Women's health: menopause, PCOS, hormones, pregnancy, breast and reproductive health
Wits-linked researchers are studying HPV 16/18 molecular markers that may one day improve triage after a positive HPV test. It is not a cancer diagnosis — and not a clinic-ready test yet.
Ramaphosa has set 60-day deadlines for a national GBV case audit and forensic backlog plan, with a first public progress report due in 90 days.
Gauteng screened almost 200,000 women for cervical cancer in 2025/26 — a 29% jump. The harder test is whether abnormal results become diagnosis and treatment.
Heavy periods, severe cramps, persistent bloating and pelvic pain are often dismissed as "normal", but they could be signs of uterine fibroids. Affecting millions of women worldwide, fibroids are one of the most common non-cancerous conditions of the uterus. Understanding the symptoms, risk factors and treatment options can help women seek care early and take control of their reproductive health.
Recent research has identified trace levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals in some sanitary pads and pantyliners sold in South Africa. While the findings have raised concern, understanding what these results really mean and what they don’t is essential for making informed, balanced decisions about menstrual health.