Yeah, yeah, it's a man's world. But for the most part, I don't complain about it. I mean, I get to have far more interesting clothes, and I can change my hair color any time I want without taking abuse from co-workers. But there are certain things that suck about being female. Monthly periods may be the least of them. Here are 10 more reasons to be cranky. They aren't only "down there," but there's a good chance they will be, because according to a report funded by the National Women's Health Resource Center, approximately one-third of U.S. women will have a pelvic health problem by age 60. Well, there's always that to look forward to. So we'll start with those first.

10. Uterine fibroids

Fibroid tumors are usually non-cancerous tumors making their appearance in the uteri of women in their 30's and 40's. No one is sure why fibroids develop, but they don't develop before the body begins producing estrogen and often shrink and disappear after menopause when estrogen in no longer produced.

Made of fibrous tissue, fibroids most often occur as multiple tumor masses which are slow-growing and often cause no symptoms. The size of fibroids varies immensely among women and some are so small that a microscope is required to see them. However it is possible to grow a single large fibroid tumor the size of a grapefruit or a fibroid so large it encompasses the entire abdominal area. Tumors of that size need to be surgically removed. (Ya think?)

9. Ovarian cysts

An ovarian cyst is a fluid-filled sac sort of like a pimple occurring in the ovary (one of the two egg-producing organs we girls have - basically, our "nads"). Many cysts are completely normal. Called "functional cysts," they occur as a result of ovulation (the release of an egg). Functional cysts normally shrink over time, usually in about 1 to 3 months. Non-functional cysts are another issue, as they can continue to grow to ginormous proportions, and must be removed via surgery.

In Turkey, a 36-year-old unmarried woman - a virgin no less - showed up in a medical center with a cyst weighing almost 21 pounds! Doctors there said she looked like a "9-month pregnant woman." The cyst was removed, and two days after surgery she was discharged. But that's a mere pebble compared to a woman in Thailand in 1994 who had an ovarian cyst weighing about 140 pounds! Her legs were swollen and she was unable to walk. Doctors at the Prince of Songkla University had to remove 20 litres of fluid from her body before surgery could even begin.

8. Stress Incontinence

Ever laugh so hard that you peed in your pants? Congratulations. You might be one of the 13.5 million baby-boomer women with stress incontinence. The scaffolding supporting your bladder is made up of pelvic floor muscles, the vagina and ligaments. If these structures are weakened due to pregnancy, childbirth or menopause, your bladder can move downward, pushing slightly out of the bottom of the pelvis toward the vagina. This prevents muscles that ordinarily force the urethra shut from squeezing as tightly as they should. As a result, urine can leak into the urethra during moments of physical stress.

Stress incontinence can worsen during the week before your menstrual period. At that time, lowered estrogen levels might lead to lower muscular pressure around the urethra, increasing chances of leakage. As a result, the incidence of stress incontinence increases following menopause.

The good news is, up to 60% of women with stress incontinence can significantly increase control with regular pelvic floor (Kegel) exercises (which may help in the bedroom as well).

7. Urinary Tract Infections

I must admit being very jealous of the ease in which men can discretely take a tinkle in almost any kind of terrain. But I definitely resent the number of bladder infections I have had to endure - which were probably their fault! Because women have a shorter urethra, bacteria have a shorter distance to travel to the bladder and on up into the ureters and kidney. Having sex often causes urinary infections, because bacteria can be pushed into the urethra during "the old in-out." Using a diaphragm for contraception can lead to infections as well because diaphragms push against the urethra and make it harder to completely empty the bladder. The urine that remains is more likely to grow bacteria and cause infections. An easy way to prevent infections is to make certain you pee after sex (but not right in the bed), and of course, don't wipe from back to front.

6. Cervical Cancer

According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, in the US, about 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and about 3,700 women will die from the disease, yet there are still millions of women who do not have annual Pap test screenings. Cancer of the cervix begins in the lining of the cervix where normal cervical cells develop pre-cancerous changes, which gradually turn into cancer.

More than 90% of women with cancer of the cervix are infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is the single most important factor for cervical cancer and the viruses are passed from one person to another during unprotected sex. Having multiple sexual partners increases your risk of getting this cancer, because the greater number of sexual partners, the greater the risk of acquiring HPV. Even if you've had only one sexual partner, but your man has had several, he is considered a "high-risk male" and can transmit HPV to you. But only until you break up with him. Smoking is also considered a risk factor, possibly because smoking causes some abnormal changes in the cells, which then have a higher likelihood of becoming cancerous. There are also some statistical studies that have suggested that long-term use of oral contraceptives may put you at a slightly higher risk of developing this cancer.

The good news is, pap tests have reduced cervical cancer rates in the US by more than 70%. It is the single most effective cancer screen in the history of medicine. So have your test. This month is a perfect time, because January is Cervical Health Awareness month.

5. Baldness

As women, we think we get to look at paunchy men in bad toupees and say smugly to ourselves, "well at least we're not going to lose our hair." Ha. Not so fast there, Rapunzel.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, baldness in women is a growing problem, affecting some 30 million women in the United States - with some forms of loss occurring at earlier ages, and being seen in increasing numbers.

"I have seen women as young as 15 or 16 develop hair loss problems -- it's not common, but it's also not that rare," says Ted Daly, MD, a dermatologist from Nassau University Medical Center on Long Island, who specializes in the treatment of female hair loss.

Hair usually grows at the rate of about a half inch per month, with each hair having a growth phase of two to six years. At that point the hair "rests" for a period of time, then falls out, and the follicle soon starts growing a new strand. But not with everyone.

Dr Daly says "female pattern hair loss" encompasses many possible causes, from hormone imbalances to other health issues. One clue that there is a true difference between male and female balding is the pattern in which the hair loss occurs.

"Female pattern balding goes around the whole top of the head - it's diffuse - whereas men lose it on the temple, the crown, the bald spot in the back," says Daly.

While balding in men is almost always caused by a genetic predisposition coupled with age, in women, it can happen at any time.

"The No. 1 rule of treating hair loss in women is getting the correct diagnosis. If there is an underlying physical problem it has to be corrected first," says dermatologist Michael Reed, which may preclude the need for additional hair loss treatment. Reed advises women to see a doctor who specializes in female pattern balding and make certain to be checked for possible underlying medical conditions via blood tests, or if need be, a scalp biopsy.

4. Extra hair

It's one thing to lose hair where you DO want it - but in later years, it seems to end up where you DON'T. Those errant chin hairs and old lady mustaches happen as a result of hormonal changes as your body ages. During reproductive years, women's bodies produce estrogens that stimulate a production of a particular blood protein called a "sex hormone binding globlulin" (SHBG) that absorbs and holds male hormones called androgens - which in men, stimulate "male pattern" hair such as a beard, mustache and tummy hair. When SHBG production is high, it deactivates the androgens in women, but during perimenopause and after, when estrogen levels drop, the androgens are more free to circulate and stimulate hair growth. And Mr Tweezerman becomes my new BFF.

3. Depression

If all of this doesn't make you depressed, don't worry. You're more likely to get depressed from something else anyway. Women are approximately two to three times more likely than men to suffer from major depression, and depression has been called the most significant mental health risk for women, especially younger women of childbearing and childrearing age. Depression in women is misdiagnosed approximately 30 percent to 50 percent of the time. Approximately 70 percent of the prescriptions for antidepressants are given to women, often with improper diagnosis and monitoring. That's comforting, isn't it.

2. Underactive Thyroid

Constipation, menstrual irregularity, fatigue, difficulty losing weight - think it's just stress or job burnout? It could be your thyroid. The small, butterfly-shaped thyroid gland located at the base of your neck influences almost all of the metabolic processes in your body. Nearly 30 million people - mostly women - have thyroid problems and yet more than half remain undiagnosed. Hypothyroidism, resulting from an underproduction of thyroid hormones leads to lower energy levels, and may cause a host of other issues including dry skin and hair and depression. A simple blood test can measure the amount of thyroid-stimulating hormones. Fortunately, an underactive thyroid can be easily treated with daily doses of Levothyroxine (brand name Synthroid) - and the best part is, it's really cheap (at least on my insurance plan, which is fairly crappy).

1. Cardiovascular disease

Quick, what is the single biggest health threat to women? Bet you wanted to say breast cancer right? Wrong. It's cardiovascular disease, by a long way. In 2003, 483,842 women died from cardiovascular disease compared to only 41,566 from breast cancer. More women will die within one year of a heart attack than will men - 38% compared to 25%. According to a 2003 American Heart Association study, a mere 13 percent of women in America believe that heart disease and stroke are the greatest health threat to women. Girls, what we don't know may indeed kill us. It's time to get with the program!