I've assembled this list of valuable resources to help you find answers to your questions about many aspects of women's health.
Books
The What's Happening to My Body Book? (Book for girls or boys) by Lynda MadarasPublished by Newmarket Press: Great books on puberty, sexuality, body care and a wide range of pertinent topics for preteens and teens. There are also similar books by this publisher for younger children.
The Yale Guide to Women's Reproductive Health from Menarche to Menopause by Mary Jane Minkin, M.D. and Carol V. Wright, Ph.D.
Published by Yale University Press.
Web Sites
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (www.acog.com). A great resource for all healthcare professionals and consumers. This site offers up-to-date information and guidelines on every aspect of women's health.American Society of Reproductive Medicine (www.asrm.org). A user-friendly Web site for infertility patients and physicians. There is information on an array of other reproductive disorders (e.g. polycycstic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, menopause.) This group publishes Fertility and Sterility as well as numerous guidebooks, fact sheets, etc.
Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov). For consumers and professionals who need to know about the mundane to the obscure -- this is the source. Information about influenza, SARS, West Nile virus, vaccines, AIDS, and IVF are all available here. (Click here for specific information about 2004 IVF statistics. www.cdc.gov/ART/ART2004/)
National Library of Medicine (www.pubmed.gov). A wonderful resource for medical literature. Most abstracts (summaries) are available free of charge.
National Women's Health Information Center. (www.4woman.gov and www. 4girls.gov)
These sites have something for women of all ages (in English and Spanish.) Basic but detailed information on puberty and menopause, AIDS, pregnancy, heart health, and diabetes. The database allows many other health-related topics to be researched.
North American Menopause Society (www.menopause.org) (NAMS). This Web site keeps current on recent hormone, herbal and vitamin studies. NAMS publishes guidebooks which can be purchased or downloaded, with up-to-date recommendations for peri- and menopausal women.
www.911rape.org Created by the nationally recognized Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center, this website is an excellent resource for any victim of sexual assault.
www.youngwomenshealth.org An endless list of fact sheets for teenagers and their parents on general healthcare, from endometriosis to rare conditions. This site even gives detailed instructions on the proper insertion/use/removal of tampons!
www.epocrates.com Epocrates is a wonderful free application which will help many mange their medications.
Other Recommended Sites:
American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org)American Fertility Association (www.TheAFA.org)
American Medical Association (AMA) (www.ama-assn.org)
American Society of Clinical Oncology (www.asco.org)
Contraception Online (www.contraceptiononline.org)
FertileHOPE (www.fertilehope.org)
Medlineplus (www.medlineplus.gov)
Medscape (www.medscape.com)
National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov)
National Institute of Health (www.nih.gov)
North American Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology (NASPAG) (www.NASPAG.org)
Pacific Coast Reproductive Society (PCRS) (www.pcrsonline.org)
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Association (www.pcosupport.org)
Planned Parenthood Federation of America (www.plannedparenthood.org)
RESOLVE (www.resolve.org)
Society for Adolescent Medicine (www.adolescenthealth.org)
United States Food & Drug Administration (www.fda.gov)
Women's Health Initiative (www.whi.org)