Nancy Shute

For many women, a safe, healthy labor lasts longer than the times cited as normal, according to guidelines from the nation's obstetricians. Giving women more time ups the odds of a vaginal delivery.

Do pushy parents make a baby fatter, or is it all in the genes? That's one of the big puzzles that scientists are trying to answer. Two studies suggest that an individual's interest in food is a big factor, even in babies. A genetic predisposition may be involved.

Athletes and spectators are giving the food in Sochi rave reviews. But what are they eating, exactly? It's a mashup of Soviet-era Russian faves, punctuated with foods of the Caucasus that have long been special treats for people visiting the Russian Riviera.

There's a treatment for insomnia that's safe, effective and pill-free. The Veterans Administration is embracing it to help returning soldiers with PTSD. There's even an app. But many people don't know that cognitive behavioral therapy is an option for insomnia. Proponents are trying to change that.

A Canadian study finds no reduction in deaths over the long haul for women who got mammograms to detect breast cancer beginning in the 1980s. It's the latest study to raise questions about the value of regular mammograms. But radiologists faulted the study as flawed and rejected its conclusions.

The vaccine against human papillomavirus is recommended for girls and young women to prevent cervical cancer. A study finds it also protects against genital warts, a common sexually transmitted disease, even if people get less than the recommended three shots.

Women's reduced ability to recover physically after a stroke may have big effects on their quality of life. Researchers don't know why women don't fare as well as men after strokes, but they say it's a topic in need of attention.

Women face a higher risk of stroke than men. But until now there haven't been guidelines specific to women for managing the risk. New recommendations say women should start thinking about reducing their stroke risk early on, when they're thinking about getting pregnant or avoiding pregnancy.

Even people with good memories can have a hard time remembering the past accurately. That may be because the brain is constantly editing memories, updating them with current information. This may make good evolutionary sense. But it also means that some of your cherished memories may be wrong.

Billions of dollars are spent each year on mammograms to screen for breast cancer. If American women are screened less frequently, the cost savings might be used to better tailor the care for women at an increased risk of cancer.