Women make 70% of the health care decisions for the family. Women consult doctors more often than men, live longer, and are the major consumers of health care. Yet, their questions might not always be answered to their satisfaction. Often, this might be due to the fact that many women are not sure of what questions to ask or are shy about asking for clear answers.

Here are some suggestions to make to most from your next appointment:

• What is my problem?
• Is it a common problem?
• What does the diagnosis mean?
• What is likely to happen?
• Can you tell me what these words (any words you don't understand) mean?
• Could the problem be anything else?
• How likely is that?
• What are my options for the next step?
• What are the benefits, risks, and cost of each choice?