Medical Monday
By: Kyna Grigsby
Updated: February 2, 2009
Did you know that an estimated 13 million women are affected by urinary incontinence?
A new study says losing weight may help.
Researchers found that losing weight can lower episodes by almost half.
The results were not as good for women who didn't lose much weight.
Those who only lost an average of three pounds reduced their incontinence episodes by 28 percent.
Meanwhile, your hormone levels could help doctors when it comes to determining a woman's risk for postpartum depression.
Researchers studied 100 pregnant women; each having blood drawn throughout her pregnancy.
They found when levels of a specific hormone, called PCRH, were high, the woman had a significantly increased risk for postpartum depression.
Researchers say more studies need to be done, but they hope it will become a standard screening test one day.
