January 2004 – Page 3 of 4

Fewer Pelvic Exams for Teens Seeking Birth Control

By Suzanne Batchelor ● Health & Science ● January 15, 2004

Female teens seeking birth control are less likely to undergo pelvic exams. Doctors say that young women’s dread of the invasive procedure prevents them from seeking not only contraceptive counseling, but gynecological care in general.

Singing ban is lifted in Afghanistan

By no-author ● Uncategorized ● January 14, 2004

Afghan Constitution a Partial Victory for Women

By Masuda Sultan ● Uncategorized ● January 14, 2004

Afghanistan’s new constitution deserves acclaim for granting women equal rights. But the document also provides an opening for conservatives to implement religious law in ways that continue Taliban-like discrimination against women.

Japan’s Fertility-Treatment Boom Pressures Women

By Suvendrini Kakuchi ● Uncategorized ● January 13, 2004

In Japan, fertility treatments are booming as more couples have trouble conceiving. Women’s activists say the trend puts more pressure on women in a culture that too often judges women by their ability to reproduce.

Women Vastly Underrepresented in Academia

By Dana Young ● Uncategorized ● January 12, 2004

A female chemistry professor decided to count the number and calculate the percentage of women and minority men on university science faculties. The results, to released officially Thursday, document a widespread lack of diversity in academia.

Women Go Blind Twice as Often as Men

By Kathleen Nelson ● Health & Science ● January 11, 2004

Of the 40 million people affected by blindness worldwide, two-thirds are women. If the gender-related causes of the disease aren’t better addressed, the number of blind around the world could double in 25 years.

Afghan Women Now Citizens; Too-Male Book Review?

By no-author ● Arts & Culture ● January 10, 2004

Single Women May Decide 2004 Election

By Allison Stevens ● Politics ● January 9, 2004

Unmarried women are emerging as a new voting bloc in the upcoming presidential election later this year. The trick will be getting this group, which has a relatively low turnout rate, to the voting booth in November.

Weight Probed as Factor in Birth-Control Failures

By Kathleen Nelson ● Health & Science ● January 8, 2004

A woman’s weight can affect her birth-control options. Weight is being studied as a factor in the reliability of birth-control pills, while women over 198 pounds face higher failure rates with the contraceptive patch.

Predictable Democrat Presidential Nominee

By no-author ● Uncategorized ● January 7, 2004