SUPPORTING WOMEN'S HEALTH IN OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder among the women at the age of reproduction. Early diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome and its treatment, along with weight loss, can lessen the risk of long-term issues such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Many women experience abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting between periods sometime in their lives. Vaginal bleeding is considered to be abnormal if it occurs: When you are not expecting your menstrual period. When your menstrual flow is lighter or heavier than what is normal for you.

Sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, are diseases that primarily spread through sexual contact. There are several, most of which are bacterial or viral, and examples include herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and HPV. Transmission may involve body fluids (blood, saliva, semen, vaginal secretions) or direct skin-to-skin contact. 

Endometriosis occurs when some of the tissue similar to the lining of the uterus (womb), called the endometrium, grows outside of the uterus. Endometriosis is a progressive, chronic condition. It is often painful but there are effective treatments that may relieve the symptoms of endometriosis.

Pelvic pain (pain below the belly button in the anterior lower abdomen including the sex organs) may develop from many diseases and conditions. For example, pelvic pain may come from normal menstruation, appendicitis, bladder problems; and may be associated with both benign and emergency medical conditions.

The menopause is when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally. Periods usually start to become less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether. Sometimes they can stop suddenly.

The normal length of a woman’s menstrual cycle is 28 days, but this varies between individuals. Irregular menstruation is when the length of the cycle is more than 35 days, or if the duration varies. Irregular periods can occur if there is a change in contraception method, a hormone imbalance, hormonal changes around the time of the menopause, and endurance exercises.

Most of the time, vaginal discharge is perfectly normal. The amount can vary, as can odor and color (which can range from clear to a milky white-ish), depending on the time in your menstrual cycle. However, if the color, smell, or consistency seems quite different than usual, especially if you also have vaginal itching or burning, you could be dealing with an infection or other condition.

Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant despite having frequent, unprotected sex for at least a year for most couples.

Infertility may result from an issue with either you or your partner, or a combination of factors that prevent pregnancy. Fortunately, there are many safe and effective therapies that significantly improve your chances of getting pregnant.

Breast health begins with a sense of what's normal for your breasts (breast awareness). For many women, breast health includes concerns about breast lumps, breast pain or nipple discharge. It's also important to understand common screening and diagnostic tests for breast health, such as clinical breast exams, mammograms and breast ultrasounds.

Women tend to have smaller, thinner bones than men. Estrogen, a hormone in women that protects bones, decreases sharply when women reach menopause, which can cause bone loss. This is why the chance of developing osteoporosis increases as women reach menopause.

 Many women’s health conditions go undiagnosed. Women bear exclusive health concerns, such as breast cancer, cervical cancer, menopause, and pregnancy. Women suffer higher heart attack deaths compared to men. Depression and anxiety exhibit more frequently among female patients. Urinary tract conditions present more often in females, and sexually transmitted diseases can cause more harm to women.

Pre-existing conditions can worsen during pregnancy, threatening the health of a mother and her child. Asthma, diabetes, and depression can harm the mother and child during pregnancy if not managed properly. Pregnancy can cause a healthy mother’s red blood cell count to drop, a condition called anemia, or induce depression. 

Bleeding and discharge are a normal part of the menstrual cycle. However, added symptoms during menstruation may indicate health issues, and unusual symptoms, such as bleeding between menstruations and frequent urinating, can mimic other health conditions. Vaginal issues could also indicate serious problems such as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or reproductive tract cancer.