Women with Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is less frequent in women than in men, in large part due to the lower prevalence of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and alcohol use in women. The most common…
Metabolic Bone Disease in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a liver-specific autoimmune disease that primarily affects women (female-to-male ratio, 10:1) between 40 and 60 years of age. Metabolic bone disease is a common complication of…
Obesity in Women
Approximately 36% of adult women in the United States are obese. Although obesity affects women similarly to men in terms of prevalence, there seem to be gender-specific differences in the…
Caring for Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease are chronic inflammatory diseases with typical onset in early adulthood. These diseases, therefore, can affect a woman throughout the many stages of her life, including…
Pregnancy and the Patient with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
For many women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the illness coincides with their childbearing years. IBD increases the risk of pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The multidisciplinary care team…
Gastrointestinal Diseases in Pregnancy
Many disorders of the gastrointestinal tract are common in pregnancy. Elevated levels of progesterone may lead to alterations in gastrointestinal motility which could contribute to nausea, vomiting, and/or GERD. Pregnancy-induced…
Fecal Incontinence and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Women
Pelvic floor dysfunction and fecal incontinence is a common and debilitating condition in women, particularly as women age, and often goes under-reported to health care providers. It is important for…
Complex Relationships Between Food, Diet, and the Microbiome
Diet is a risk factor in several medically important disease states, including obesity, celiac disease, and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Modification of diet can prevent, treat, or alleviate some of the…
Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Motility Disorders in Women, Gastroparesis, and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
This article reviews the sex differences in upper gastrointestinal (GI) motility for both healthy and common dysmotility conditions. It focuses on gastroesophageal reflux disease and other esophageal motor disorders for…
Chronic Constipation
Chronic constipation is a common disorder that affects approximately 20% of the population and significantly impacts an individual’s quality of life. The diagnosis can be made using standard criteria, and…
