A stroke can be devastating, even deadly. And women are at a disadvantage when it comes to stroke. Most strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked (ischemic stroke). Another type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures, causing bleeding in the brain (hemorrhagic stroke). Both types of stroke lead to brain cell death and often severe disability.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Each year, about 60,000 more women than men have a stroke. Strokes are also more deadly for women. Of every five deaths from stroke, two occur in men and three in women.

Men and women share some of the typical risk factors for stroke, such as high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, high cholesterol and smoking. But, there are some things that are either unique to women or that seem to increase a woman's risk more than a man's risk.

5 things that increase women's risk of stroke:

1. Hormone use. In healthy postmenopausal women, long-term use of estrogen alone or estrogen plus progestin slightly raised the risk of stroke. Birth control pills are generally safe for most young, healthy women. But they can raise the risk of stroke for women over 35, especially in those who smoke.

2. Pregnancy. The risk of stroke during pregnancy and the weeks following birth is about 2.4 times greater than for similar non-pregnant women. This is thought to be related to the hormonal changes that come with pregnancy.

3.Long sleepers. In a large study of postmenopausal women, women who sleep longer - eight to nine hours per night - had a higher risk for stroke. It's not clear whether this is true for men as well.

4.Family history. Family history of stroke seems to have more impact on women than men. Stroke risk doubles for a woman if someone in her immediate family (mom, dad, sister or brother) has had a stroke. Family history also raises men's risk of stroke, but not as much as women's.

5.Migraine headaches. More women than men get migraines. In particular, migraines with auras are linked to an increased risk of stroke. Interestingly, women who smoke and use birth control pills are at higher risk for both migraines and stroke. It is not clear whether treating or preventing migraines lowers the increased stroke risk.

While you can't control some of these risk factors, you can help to counteract them by living a healthy lifestyle. Here's what you can do:

• Get regular physical activity. Check with your doctor before you start an exercise program.
• Eat a heart-healthy diet of whole grains, plenty of fruits and vegetables and low-fat diary and protein sources.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Avoid smoking.
• Follow your doctor's advice to treat any medical problems, including high blood pressure and diabetes.
• Talk to your doctor about all of your birth control options if you are over 35 years old or if you smoke.

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