nih-gov/medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007458.htm
2025-02-26 13:17:41 -05:00

274 lines
No EOL
30 KiB
HTML
Raw Blame History

This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" id="article" class="nojs us" data-root="//medlineplus.gov" itemid="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007458.htm" itemtype="http://schema.org/MedicalWebPage" itemscope="">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"/>
<meta http-equiv="window-target" content="_top"/>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/>
<meta charset="utf-8"/>
<meta property="fb:app_id" content="1042245625821448"/>
<meta name="expires" content="Wed, 05 02 2025"/>
<meta name="ac-dictionary" content="medlineplus-ac-dictionary"/>
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://medlineplus.gov/images/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"/>
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="//medlineplus.gov/images/touch-icon.png"/>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/common_new.css?04272023"/>
<!--[if IE 8]> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/ie8/common.css"><![endif]-->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/css/uswds_styles.css"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/ency/ency2.css?07162024"/>
<script type="text/javascript">document.querySelector("html").className = document.querySelector("html").className.replace(/nojs[\s]*/g, '');</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds-init.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&amp;l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-MMVM77');</script>
<link rel="canonical" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007458.htm" itemprop="url"/>
<link rel="alternative" hreflang="es" href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/007458.htm"/>
<link rel="alternative" hreflang="en" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007458.htm"/><meta property="og:title" content="Women's health: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia"/><meta property="og:url" content="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007458.htm"/><meta property="twitter:title" content="Women's health: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia"/><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/><meta name="description" content="Women's health refers to the branch of medicine that focuses on the treatment and diagnosis of diseases and conditions that affect a woman's physical and emotional well-being. "/><meta itemprop="description" name="description" content="Women's health refers to the branch of medicine that focuses on the treatment and diagnosis of diseases and conditions that affect a woman's physical and emotional well-being. "/><meta property="og:description" content="Women's health refers to the branch of medicine that focuses on the treatment and diagnosis of diseases and conditions that affect a woman's physical and emotional well-being. "/><meta property="twitter:description" content="Women's health refers to the branch of medicine that focuses on the treatment and diagnosis of diseases and conditions that affect a woman's physical and emotional well-being. "/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_1.jpg"/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_2.jpg"/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_3.jpg"/><meta property="twitter:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_1.jpg"/>
<title>Women's health: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia</title>
</head>
<body><link href="http://schema.org/Patient" itemprop="audience"/>
<!-- Google Tag Manager -->
<noscript><iframe title="googletagmanager" src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-MMVM77" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden">
</iframe>
</noscript>
<!-- End Google Tag Manager -->
<a name="top" id="top">
</a>
<a class="hide-offscreen" href="#start">Skip navigation</a>
<section class="usa-banner" aria-label="Official website of the United States government">
<div class="usa-accordion">
<header class="usa-banner__header">
<div class="usa-banner__inner">
<div class="grid-col-auto">
<img aria-hidden="true" class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/us_flag_small.png" alt=""/>
</div>
<div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto" aria-hidden="true">
<p class="usa-banner__header-text">
An official website of the United States government
</p>
<p class="usa-banner__header-action">Heres how you know</p>
</div>
<button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Heres how you know</span>
</button>
</div>
</header>
<div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner-default-default">
<div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg">
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6">
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/>
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
<p>
<strong>Official websites use .gov</strong><br/>A
<strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6">
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-https.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/>
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
<p>
<strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong><br/>A
<strong>lock</strong> (
<span class="icon-lock"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52" height="64" viewBox="0 0 52 64" class="usa-banner__lock-image" role="img" aria-labelledby="banner-lock-description-default" focusable="false">
<title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title>
<desc id="banner-lock-description-default">Locked padlock icon</desc>
<path fill="#000000" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M26 0c10.493 0 19 8.507 19 19v9h3a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v28a4 4 0 0 1-4 4H4a4 4 0 0 1-4-4V32a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h3v-9C7 8.507 15.507 0 26 0zm0 8c-5.979 0-10.843 4.77-10.996 10.712L15 19v9h22v-9c0-6.075-4.925-11-11-11z">
</path>
</svg> </span>) or <strong>https://</strong> means youve safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<div id="mplus-wrap">
<header>
<div id="mplus-header">
<!-- Orgs
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-orgs">
<a title="National Institutes of Health" target="_blank" class="nih-org" href="//www.nih.gov/">
<img alt="National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nihlogo.png" class="nihlogo"/>
</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov/"> National Library of Medicine </a>
</div>
<!-- Logo
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-logo" class="years-25">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov">
<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/m_logo_25.png" title="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You" alt="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You"/>
</a>
</div>
<!-- Nav Menu
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-nav">
<div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">The navigation menu has been collapsed.</div>
<!-- Menu Button-->
<button type="submit" aria-controls="mplus-menu-list" role="button" title="Menu" class="navmenu-btn" id="sm-menu-btn" aria-pressed="false" tabindex="0">Menu<span class="icon icon-nav-menu">
</span></button><ul class="nav-list" id="mplus-menu-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs &amp; Supplements</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li>
</ul><button type="submit" aria-controls="mplus-search" role="button" title="Search" class="navmenu-btn" id="sm-search-btn" aria-pressed="false" tabindex="0"><span class="hide-offscreen">Show </span>Search<span class="icon icon-nav-search">
</span></button>
<div class="top-1">
<!-- Search
================================================== -->
<form target="_self" title="Search MedlinePlus" action="//vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta" method="get" id="mplus-search">
<input type="hidden" value="medlineplus" name="v:project"/>
<input type="hidden" value="medlineplus-bundle" name="v:sources"/>
<div class="form-box text-combo">
<div class="form-area"><label for="searchtext_primary" class="hide-offscreen">Search MedlinePlus</label>
<span role="status" aria-live="polite" class="ui-helper-hidden-accessible">
</span><input type="text" aria-haspopup="true" aria-autocomplete="list" role="textbox" autocomplete="off" name="query" size="40" maxlength="400" title="Site Search input" alt="Site Search input" placeholder="Search MedlinePlus" class="form-text ui-autocomplete-input" id="searchtext_primary"/>
</div>
<div class="button-area">
<button type="submit" alt="Search MedlinePlus" title="Search MedlinePlus" class="form-btn">GO</button>
</div>
</div>
</form>
<!-- Secondary Nav
================================================== -->
<div class="secondarynav">
<ul class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/"><span>About MedlinePlus</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/"><span>What's New</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html"><span>Site Map</span></a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&amp;category=medlineplus&amp;from=//medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007458.htm"><span>Customer Support</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Nav Bar
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-nav-bar">
<ul class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs &amp; Supplements</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<a title="Español" id="mplus-lang-toggle" href="../../spanish/ency/article/007458.htm">Español</a>
</div>
</div>
</header>
<!-- Content
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-content">
<!-- Breadrcumbs -->
<div id="breadcrumbs"><div itemtype="http://schema.org/BreadcrumbList" itemscope="" itemprop="breadcrumb"><span class="hide-offscreen">You Are Here:</span>
<div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Home</span></a>
&rarr;
<meta itemprop="position" content="1"/>
</div>
<div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Medical Encyclopedia</span></a>
&rarr;
<meta itemprop="position" content="2"/>
</div>
</div><div><span>Women's health</span></div></div>
<span class="page-url print-only">URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007458.htm
</span>
<!-- Article -->
<article><div id="d-article"><div class="page-info"><div class="page-title"><a name="start" id="start">
</a><h1 class="with-also" itemprop="name">Women's health</h1>
</div><div class="page-actions">
</div>
<noscript>
<span class="js-disabled-message">To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript.</span>
</noscript></div><div class="main"><div id="ency_summary"><p>Women's health refers to the branch of medicine that focuses on the treatment and diagnosis of diseases and conditions that affect a woman's physical and emotional well-being. </p></div><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Information</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-1" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-1"><p>Women's health includes a wide range of specialties and focus areas, such as:</p><ul><li>Birth control, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and gynecology</li><li><a test="test" href="./000913.htm">Breast cancer</a>, <a test="test" href="./000889.htm">ovarian cancer</a>, and other female cancers</li><li><a test="test" href="./003380.htm">Mammography</a> and other screening tests for breast cancer</li><li><a test="test" href="./000894.htm">Menopause</a> and hormone therapy</li><li><a test="test" href="./000360.htm">Osteoporosis</a></li><li>Pregnancy and childbirth</li><li>Sexual health</li><li><a test="test" href="./007188.htm">Women and heart disease</a></li><li>Benign conditions affecting the function of the female reproductive organs </li></ul><p>PREVENTATIVE CARE AND SCREENINGS</p><p>Preventative care for women includes the following services:</p><ul><li>Regular gynecological checkups, including a pelvic exam and breast exam</li><li><a test="test" href="./003911.htm">Pap smear</a> and human papilloma virus (HPV) testing</li><li><a test="test" href="./007197.htm">Bone density testing</a></li><li>Breast cancer screening</li><li>Discussions about colon cancer screening</li><li>Age-appropriate immunizations</li><li>Healthy lifestyle risk assessment</li><li>Hormonal testing for menopause</li><li>Immunizations</li><li>Screening for STIs </li></ul><p><a test="test" href="./001993.htm">Breast self-exam</a> instruction may also be included.</p><p>BREAST CARE SERVICES</p><p>Breast care services include the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, which may involve:</p><ul><li>Breast biopsy</li><li><a test="test" href="./007360.htm">Breast MRI scan</a></li><li><a test="test" href="./003379.htm">Breast ultrasound</a></li><li>Genetic testing and counseling for women with a family or personal history of breast cancer</li><li>Hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy</li><li>Mammography</li><li>Mastectomy and breast reconstruction </li></ul><p>The breast care services team may also diagnose and treat noncancerous conditions of the breast, including:</p><ul><li>Benign breast lumps</li><li><a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000045.htm">Lymphedema</a>, a condition in which excess fluid collects in tissue and causes swelling </li></ul><p>SEXUAL HEALTH SERVICES</p><p>Your sexual health is an important part of your overall well-being. Women's sexual health services may include:</p><ul><li>Birth control (contraceptives)</li><li>Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of sexually-transmitted infections</li><li>Therapies to help with problems with sexual function </li></ul><p>GYNECOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH SERVICES</p><p>Gynecology and reproductive health services may include the diagnosis and treatment of various conditions and diseases, including:</p><ul><li>Abnormal Pap smears</li><li>Presence of high-risk HPV</li><li>Abnormal vaginal bleeding</li><li>Bacterial vaginosis</li><li><a test="test" href="./000915.htm">Endometriosis</a></li><li>Heavy menstrual cycles</li><li>Irregular menstrual cycles</li><li>Other vaginal infections</li><li>Ovarian cysts</li><li><a test="test" href="./000888.htm">Pelvic inflammatory disease</a> (PID)</li><li>Pelvic pain</li><li><a test="test" href="./000369.htm">Polycystic ovary syndrome</a> (PCOS)</li><li>Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and <a test="test" href="./007193.htm">premenstrual dysphoric disorder</a> (PMDD)</li><li><a test="test" href="./000914.htm">Uterine fibroids</a></li><li>Uterine and vaginal prolapse</li><li>Vaginal yeast infection</li><li>Various conditions affecting the vulva and vagina </li><li>Menopause</li><li>Urinary tract infections</li></ul><p>PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH SERVICES</p><p>Regular prenatal care is an important part of every pregnancy. Pregnancy and childbirth services include:</p><ul><li>Planning and preparing for pregnancy, including information about proper diet, prenatal vitamins, and review of pre-existing medical conditions and medicines used</li><li>Prenatal care, delivery, and postpartum care</li><li>High-risk pregnancy care (maternal-fetal medicine)</li><li>Breastfeeding and nursing </li></ul><p>INFERTILITY SERVICES</p><p>Infertility specialists are an important part of the women's health services team. Infertility services may include:</p><ul><li>Testing to determine the cause of <a test="test" href="./001191.htm">infertility</a> (a cause may not always be found)</li><li>Blood and imaging tests to monitor ovulation</li><li>Infertility treatments</li><li>Counseling for couples who are dealing with infertility or loss of a baby </li></ul><p>Types of infertility treatments that may be offered include:</p><ul><li>Medicines to stimulate ovulation</li><li>Intrauterine insemination</li><li><a test="test" href="./007279.htm">In vitro fertilization (IVF)</a></li><li>Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) -- Injection of a single sperm directly into an egg</li><li>Embryo cryopreservation: Freezing embryos for use at a later date</li><li>Egg donation</li><li>Sperm banking </li></ul><p>BLADDER CARE SERVICES</p><p>The women's health services team can also help diagnose and treat bladder-related conditions. Bladder-related conditions that may affect women can include:</p><ul><li>Bladder emptying disorders</li><li><a test="test" href="./003142.htm">Urinary incontinence</a> and overactive bladder</li><li><a test="test" href="./000477.htm">Interstitial cystitis</a></li><li>Prolapse of the bladder </li></ul><p>If you have a bladder condition, your women's health specialist may recommend that you do Kegel exercises to strengthen the muscles in your pelvic floor.</p><p>OTHER WOMEN'S HEALTH SERVICES</p><ul><li>Cosmetic surgery and skin care, including skin cancer</li><li>Diet and nutrition services</li><li>Psychological care and counseling for women dealing with abuse or sexual assault</li><li>Sleep disorders services</li><li>Smoking cessation </li></ul><p>TREATMENTS AND PROCEDURES</p><p>Members of the women's health services team perform a variety of different treatments and procedures. Among the most common are:</p><ul><li>Delivery by vaginal birth or Cesarean section (C-section)</li><li>Endometrial ablation</li><li>Endometrial biopsy</li><li>D&amp;C</li><li>Hysterectomy</li><li>Hysteroscopy</li><li>Mastectomy and breast reconstruction</li><li>Pelvic laparoscopy</li><li>Procedures to treat precancerous changes of the cervix (loop electrosurgical excision procedure [LEEP], Cone biopsy)</li><li>Procedures to treat urinary incontinence</li><li>Tubal ligation and reversal of tubal sterilization</li><li>Uterine artery embolization </li></ul><p>WHO TAKES CARE OF YOU</p><p>The women's health services team includes doctors and health care providers from different specialties. The team may include:</p><ul><li>Obstetrician/gynecologist (ob/gyn) -- A doctor who has received extra training in the treatment of pregnancy, reproductive organ problems, and other women's health issues.</li><li>General surgeons specializing in breast care.</li><li>Perinatologist -- An ob/gyn who has received further training and specializes in the care of high-risk pregnancies.</li><li>Radiologist -- Doctors who received extra training and interpretation of different imaging as well as performing different procedures using imaging technology to treat disorders such as uterine fibroids.</li><li>Physician assistant (PA).</li><li>Primary care doctor.</li><li>Nurse practitioner (NP).</li><li>Nurse midwives. </li></ul><p>This list may not be all-inclusive.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>References</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Ref" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Ref"><p>Cameron J. Breast. In: Cameron J, ed. <em>Current Surgical Therapy</em>. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 12.</p><p>Freund KM. Approach to women's health. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. <em>Goldman-Cecil Medicine</em>. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 219.</p><p>Lobo RA. Infertility: etiology, diagnostic evaluation, management, prognosis. In: Gershenson DM, Lentz GM, Valea FA, Lobo RA, eds. <em>Comprehensive Gynecology</em>. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 40.</p><p>Mendiratta V, Lentz GM. History, physical examination, and preventive health care. In: Gershenson DM, Lentz GM, Valea FA, Lobo RA, eds. <em>Comprehensive Gynecology</em>. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 7.</p></div></div></section>
<section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Review Date 3/31/2024</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-version" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div>
<div id="section-version" class="section-body"><p>Updated by: LaQuita Martinez, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emory Johns Creek Hospital, Alpharetta, GA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.</p>
</div></div></section><section><div class="section ency-citation"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title ency-citation"><div id="citation-how-to"><button><span>Learn how to cite this page</span></button></div></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div></div></section><section><div class="section sec-mb"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Related MedlinePlus Health Topics</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-mtp" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div name="Related MedlinePlus Health Topics" class="section-body" id="section-mtp"><ul class="side-nav"><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/womenshealth.html">Women's Health</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/womenshealthcheckup.html">Women's Health Checkup</a></li>
</ul></div></div></section></div></div></article>
</div>
<footer>
<div class="provider-box group">
<div class="urac-logo">
<a href="https://accreditnet.urac.org/directory/#/certification/HCP-2/info"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/CertifiedSeal.png"/></a>
<p class="urac-logo-info">Health Content Provider<br>06/01/2025</p>
</div>
<p class="adam-info">
<a href='javascript:urac_open();'>A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC</a>, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's <a href='javascript:hwsopen();'>accreditation program</a> is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s <a href='javascript:edpolopen();'>editorial policy, editorial process</a>, and <a href='javascript:ppopen();'>privacy policy</a>. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: <a href='javascript:honc_open();'>verify here</a>.
</p>
</div>
<p class="adam-info">
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997-2025 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
</p>
<div class="adam-logo">
<a href="https://www.adam.com/about" target="_blank"><img width="49" height="10" alt="About A.D.A.M." src="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/ftrAdamlogo.gif"/></a>
</div>
<div id="mplus-footer">
<div class="footer1">
<ul class="secondarynav">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/">What's New</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html">Site Map</a></li>
<li><a name="contact" target="_blank" href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&amp;category=medlineplus&amp;from="><span>Customer Support</span></a></li>
</ul>
<ul class="follow-footer">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/rss.html" class="follow-item">Subscribe to RSS<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/feed.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="RSS" title="RSS"></a></li>
<li><span class="follow-label">Follow us</span>
<a href="https://twitter.com/medlineplus" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_twitter.png" class="follow-icon" alt="X" title="X"></a>
<a href="https://facebook.com/Mplus.gov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_fb.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook"></a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mplusgov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Instagram" title="Instagram"></a>
</li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/social-media-toolkit/" class="social-media-toolkit-item">Social Media Toolkit<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_social_media_toolkit.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="Social Media Toolkit" title="Social Media Toolkit"></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="footer2">
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov/web_policies.html" target="_blank">NLM Web Policies</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/usingcontent/" >Copyright</a></li>
<li><a href="//medlineplus.gov/accessibility.html">Accessibility</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/criteria/">Guidelines for Links</a></li>
<li><a href="//medlineplus.gov/plugins.html">Viewers &amp; Players</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html" target="_blank">HHS Vulnerability Disclosure</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/medlineplus-connect/">MedlinePlus Connect for EHRs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/developers/">For Developers</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="address">
<a href="//www.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Library of Medicine</a>
<span>8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894</span>
<a href="//www.hhs.gov" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>
<a href="//www.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Institutes of Health</a>
</div>
<div class="return-top"><a href="#top" title="Return to top"><img class="return-top-icon" alt="Return to top" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/return-top.png"></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</footer>
</div><!-- End Wrap -->
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/jquery-3.6.0.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-frontend-controls.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<!--[if lte IE 9]>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/jquery.placeholder.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<![endif]-->
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-share.js?id=1112022" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/control.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/ency/ency.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
</body>
</html>