10 JAMA women’s health resources to share with patients

Women’s health extends beyond obstetric and gynecological care. To keep care plans on track, internists and other physicians can often use help explaining—in easily accessible terms—common health conditions that affect women and how they are approached clinically.

The JAMA Network® has published Patient Pages since 1998 to distill high-quality evidence and make it more accessible for patient education and help guide patient decisions. Patient Pages provide a basic definition of the condition or issue, along with symptoms, consequences, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. These resources, illustrated by JAMA medical illustrators, are always freely accessible online.

As part of a series of news articles curating these outstanding resources, the AMA is highlighting free, recently published Patient Page resources of highest relevance to various physician specialties. This article highlights resources for internists and other physicians that are relevant to women’s health issues. For more on women’s health from the JAMA Network, visit JAMA+ Women’s Health, a curated source of trusted clinical information that advances health care for women worldwide.

AMA members can explore a range of peer-reviewed research and clinical information published by the JAMA Network, which brings JAMA® together with JAMA Network Open and 11 specialty journals. Published continuously since 1883, JAMA is one of the most widely circulated, peer-reviewed, general medical journals in the world. If you are a member or interested in becoming one, learn how to access these educational materials and innovative tools. 

1. "What Is Ovarian Cancer?"

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes describes ovarian cancer and its risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. From the Patient Page: “Ovarian cancer is a malignancy of the ovary, the female reproductive organ that produces eggs.”
   2. The Patient Page also covers how common ovarian cancer is: “Among women worldwide, ovarian cancer is the eighth most common malignancy and cause of cancer death. In 2022, ovarian cancer was diagnosed in about 325,000 individuals and caused 206,839 deaths worldwide. In 2025, it is estimated that 20,890 U.S. women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and 12,730 will die of it.”

2. "Ovarian Aging and Fertility"

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes ovarian aging, its effect on fertility and strategies to address infertility due to ovarian aging. From the Patient Page: “Infertility affects one in six reproductive-aged couples, and declining ovarian function is a common cause of infertility among women in their late 30s to early 40s.”
   2. The Patient Page notes that, consistent with declining fertility rates worldwide, “the fertility rate in the U.S. has decreased from 70.9 births per 1,000 women in 1990 to 56.1 per 1,000 women in 2022. Based on U.S. census data, age at first birth increased from 27 years in 1990 to 30 years in 2019, as more women postponed first birth.”

3. "Cervical Cancer Screening"

   1. This JAMA Patient Page discusses screening for cervical cancer, including who should be screened, recommendations for handling positive results, and the prevention of cervical cancer. From the Patient Page: “More than 90% of cervical cancer is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection."
   2. Regarding what to know about cervical precancer and cervical cancer, the Patient Page says, “Cervical precancer involves cellular changes in the cervix caused by HPV infection that can lead to cervical cancer if not treated. Approximately 100,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed and treated for cervical precancer each year. In the U.S., cervical cancer is diagnosed in about 14,000 people annually, and more than 4,000 individuals die from cervical cancer each year. Most people who develop cervical cancer have not been screened in more than five years. Some had an abnormal screening test and did not follow up.”

4. "Screening for Breast Cancer"

   1. In this JAMA Patient Page, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force provides a guide to screening for breast cancer. From the Patient Page: “We all want better ways to find breast cancer early and save lives from this disease. Breast cancer screening can help to detect cancer early, when it’s most treatable. This guide is meant to help you and your health care professional understand the benefits and risks of breast cancer screening, including what age to start screening and how often people should be screened. This guide is not for women who have a BRCA gene variant, [who have] a history of chest radiation or who have had breast cancer. These women should talk to their health care professional about how best to stay healthy.”

5. "Dense Breasts Are Common—Here Is What to Know"

   1. This JAMA Internal Medicine Patient Page describes dense breasts and whether they might lead to higher risk for breast cancer. From the Patient Page: “Breast density refers to the amount of dense tissue (like glands and fibrous tissue) you have compared to fatty tissue in your breasts. Dense breasts are very common. About half of all women have them.
   2. On why breast density matters, the Patient Page says: “Dense breast tissue makes it harder for doctors to see cancer on a mammogram because both appear white on the image. Even with dense breasts, mammograms are still the best screening tool for most women and can find most breast cancers. Having dense breasts also slightly increases your chance of getting breast cancer, but not enough on its own to put you in the high-risk category.”

6. "What Is Endometriosis?"

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes endometriosis development, as well as its signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. From the Patient Page: “Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease in which cells similar to those lining the uterus are present outside of the uterus.
   2. “Endometriosis affects up to 10% women of reproductive age worldwide, including nearly 9 million in the U.S. Risk factors include a family history of endometriosis, starting to menstruate before age 12 years, having menstrual periods more often than every 28 days, having a lower body mass index and never having given birth.”

7. "What Should I Know About Hormones for Symptoms of Menopause?"

   1. This JAMA Internal Medicine Patient Page describes hormone therapy to treat the symptoms of menopause. From the Patient Page: “Menopause is defined as the time in a woman’s life when her menstrual periods stop. On average, this happens around 50 years of age. At menopause, the ovaries produce lower levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone.”
   2. The Patient Page also explains why hormone therapy is used for menopause: “Hormone therapy is medication containing estrogen and sometimes progesterone. It can come in different formulations such as oral pills, skin patches, skin creams, injections, vaginal creams and vaginal inserts. Hormone pills and patches are effective at relieving hot flashes and night sweats. Topical treatments such as estrogen creams can be effective at relieving vaginal symptoms. They have less risk than hormonal pills.”

8. "What Are Uterine Fibroids?"

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes uterine fibroids, their signs and symptoms, diagnosis procedures and treatment options. From the Patient Page: “Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that develop in the wall of the uterus.
   2. “Uterine fibroids are one of the most common tumors in reproductive-aged women. An estimated 40% to 89% of premenopausal women have fibroids, which can vary in size from 1 cm to more than 20 cm. Black women who are affected have a larger number and increased size of fibroids and experience more severe symptoms from fibroids than white women. Fibroids are the leading cause of hysterectomy in the U.S.”

9. "What Is Uterine Prolapse?"

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes the condition of uterine prolapse and its risk factors, symptoms and treatment options. From the Patient Page: “Uterine prolapse occurs when the uterus drops into the vagina.
   2. “Uterine prolapse occurs when the pelvic muscles and ligaments that support the vagina weaken, which causes the uterus to drop (prolapse) into the vagina. In the early stages of uterine prolapse, the uterus rests within the vagina. In advanced stages, the uterus protrudes out of the vagina.”

10. "What Should I Know About Recurrent UTIs in Older Women?"

    1. This JAMA Internal Medicine Patient Page describes urinary tract infections (UTIs), their causes and how to treat them and prevent future episodes. From the Patient Page: “Recurrent urinary tract infections are defined as two infections within six months or three within one year. UTI symptoms include burning or pain when urinating, an urgent need to urinate, more frequent urination and lower abdominal pain. If symptoms do not improve after initial treatment, you may need additional testing. Your doctor may also check for vaginal dryness or overactive bladder.”
    2. The Patient Page also explains why some females get recurrent UTIs: “Recurrent UTIs can occur in anyone, but women after menopause experience them most frequently. Risk factors include natural bacteria in the vagina and bladder that change after menopause, illnesses or medications that reduce the immune response to infection, and reduced flow of urine caused by inadequate fluid intake or problems with emptying the bladder.”

In addition to the Patient Page feature, here are other ways physicians can leverage resources from the JAMA Network to help them in their clinical practice:

• Take CME courses and earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
• Fulfill maintenance of licensure (MOL) and CME requirements on JN Learning™, the home for all JAMA Network CME.
• Read concise summaries of clinical guidelines and recommendations in a format designed for today's busy physicians.

The subscription cost of JAMA is included with your AMA membership, plus unlimited digital access to all JAMA Network journals, including JAMA Cardiology, JAMA Dermatology, JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Network Open, JAMA Neurology, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Ophthalmology, JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, JAMA Pediatrics, JAMA Psychiatry and JAMA Surgery.

The journals include many helpful features for students, residents and fellows, including full-text PDFs, clinical challenges, archived editions, audio and video author interviews where authors give their perspectives on a study’s objectives, findings and implications.