The Women鈥檚 Health Book
A complete guide to health and wellbeing for women of all ages.
The Royal Women鈥檚 Hospital, Victoria
A William Heinemann book. Published by Random House, Australia 2014 800 pages.
The Royal Women鈥檚 Hospital in Melbourne is the largest health facility in Australia specializing in women鈥檚 health. The staff at 鈥淭he Women鈥檚鈥, many of whom have international reputations for their contribution to research and clinical practice, has put together a comprehensive volume of health advice for women. This guide is very accessible and well referenced and covers women鈥檚 health issues through all life stages. The aim of the writing group is to encourage women to share knowledge about health, educate others about important issues such as sexual violence and to advocate for gender equality in health.
The book is separated into four main areas dealing with adolescent health, young women, the midlife years and later years. There is a strong focus on healthy lifestyle and taking control of your health and, throughout the book, bullet points highlight the key issues. It discusses health screening and provides a clear table of what should be done and when. In doing so, it follows governmental screening advice and manages to steer clear of any controversy, such as that currently surrounding mammography.
A range of topical issues are discussed including body image, mental health, sexuality, contraception, pregnancy, abortion, menopause, use of complementary therapies, gynecological cancer and being a cancer carer.