Archive for 'Women’s Health'

PREGNANCY AND VITAMIN A

Posted on June 26, 2011, under Women's Health.

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Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that occurs in nature in two forms: preformed vitamin A which is only found in certain tissues of animals, mainly the liver, and beta-carotene.  This preformed vitamin A is metabolized by animals from carotene (pro-vitamin A) in their food.
Vitamin A helps build resistance to infection and supports the integrity of the mucous membranes of the respiratory, urinary and digestive tracts. Vitamin A is also essential for the normal growth of strong bones and teeth in children and is necessary for fertility in both men and women.
It must be underst00d that many of the foods we eat each day contain vitamin A, and providing we eat sensibly, these foods are very safe.
Expectant mothers however should not eat large quantities of vitamin A rich foods, foods contributing more than 25,000 IU of vitamin A to the daily diet.
Crab                             9,800 IU per 453g
Liver                             8,000 -10,000 IU per 100g (3.5oz)
Halibut                         2,000 IU per l00g
Fresh salmon                 l, 359 IU per l00g
Liverwurst                     28,800 IU per l00g
Butter                           7,500 IU per cup
Cod liver oil                   5,000 IU per teasp00n approx.
Milk                             350 IU per cup
Cheddar cheese               1,197 IU per cup
Human breast milk         560 IU per cup approx.
Human colostrums around twice that of breast milk
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FEMALE ANATOMY: INTERNAL FEMALE ANATOMY – THE3 VAGINA

Posted on May 30, 2011, under Women's Health.

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The connection between the internal and the external sex organs is the vagina, or birth canal. Vagina is a Latin word whose original meaning was sheath; presumably the designation came about in reference to the role the vagina plays relative to the penis in heterosexual intercourse. The vagina performs three separate functions: it serves as the passageway for menstrual flow, it couples with the penis during intercourse and is involved in other forms of sexual activity, and it is the birth canal.
The vagina resembles a collapsed tube of toothpaste when all the toothpaste has been squeezed out. It is a potential space; it is not always open. When a woman is neither sexually stimulated nor in the process of giving birth, the vagina is closed, with its two walls touching. These walls are composed of soft folds called rugae. The vagina is extremely flexible and expandable; it can open to accommodate a finger, a tampon, a penis, or a baby. In its resting state, it is about eight to ten centimeters (three to four inches) long; it tilts at a slightly backward angle from its bottom (external opening) to its top — an anatomical fact of some significance for the woman learning to insert a tampon or a diaphragm.
The upper two-thirds of the vagina has relatively few nerve endings and thus is relatively insensitive to touch. However, this portion of the vagina is sensitive to pressure. The cervix, too, is relatively devoid of nerve endings. Thus, the medical procedure known as the Pap smear, which involves removing cell samples from the cervical os, can be done with minimal discomfort for the woman. (The Pap smear will be discussed more fully in a later section of this chapter.)
The lower third of the vagina, especially around the entrance, is the most sexually sensitive part of this organ. A procedure which can be performed for therapeutic reasons or as part of self-discovery involves thinking of the vaginal entrance as the face of a clock. Having located the relative positions of 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock, the woman then explores which areas are most sensitive for her. Some women also locate a sensitive spot on the anterior, or upper, wall of the vagina, which may be related to the clitoral nerve system.
The vagina can have two types of moisture present in it. One is a product of the normal functioning of the hormonal system, for example, cervical mucus, and of the vagina’s self-cleansing mechanism. Vaginal discharge is thus a normal product; the amount varies from woman to woman, and the amount, texture, and odor varies with the phases of the menstrual cycle. The environment of the vagina is normally acidic, between 3.5 and 4.5 pH. This acidity works to reduce the possibility of infection. The other type of moisture produced in the vagina is the lubrication which is secreted as a woman becomes sexually aroused.
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HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY: FOLLOW UP ON HRT

Posted on March 23, 2009, under Women's Health.

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The most widely discussed and promoted treatment these days is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The basis for its use is that it replaces a woman’s naturally circulating oestrogen (and in some cases also testosterone), which have dropped in concentration, leading to many of the symptoms a woman may be experiencing. Oestrogen is the only medicine or supplement which has been shown to affect the long-term risks of osteoporosis and heart disease. The dose and method of delivery can be individualised to meet a woman’s needs.

The decision about how long to continue treatment is up to the woman. It may depend on the severity and the duration of the symptoms. The symptoms may recur when the treatment is stopped, or they may be less severe and more manageable.

The longer term advantages of HRT on the bones and the blood vessels may be a reason for a woman continuing with treatment indefinitely. As most women who use HRT do so for relief of symptoms, and for less than five years, information and experience with very long-term use is more limited.

Once a woman is taking HRT it is important that she continue follow up with her doctor on a regular basis for routine check-ups (and women who are not on HRT should do the same!).

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NEW METHODS OF CONTRACEPTION: THE CONTRACEPTIVE PATCH

Posted on March 23, 2009, under Women's Health.

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What is the contraceptive patch? The contraceptive patch is an adhesive patch that you wear on your arm to prevent pregnancy.

How does the contraceptive patch work? The patch contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen, just like the combined oral contraceptive pill. The hormones are released into your body from the patch through your skin into the bloodstream.

How effective is the contraceptive patch? It is at least as effective as the combined oral contraceptive pill. It is possibly slightly more effective, since you don’t have to remember to take it every day.

Why would I want to choose the contraceptive patch? You may want to choose the contraceptive patch if you like the reliability of the Pill, but have trouble remembering to take it everyday. The contraceptive patch will be another alternative for women who have digestive problems that prevent them from taking the Pill, or for women who don’t like swallowing tablets.

How do you use the contraceptive patch? You will get a prescription from the doctor and buy the patches at the chemist You can put the patches on yourself. Each patch lasts for a week. You use three patches in a row and then have a week’s break from the hormones, just as you would with the combined oral contraceptive pill. You would expect to have some bleeding during this week when you are not using the patch. Then you start with the patches again. You can keep on with this method as long as it suits you.

A disadvantage could be that because you wear the patch on your arm other people can see that you are using this method. The contraceptive patch is available in the United States now. At present we don’t know when it will be available in Australia.

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THE EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTIVE PILL (ECP): HOW TO USE IT?

Posted on March 23, 2009, under Women's Health.

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The combined pill method involves taking one dose of pills (two or four pills, depending on the type of pill used) within 72 hours of having unprotected sex. Then you take another dose exactly 12 hours later. The doctor will tell you which type of pill you have been given and how many to take.

About half of the women who use this method feel sick. Fourteen percent of the women who feel sick have quite severe nausea, and three percent may have severe vomiting. This does not often last more than 12 hours after the second dose of pills. You can ask the doctor for anti-nausea pills so you have them ready in case you need them. Some women get sore breasts and some have changes to their periods, with shorter or longer cycles for a while after they have taken the combined pill method of emergency contraception.

The progestogen-only method involves taking two doses of pills containing only the type of progestogen called levonor-gestrel. For many years in most parts of the world this has meant just taking two pills 12 hours apart, but in Australia this type of emergency pill wasn’t available until July 2002. Most doctors will probably prescribe the two-pill method, which is easier to use.

Some doctors may still prescribe two lots of 25 minipills because this will be a bit cheaper. If you use the method with 25 pills, that might seem like a lot of pills, but they are only small, and you just swallow as many as you can at a time until you have taken them all. You then need to take another 25 pills exactly 12 hours later. You must take the first dose within 72 hours of having unprotected sex.

Women don’t usually feel sick with the progestogen-only method. Some women get sore breasts and some have irregular periods for a while after taking it.

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PROGESTOGEN-ONLY IMPLANTS: IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING IT

Posted on March 23, 2009, under Women's Health.

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Things to think about if you are considering an implant

• You will most likely have unpredictable bleeding from your vagina. This could be either very irregular periods or occasional spotting or bleeding. You could even find that you stop having periods all together.

• There is a slight risk of getting an infection or bleeding at the place on your arm where the implant is inserted. If it gets red, or tender, or develops a discharge you should see a doctor.

• Sometimes women using Implanon have side effects such as headaches or sore breasts. They may put on weight because the progestogen in Implanon makes them want to eat more. Everyone is different so you cannot know if you will have any side-effects until you have tried the implant. If you do have unwanted side-effects, talk to your doctor to see what you can do.

Where do you get the implant? You will need to go to a doctor to get a prescription for an implant, which you take to the chemist to get filled. You can see a doctor at a Family Planning Centre, or a gynaecologist or local doctor who has been trained to insert implants. You will need to take the implant back to the doctor to have it inserted.

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MEN IN THE BATHROOM: TESTICULAR CANCER

Posted on March 23, 2009, under Women's Health.

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As the summer of 1992 was drawing to an end Thomas began training for the football season. He thought he was in excellent health. On the days when he had no law lectures he worked as a storeman for a Sydney auctioneer, moving heavy crates and furniture.

One afternoon, as he bent over to lift a desk, he felt a sudden pain in his right groin. Instinctively, he put his hand down to investigate. There was a small lump, but the pain passed. A few days later he felt around again and this time discovered his right testicle had gone hard. Although he had never consciously examined his testicles, he knew this was unusual. But he was an optimist and hoped the problem would spontaneously disappear. So he waited. The lump grew and about ten days later he went to his CP.

After extensive investigation the news he received was shocking. Not only did he have a testicular tumour so large that it had grown into his groin, but he had secondaries in his lungs.

‘I had heard about testicular cancer but I thought it affected older men. I was only twenty-four: how could I have it?’ he asked.

In Australia, testicular is the most common cancer in men aged between fifteen and thirty-five. It can occur at all ages but is primarily a cancer of young men.

In a sense, Thomas was extremely lucky. A man in his position twenty years ago would have had between a 10 and 20 per cent chance of survival. Now, because of a new drug containing platinum, more than 90 per cent of men with testicular cancer survive. Like most cancers, the earlier it is detected, the better the probability of survival.

Some men who are told they have this cancer feel guilty or ashamed. They erroneously think they got it because of something they did sexually or from playing sport. But the cause is not known. What is known, however, is that undescended testicles are a high risk factor and that there is a genetic link.

An oncology team at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney is exploring this link in the hope of laying the groundwork for a test to diagnose the disease early. The group is trying to identify the gene responsible for testis cancer by studying those relatively rare families in which two or more members have had testis cancer.

Although no one has proved that regular testicular self-examination is beneficial, a number of organizations including the American National Institute of Health recommend the procedure.

It is reasonable for young men to examine themselves from time to time. It is a simple procedure and the first sign is often a painless lump or slight enlargement. Other symptoms can include a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum or a dull ache in the groin.

Most men diagnosed with this cancer have never examined their testicles. In an Irish study of 217 men with the disease most had no idea of possible symptoms and only 5 per cent were aware of the prospect of a cure. More than seventy of the men waited six months before seeking treatment.

Doctors told Thomas his tumour had been there for between three and nine months. Even though he would retain one testicle and would be able to function normally as a man, they warned that the chemotherapy could make him sterile. He froze sperm for the future.

Thomas also had a lobe of one lung removed. These days, he says he is feeling almost 100 percent recovered.

Norman Dean Radican, a health educator with expertise in testicular cancer, says men generally don’t know their own anatomy. ‘For many, their bodies are just there to carry their brains and their genitals around. The rest is irrelevant and if something goes wrong they just soldier on. They are not great users of medical services.

‘It is not uncommon for men to have their testicles swollen to the size of a grapefruit and do nothing about it because of fear, embarrassment or denial.

Our concept of maleness is centred on our genitals and we have immense fear and are embarrassed about dealing with that area of our body. We will joke about genitals but find it difficult to talk about them directly.’

It is best to examine your testicles after a warm bath or shower. The heat relaxes the scrotum, making it easier to find anything unusual. Men should be familiar with their testicles so they can detect change, but monthly self-examination is not necessary as there is no proven benefit.

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