Amenorrhea - Absence of Menstruation

Amenorrhea is an ailment commonly known as nonappearance of the menses. Primary and secondary are two types of amenorrhea. Primary amenorrhea is a condition where in a female, the first period has not yet commenced by the age of 16. Secondary amenorrhea refers to a condition where one used to have regular menses, but have stopped for at least 3 months including pregnancy.

There are various causes of primary amenorrhea. Some of them include chromosomal abnormalities, pituitary disease, vaginal hindrance and issues with the hypothalamus in the brain. Additionally, anorexia nervosa, excessive exercises and stress are believed to be associated with causing primary amenorrhea.

Secondary amenorrhea is much more common than primary amenorrhea. While the causes include those listed for primary amenorrhea, others like birth control pill, contraceptive shots, mental stress, hormonal imbalance, polycystic ovary disease are also referred as prime causes for secondary amenorrhea. Furthermore, women with low body weight or fat are also susceptible to secondary amenorrhea.

If you are 16 years old and the menses have not started or if you have menstruated but have missed two or more periods in a row, contact a gynecologist immediately. Your doctor will review your medical history, conduct a pelvic examination and take some tests to determine the actual cause. In some cases blood, urine and hormones may be tested. In case of a pituitary tumor, your doctor may go in for MRI or CT scan.

The treatment, however, depends on the cause of your amenorrhea. Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes including eating a balanced diet, maintaining body weight stress reduction and suitable amount of exercise. Other medication includes oral contraceptive pills and surgery.

You can actually prevent amenorrhea by reducing the risk factors that you can control. Maintaining healthy eating habits and avoiding strenuous exercises can surely help. Meditation can be a great source for reducing stress. Moreover, keep a record of your menstruation cycled. If you notice any uncalled for thing, visit your doctor.

OBGYN- Why You May Need To Visit One

All the hush hush in life and everyday getting busier, women hardly get time to maintain proper health. In fact, for a woman, regular health checkups and examinations with an OBGYN is necessary. Through this blog, I try to list some possibilities why you may need to visit an OBGYN.

BIRTH CONTROL: You may think the time has arrived to start a family, but it may not be the right time. If you are sexually active and don’t want to get pregnant, your OBGYN would prescribe you pills that would help prevent pregnancy. In addition, your OBGYN will tell you about certain sexually transmitted diseases.

INFECTION: Most women know when their bodies are not responding well. That doesn’t mean the pain; it may be something out of the ordinary. It is normal to have a discharge, but if it produces foul smell, then something is wrong. For thing to get right, it’s best to visit an OBGYN. She’ll do some tests and examinations and only after the results prescribe you proper medication.


PREGNANCY: If you are pregnant, it’s best to consult an OBGYN to prevent any complications before, between and after the child birth. It’s good to have an OBGYN monitor your pregnancy, since she can prescribe you certain vitamins and other nutrients to help you carry a healthy baby.

PAIN AND DISCOMFORT: If you experience pain and discomfort around the pelvic area, you need to see an OBGYN immediately. In addition, if you are having pain not linked with the menses, an OBGYN visit becomes necessary. You symptoms may be some that require immediate attention. 

REGULAR CHECKUP: Having a healthy and fit body is a dream come true for every woman. It’s better to schedule regular appointments with your OBGYN either monthly or bi-monthly. Certain issues like ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts and pelvic inflammatory disease could come up during regular appointments.

Exercising During Pregnancy

A woman’s body goes through numerous changes during pregnancy.  A fit body makes delivery and the recovery process smoother and healthier. Exercising during pregnancy helps in improving your stamina besides maintaining a healthy wait and thwarts pain, backaches and post pregnancy constipation. Regularly indulging in physical activities keeps you away from gestational diabetes and lowers the risk of premature delivery. Furthermore, it also improves your sleep and self-esteem.

However, before starting an exercise regime, a consultation with your gynecologist is necessary. If your pregnancy reports are normal, i.e. they don’t contain any complicating factors like high blood pressure, diabetes among others, it’s good idea for you to start light exercises. Be cautious of the fact that you are not overheated. To counter that, drink lots of water.

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services suggests light aerobic activity for two and a half hours weekly. Consult with your gynecologist before, during and after aerobic activities. However, your gynecologist can advise you on the type of exercise that is best suited for your body. General activities recommended by gynecologists include walking, swimming, water aerobics, low-impact aerobics, spinning, etc. A blend of flexibility exercises, strength training, and aerobics is best suited for healthy pregnant women.

Under no conditions, a pregnant woman should engage in strenuous activities like basketball, soccer, hockey, scuba diving, horseback riding, or downhill skiing. Exercising on the mountains where oxygen supply is reduced can spill danger for the unborn.

After exercising, if you experience heavy vaginal bleeding, extreme vaginal or abdominal pain, dizziness, headache, nausea, chest pain, consult your gynecologist immediately. If she advises to stop the exercises, do so with immediate effect.

Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis is one the most common forms of vaginal infection that result from the overgrowth of harmful bacteria disturbing the pH balance. Usually two types of bacteria- Lactobacillus and Gardnerella vaginalis co-exist in the vagina. Women in their reproductive years are susceptible to bacterial vaginosis. The cause, however, is unknown till date. But, many doctors believe unprotected sexual intercourse, frequent douching and smoking are the reasons behind bacterial vaginosis.

Bacterial vaginosis does not show any warning signs. However, one common symptom is foul smelling vaginal discharge. The discharge can be milky, grey or yellow in color. It can increase after sex and intercourse may be painful. Other symptoms include irritation in the vagina, a burning sensation when urinating, or light vaginal bleeding.

Rush to a gynecologists as soon as you experience fishy smell vaginal discharge. Your doctor will carry out a clinical evaluation of the vagina and collect a sample of the discharge for laboratory examination. To ensure diagnosis is successful, you to avoid any vaginal deodorants, douches, or tampons for at least twenty-four hours prior to seeing the doctor. In addition, any form of sexual activity could hamper your diagnosis.

Bacterial vaginosis is not a serious issue, but infection can increase the risk of STD’s like HIV and to some extent infertility. Gynecologists usually prescribe antibiotics to treat this disease. The medicines are in the form of cream or capsules that you can put in your vagina. The infection goes off in 2-3 days with antibiotics, but treatment may continue for a week. Antibiotics work well but have certain side effects, which can lead to vaginal yeast infection.

You can follow instructions given below to prevent a recurrent infection:

• Always wipe from front to back after using the loo.

• Avoid tight underpants that can trap moisture.

• Use condoms and practice safe sex.

• Visit your gynecologist regularly for examinations.

How Breastfeeding Can Help Your Baby Become Strong

If you are first time pregnant, you must be confused over how to feed your baby. It’s always helpful to know the facts about breastfeeding, so as you can make the right choice. Reading about breastfeeding is lot different from the actual experience. Issues arising during breastfeeding are common, but new mother should not be disheartened. With patience and practice, a new mother will be able to overcome the challenges.

Not only breastfeeding is the super food for the baby, it has other benefits as well, especially for the nursing mother. The World Health Organization (WHO), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) all encourage mothers to breastfeed their baby for at least six months after giving birth.

Benefits for Baby

Breastfeeding provides numerous health benefits to both mother and the baby. A special bond is created between mother and child. Breast milk contains all the necessary nutrients including calories, nutrients, and fluids that a baby requires. It is thinner, easy to digest and contains the perfect combination of sugar, fat, water, and protein. Breast milk protects the child from various infections including gastrointestinal, respiratory, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and meningitis.

Benefits for Mother

Mother milk is easily available and costs nothing. It burns mother’s calories and helps her return to pre-pregnancy weight. A contact between the mother and child during breastfeeding boosts a mother’s levels of oxytocin, which causes the woman's uterus to contract and aids in milk flow. Breastfeeding can also delay the return of menses for three months after delivery. In addition, it can reduce a mother’s risk of getting premenopausal breast or ovarian cancer. Furthermore, breastfeeding increases the emotional bonding between a mother and her child.

Apart from various advantages, breastfeeding can produce some challenges for new mothers including sore nipples, difficulty in feeding the milk, de-shaped nipples, inflammated breasts and plugged ducts. Barring these issues, breast milk is always recommended for newly born. It is obviously, the best food for your baby.

Pregnancy Concerns

Motherhood is the best thing that can happen to a woman. Every woman seeks it and those who are lucky enough to experience it would agree. However, the time before giving birth to your angel is full of vicissitudes. Someday you feel stupendous and some day you face terrible issues. Right from the moment you get pregnant, you have to take utmost care of your body and diet. Here is a list of some of the discomforts you might face when you carry your loved one in your womb.

DIET

It is mandatory to watch what you eat during pregnancy. Gynecologists advice that you gain at least 2-3 pounds every month or 20-25 pounds during entire pregnancy. Make sure your diet is composed of vitamins and minerals. Avoid fat as much as you can.

EXERCISE

Exercise plays a pivotal role in pregnancy. It helps you strengthen the lower back. You may experience certain discomforts related to leg and back. Walking and light stretching can prove helpful. Heavy activities like aerobics, jogging, swimming are a strict no under such circumstances.

NAUSEA AND VOMITING

One of the early indicators of pregnancy is when you feel nauseated. Development of placental tissue causes hormone levels to rise, which results in nausea. Normally, nausea occurs in the morning, but it can happen anytime during the day or night. To relieve early morning nausea symptoms, eat dry crackers or dry cereals in the morning. It is advisable to eat 5-6 meals a day rather than 3 large meals. If nausea persists, rush to your gynecologist immediately.

 CONSTIPATION

Drink plenty of fluids to avoid constipation. Pregnant women should at least drink 6-8 glasses of fluid every day. If your bowel movements become hard, adding a stool softener like Colace may be needed.

HEADACHES

Some women suffer from headaches on a daily basis, while other women may suffer from migraine. During pregnancy, some women might experience a change in the intensity of their headaches be it on the slower side or higher. Tylenol may relieve the symptoms and aspirins should be avoided at all costs.