5 surprising women’s health facts you might not know: Heart attacks, female cancers, endometriosis and more
From female-specific conditions to gender differences in disease symptoms, there is so much to grasp about women’s health. Plus, female hormones play a huge role too. CNA Women speaks to medical experts to delve into some surprising health truths.
From heart attacks to urinary tract infections, female cancers and endometriosis, there are some important facts that women need to know about these conditions. (Photo: iStock/SDI Productions)
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It’s important to be educated about our health so we can improve our quality of life. This is especially crucial for women as there are still areas of women’s health that are not fully understood or not given enough attention.
CNA Women explores five not so well-known facts about certain aspects of women’s health, from the effect of hormones to female-only conditions and misguided cures.
Fact #1: Women have different heart attack symptoms and additional risk factors
We often associate heart attacks with a pain in the chest but a woman may not present this common symptom.
Dr Sim Hui Wen, a consultant at Department of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre, Singapore (NUHCS), said that women can present typical symptoms similar to men, such as heaviness of the chest that can radiate to the left arm, neck or jaw, accompanied by cold sweat and nausea.
“However, women are more likely than men to present with atypical symptoms such as shortness of breath, light-headedness, indigestion, anxiety and unusual fatigue,” she said.
“This may lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment as patients may not know they are suffering from a heart attack. Also, doctors may miss the diagnosis due to the vague symptoms.”
Dr Sim noted that women tend to downplay their symptoms by attributing them to something less serious, like stress or exhaustion, or ignoring early warning signs, to see if symptoms improve on their own. Some women may fear being seen as overreacting or are worried that their concerns will be dismissed.
She advised women to communicate clearly with their healthcare providers of any symptoms, even if they don’t seem severe. “Awareness to these patterns can save lives by encouraging timely intervention,” she added.
While many heart attack risk factors are shared by both sexes, some are unique to women. Examples include premature menopause, gestational diabetes, premature delivery, polycystic ovary syndrome and autoimmune disorders.
In fact, menopause itself is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease primarily due to the decline in oestrogen levels.
“Oestrogen protects women from heart disease by regulating good cholesterol levels and maintaining flexibility of blood vessels,” said Dr Sim. “After menopause, blood pressure, lipid and sugar control can worsen due to the loss of the protective effect from oestrogen.”
Dr Chuah Theng Theng, a consultant at the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), said that when oestrogen declines, fat can build up in the blood vessels, leading to narrowing and stiffening of the arteries.
“This will contribute to a rise in blood pressure as well as increase in cholesterol and blood sugar levels,” she added. “All these changes lead to an increase in heart diseases.”
She advised women to optimise their lifestyle habits and go for regular chronic diseases screenings to prevent heart disease.
Fact #2: Not having children increases your risk of breast and ovarian cancers
KKH’s Dr Chuah said that women who became mothers before the age of 35 have a lower risk of breast and ovarian cancer as compared with mums who had kids after 35, and women who have never had children.
The culprit? Our hormones.
Oestrogen can sometimes encourage breast cancer growth, so having less exposure to it, like when you’re pregnant, reduces this risk.
“During pregnancy, breast cells grow into a more ‘mature’ form to prepare for breast milk production; mature breast cells are less likely to become cancerous,” Dr Huang told CNA Women. “Pregnancy and breastfeeding reduce a woman’s lifetime exposure to oestrogen and hence offer more protection against breast cancer.”
Pregnancy and breastfeeding also stop ovulation temporarily. Dr Chuah pointed out that reducing ovulation lowers abnormal cell changes that trigger the development of ovarian cancer.
“While having children can reduce such risks, it does not make them disappear,” she added. “We still encourage all women to go for regular age-appropriate health screenings.”
These include, depending on their age, mammograms and screenings for gynaecological cancers. Women aged over 40 should also screen for chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
