CDC's women's reproductive health activities focus primarily on research concerned with contraception safety and efficacy, fertility, infertility, and HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Biomedical, behavioral and surveillance research seek answers to prevent disease transmission and improve women's health. CDC's Division of Reproductive Health works with special populations including incarcerated women and members of managed care organizations. Working with these distinct populations allows CDC to examine reproductive health disparities among specific populations and to examine women's reproductive health care and outcomes.

Protecting Your Reproductive System

Did you know that your reproductive system is one of the most fragile systems of your body? It can easily get infected or injured. If it does, you might have long-term health problems. Taking simple steps to prevent getting or spreading HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) will help protect you and your loved ones. An STD is an infection or disease that you get by having vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who already has an STD.

Some STDs can be “silent,” which means you do not show any signs of infection, illness, or disease. Others can have mild to severe symptoms. Get regular checkups for STDs, even if you do not have any symptoms.

Protecting your reproductive system also means having control over if and when you become pregnant. But choosing which type of birth control to use is not easy. Learn what types of birth control  are available. Talk with your doctor or nurse to help you choose among the options.

Courtesy of the National Women’s Health Information Center
 

Preconception Care
Preconception care is recognized as a critical component of health care for women of reproductive age …more

Preconception Care (March of Dimes)
http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/preconception.asp*

Health Promotion
Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating nutritious foods, being physically active, and avoiding tobacco can prevent or control the devastating effects of many diseases …more

CDC's Office of Women's Health

CDC's Office of Minority Health

National Women's Health Information Center

Women's Health and Mortality Chartbook

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually Transmitted Diseases Fact sheet (National Women's Health Information Center)

Women and HIV/AIDS (National Women's Health Information Center)

HIV/AIDS Prevention

DES Update
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a drug once prescribed during pregnancy to prevent miscarriages or premature deliveries …more

Douching Fact sheet (National Women's Health Information Center)
Also available in Spanish

CDC's Office of Genomics
Provides information about human genomic discoveries and how they can be used to improve health and prevent disease. It also provides links to CDC wide activities in public health genomics across the lifespan …more

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Knowledge and Use in the United States View PDF 2.4MB
This chartbook offers researchers, healthcare professionals, and policy makers an inventory of information available about HRT use from recent nationally representative data collected by NCHS.

Search PubMed for articles on Hormone Replacement Therapy
This search is being conducted on PubMed an NLM/NIH service.

Search PubMed for articles on Reproductive Epidemiology
This search is being conducted on PubMed an NLM/NIH service.

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Page last reviewed: 1/05/08
Page last modified: 8/27/07
Content source: Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion