Browsing: Women Health
The page provides quick access to a list of common diseases, syndromes, health conditions, and other topics of health importance pertaining to women’s health. The list is organized alphabetically. Links are provided to respective diseases sections that serve as a comprehensive and ultimate guide about the disease or health condition.
A gynecological disorder involves damage or risk to any female reproduction organ, which includes the abdominal and pelvic area, i.e., ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, vagina, vulva and breasts. Some of these disorders can even affect the proper functioning of the reproductive system and may create difficulty during pregnancy or child birth.
Healthcare professionals believe that every woman may suffer from one or another type of gynecological condition at some point in their life. In the past few years, the incidence of few gynecological disorders has sternly increased such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids and breast cancer. They have not only affected adult women, but teenage girls also have shown high incidence of certain gynecological diseases.
From puberty till menopause, a woman’s reproductive organs are continuously changing due to sexual activity, pregnancy and aging. These changes occur due to variation in hormonal levels in the body. An injury or a disease can also affect your reproductive system, leading to a gynecological disorder.
Common gynecological disorders include dysmenorrhea, vulvodynia, chronic pelvic pain, breast cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, vaginitis and menstrual cramps.
Severe cases of preeclampsia in some cases may lead to a serious condition called eclampsia that can be dangerous to both the baby and mother, and in rare cases may even lead to the death of the fetus. Your baby is at risk to many complications if you have preeclampsia during pregnancy.
Uterine fibroids are the most commonly observed tumors of the female reproductive system. They develop in or on the uterus. Fibroids are compact tumors that are made of smooth muscle cells and fibrous connective tissues. Their sizes may vary, from the size of a pea to the size of a small grapefruit.
Bulky uterus caused due to a medical condition like fibroids not only grow excessively but also bleeds and becomes painful. Bulky uterus with fibroids may cause serious complications in women such as heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods, and problems in pregnancy.
The exact cause of uterine fibroids is not known. Scientists believe that genetics and environmental factors play a significant role in their development and growth. There are certain risk factors that are believed to play a role in fibroid growth, such as hormonal changes (estrogen and progesterone levels), genetics, age etc.
There are no fixed tests for the diagnosis of PCOS. Your doctor may ask questions about medical history and family history of this disease. The doctor may ask questions related to patient’s menstruation cycle and weight changes. A physical examination is done to observe the growth of hair and acne.
Endometriosis diagnosis is generally done in a physical exam. The doctor will ask questions about your medical history. It is an estrogen-dependent disease; therefore women with heavy menses have higher chances of developing this condition. The doctor may ask questions about your menses. Many women with endometriosis experience chronic pelvic pain.
The intensity of menstrual cramps decreases as a woman grows in age. Sometimes, they disappear completely after a woman’s first term pregnancy. If there are any other medical conditions or anatomical abnormalities which are thought to contribute to the pain, treatment of the underlying abnormality or condition can bring the relief.
Women are repeatedly shown bent up and clutching their stomach to portray menstruation. The truth is that menstruation does not mark barriers for women from living their lives and they are nothing to be ashamed about.
Cysts usually refer to fluid-filled sacs that are not a normal part of the tissue where they are found. Ovarian cysts are the cysts that are found within or on the surface of an ovary. Most ovarian cysts are small and harmless. They occur most frequently during the reproductive years, but can affect women of any age.
Women with cysts caused by endometriosis and due to polycystic ovaries syndrome are infertile and cannot conceive naturally as their ovaries are not working right and they are most probably not ovulating too. These women also suffer from an ovulation disorder which prevents the ovaries from releasing a mature egg for fertilisation.