"Our first message boards sparked a revolution in how women communicated with each other - it was social networking before the phrase was even coined," said Deborah Fine, President of iVillage. "Here we are a decade later and this is still the place where women go to connect with other women. With the addition of these new tools, iVillage remains the ultimate social network for women."

iVillage Connect will spotlight groups for enthusiasts -- whether they share a love for stilettos, gardening or the PTA. Already hundreds of groups from the sublime to the serious have set up shop using the new tools, fueling an even more robust place for women to take the social networking leap. "This is the ultimate tool for the ultimate community. Women will have the opportunity to be themselves, but the power of 'we' in the groups they form, both intimate and large, will be the key to staying connected," added Fine.

On the serious side, groups offering much-needed support to women dealing with personal and family health issues and other matters that find refuge online, have already been created, including Autism Everyday, a group for parents with autistic children. A key word search on any topic from diabetes to dance shows every member, blog posting or group mentioning the topic.