology' concept, as well as the idea of 'having to try' and uses these frames to link contemporary reproductive studies to core sociological and anthropological arguments about economy, society and technology. In the context of rapid fertility decline and huge growth in the fertility industry, this volume is even more relevant today than when it was first published at the dawn of what Franklin calls the era of 'iFertility'. Embodied Progress is an essential read for all social science academics and students with an interested in the burgeoning new field of reproductive studies. It is also a valuable resource for practitioners working in the fields of reproductive health, biomedicine and policy.

Simple, Safe, and Effective Herbal Remedies for Women

For centuries women have turned to herbs to cope with a wide variety of health problems and conditions. Comprehensive and easy-to-use, Herbal Healing for Women explains how to create remedies -- including teas, tinctures, salves, and ointments -- for the common disorders that arise in the different cycles of a woman's life. Covering adolescence, childbearing years, pregnancy and childbirth, and menopause, Rosemary Gladstar teaches how herbs can be used to treat the symptoms of conditions such as acne, PMS, morning sickness, and hot flashes. A complete women's health-care manual, Herbal Healing for Women discusses:

* common disorders and the herbs that are effective for treating them;
* how to select and store herbs;
* preparation of hundreds of herbal remedies;
* an alphabetical listing of herbs, including a brief description of the herb, the general medicinal usage, and when necessary, warnings about potential side effects.

By explaining the properties of specific herbs and the art of preparation, Rosemary Gladstar demonstrates not only how to achieve healing through herbs but good health as well.

Strong as a Mother is a practical and compassionate guide to preparing for a smooth start to motherhood. Everyone knows the secret to having "the Happiest Baby on the Block." This is your guide to being the Sanest Mommy on the Block. It will prepare you with humour and grace for what lies ahead, give you the tools you need to take care of yourself, permission to struggle at times, and professional advice on how to move through it when you do. This book will become a dog-eared resource on your nightstand, offering you the same care and support that you are working so hard to provide to your child. It will help you prioritise your emotional health, set boundaries and ask for help, make choices about feeding and childcare that feel good to you, get good sleep, create a strong relationship with your partner, make self care an everyday priority, trust your instincts, and actually enjoy the hardest job you will ever love. This book is here to take care of you.

This book explores the widespread problem of gender-based violence in the Anglophone Caribbean, exploring reasons for its perpetuation and proposing viable policy and programming solutions to prevent it. Drawing on the work of a multidisciplinary team of Caribbean researchers and practitioners, the book explores the ways in which violence victimisation and perpetration have been socially and institutionally shaped, and supported by fixed gender codes. Key themes in the book include the institutional frameworks and structural inequalities that perpetuate gender-based violence, the role of the church both in perpetuating the problem and its potential to combat it, the role of law, access to justice, and governmental and non-governmental responses to gender-based violence. The book covers violence against women, but also explores women as perpetrators, men and boys as victims, and gender-based violence against young persons. It also demonstrates the ways in which gender-based violence can further marginalise already marginalised groups, such as members of the LBTQ+ community or persons with disabilities. Bridging the divide between academia, government, and civil society, this book challenges the normalisation of gender-based violence in the Anglophone Caribbean and proposes viable, culturally relevant solutions for prevention. It will be of interest to researchers and practitioners working on issues related to gender, the Caribbean, global development, criminology, and human rights.

This book delves into this almost unchartered territory, documenting the lived experiences of sex workers in Bangladesh, considering the complex realities of their day-to-day lives and the ways they negotiate their working conditions and relationships. Despite being the most common form of female deviance and criminality globally, we know very little about sex work in Asia and the global south. Drawing on feminist frameworks, it shows that the experiences of sex workers vary widely depending on the ways they enter the sex trade, their modes of operation, and relationships with significant others. Towards a Southern Approach to Sex Work contributes to feminist scholarship on sex work, by offering a much needed southern perspective, drawing on culturally specific data. It argues that the lived experience of sex workers comprises both victimhood and agency, deception and resilience, and that it is the management of these relationships that enable sex works to avoid social marginalization and alienation. An accessible and compelling read, this will appeal to students and scholars of criminology, sociology, gender studies, south Asian studies, cultural studies, social theory and policy makers. In addition, it will engage all those interested in learning more about how the sex trade operates in Bangladesh.

This book documents the emergence of doulas as care professionals in Italy, considers their training, practices, and representation, and analyses their role in national and international context. Doulas offer emotional, informational and practical support to women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. Pamela Pasian explores the development of this 'new' profession and how doulas are defining their space in the Italian maternity care system. Whilst doulas are gaining recognition they are also facing opposition. The book reflects on the conflicts and collaborations between doulas and midwives, as well as relations between different doula associations. Interweaving ethnography and autoethnography, it will be of interest to anthropologists, sociologists and those working in health and maternity care.

A clarion call about the dangers of medicine for women, as well as a manual for how women can get the right care for their bodies. Sex Matters tackles one of the most urgent, yet unspoken issues facing women's health care today: all models of medical research and practice are based on male-centric models that ignore the unique biological and emotional differences between men and women - an omission that endangers women's lives. The facts surrounding how male-centric medicine impacts women's health every day are chilling: in the ER, women are more likely to receive a psychiatric diagnosis with regard to opioid use, while men are more likely to be referred for detoxification; the more vocal women become about their pain, the more likely their providers are to prescribe either inadequate or inappropriate pain relief medication; women often present with nontraditional symptoms of stroke, which causes delays in recognition by both them and their health professionals; and a government accountability study found that 80% of drugs that are withdrawn from the market are due to side effects that happen to women (a result of testing drugs mostly on men). Leading expert on sex and gender medicine Dr Alyson McGregor focuses on the key areas where these differences are most potentially harmful, addressing: * Cardiac and stroke diagnosis and treatment in women; * Prescription and dosing of pharmaceuticals; * Subjective evaluation of women's symptoms; * Pain and pain management; * Hormones and female biochemistry (including prescribed hormones); * How economic status, race, and gender identity are additional critical factors. Not only does Dr McGregor explore these disparities in depth, she shares clear, practical suggestions for what we can do. A work of riveting expose, revelatory insights into the medical establishment and actionable guidance for putting this information to use, Sex Matters is an empowering roadmap for reinventing modern medicine - and for self-care. (P)2020 Hachette Audio

Head Above Water takes us into a space of intimate conversations on illness and society's stigmatization of disabled bodies. We are invited in to ask the big questions about life, loss, and the place of the other. The narrative builds a bridge that reminds us of our common humanity and weaves the threads that tie us all together. Through conversations about women's identities, bodies, and our journeys through life, we arrive at a politics of love, survival, and hope.

Although menopause is a natural and inevitable stage in every woman's life, its physical, mental, and emotional manifestations can vary greatly from one person to the next. Add to this all of the conflicting "expert" information about the benefits, risks, and side effects to which women are exposed on a daily basis, and it's easy to see why most find it difficult to make informed choices about how to deal with their menopausal symptoms. Authored by a team of acknowledged experts in treating menopausal symptoms, Menopause For Dummies arms you with all the information you need to stay in control every step of the way. In plain English, it explains the role menopause plays in a variety of common health problems, such as osteoporosis, stroke, and heart disease. It walks you through proven measures for minimizing your risk of developing complications through including diet and exercise, stress management, hormone replacement, and other techniques. And it arms you with authoritative, up-to-the-minute coverage of: * Premenopause how to identify it and what it means * The stages of menopause * How menopause can affect your body, emotions, and libido * The latest facts about hormone replacement therapy * The pros and cons of various alternative treatments * The best ways of handling hot flashes * Easing symptoms with diet and exercise * Preventing bone loss * Helpful lifestyle changes With Menopause For Dummies in your corner you'll have a kinder, gentler "change of life."

This classic book, first published in 1992 and again in 2003, has inspired three generations of childbearing people, birth activists and researchers, and birth practitioners-midwives, doulas, nurses, and obstetricians-to take a fresh look at the "standard procedures" that are routinely used to "manage" American childbirth. It was the first book to identify these non-evidence-based obstetric interventions as rituals that enact and transmit the core values of the American technocracy, thereby answering the pressing question of why these interventions continue to be performed despite all evidence to the contrary. This third edition brings together Davis-Floyd's insights into the intense ritualization of labor and birth and the technocratic, humanistic, and holistic models of birth with new data collected in recent years.

A national bestseller! Breast cancer surgeon Dr. Kristi Funk offers a comprehensive and encouraging approach to breast care and breast cancer. Empower yourself with facts and strategies to understand your breasts, reduce your cancer risk, and open your eyes to interventions and treatments. Most women don't want to hear about breast cancer unless they have it and need to make some decisions, but these days news about breast cancer-the number one killer of women ages twenty to fifty-nine-is everywhere. Chances are you know someone who has had it. But did you know that choices you make every day bring you closer to breast cancer-or move you farther away? That there are ways to reduce your risk factors? And that many of the things you've heard regarding the causes of breast cancer are flat-out false? Based on Dr. Kristi Funk's experience as a board-certified breast cancer surgeon, she knows for a fact that women have the power to reduce breast cancer risk in dramatic ways. Many women believe that family history and genetics determine who gets breast cancer, but that's not true for most people. In fact, 87 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a single first-degree relative with breast cancer. This book will help you: Learn the breast-health basics that every woman should know Reduce your cancer risk and recurrence risk based on food choices and healthy lifestyle changes backed by rigorous scientific research Understand the controllable and uncontrollable risk factors for breast cancer Outline your medical choices if you're at elevated risk for or are already navigating life with breast cancer There have been few solid guidelines on how to improve your breast health, lower your risk of getting cancer, and make informed medical choices after treatment-until now. With her book available in 10 languages and in more than 30 countries, Dr. Funk is passionate about her mission of educating as many women as possible about what they can do to stop breast cancer before it starts. Praise for Breasts: The Owner's Manual: "Dr. Funk writes Breasts: The Owner's Manual just like she talks: with conviction, passion, and a laser focus on you."-Dr. Mehmet Oz, Host of The Dr. Oz Show "Breasts: The Owner's Manual will become an indispensable and valued guide for women looking to optimize health and minimize breast illness."-Debu Tripathy, MD, Professor and Chair, Department of Breast Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center "Breasts: The Owner's Manual not only provides a clear path to breast health, but a road that leads straight to your healthiest self. As someone who has faced breast cancer, I suggest you follow it."-Robin Roberts, Co-anchor, Good Morning America

The Social Exclusion of Incarcerated Women with Cognitive Disabilities explores the lived experience of cognitively disabled women incarcerated in Australia. It draws upon in-depth interviews with Indigenous and non-Indigenous women, as well as interviews conducted with prison practitioners - psychologists, counsellors, and Aboriginal Liaison Officers. Using a theoretical framework of social exclusion, the book charts the complex intersection between cognitively disabled women and the Criminal Justice System, and how this connection works to foster and maintain a state of social exclusion prior to incarceration, and equally, within the prison setting. The book also provides a practical template for other researchers to use when investigating the aligned fields of the Criminal Justice System and incarceration, women offenders, cognitive disability, and social exclusion. By placing the voices of the incarcerated women with cognitive disabilities 'front and centre', a new and innovative approach to social exclusion emerges. The book moves beyond the 'telling of sad stories' to examine the social and political climate that permits disadvantage, inequality, and injustice to flourish. This book will be of great interest to academics and students in criminology, criminal justice, disability studies, women's and gender studies, and penology. In exploring theory in a practical way, it will also be of use to those involved in the health sector, community services, disability support agencies, disability advocates, prisoner advocacy, women's studies and women's advocacy, and human rights activism.

'In Real Self-Care, Pooja explores what it really means to take care of ourselves and provides a revolutionary self-care framework that is honest, compassionate, and completely actionable.' Dr Becky Kennedy, Sunday Times bestselling author of Good Inside Self-care has become a staple in women's lives. From juice cleanses to yoga workshops to luxury bamboo sheets, we are sold breezy fixes in pastel-coloured packages, and then made to feel at fault when they don't work, like there is something wrong with us. But we are not broken: the game is rigged against us. And if we set aside those activities that don't serve us, we can all reconnect with ourselves and become agents of change in our lives. In Real Self-Care, psychiatrist and women's mental health specialist Dr Pooja Lakshmin will help you understand what a real and sustainable practice of caring for yourself looks like. Using case studies, clinical research and actionable strategies to deal with common problems, this book will help you set boundaries and move past guilt, treat yourself with compassion, live a life aligned with your values and assert your power. The result - having ownership over your life - is nothing less than a personal and social revolution. Because real self-care is not a noun - it's a verb. And while it may not be as easy as buying that crystal-infused water bottle, the rewards are infinite.

In this book, we make space to interrogate obstetric violence; from its historical and legal roots and contemporary realities, to responses of advocacy and resistance. Through the lens of obstetric violence, we are able to see overlap in structural vulnerability across continents as well as recognize the ways in which obstetric violence is symptomatic of larger global problems including systemic injustices related to reproductive health. Combining the perspectives of care providers, birthing people, advocates, and researchers, our volume seeks to include both a systematic and structural understanding of obstetric violence. We bring together diverse voices, from practitioners, to activists, to academics, and provide a global perspective on obstetric violence with research from around the world, including indigenous communities from North America (Canada and Hawaii), examples from Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as country-specific cases from Argentina, Australia, Egypt, Mexico, Portugal, and the United States. The range of disciplinary perspectives and global experiences presented in this book demonstrates that obstetric violence is neither bound to one discipline, nor site specific. Together the chapters of this volume work to understand obstetric violence, moving beyond static definitions towards a spectrum of lived experiences that highlight three main areas: Legislation and Policy, Experiencing Obstetric Violence, and Advocacy, Resistance and Reframing. The time for a global recognition of obstetric violence--of the larger structural forces embedded in systems that cross cultures and violate bodies in acutely vulnerable life moments-- is now. By naming it and saying it out loud, we recognize obstetric violence exists and can together begin the process of systemic change necessary to prevent it.