Adenomyosis Pregnancy

Adenomyosis Pregnancy

Back in early June of this year, I had my yearly gyno exam. I was slightly worried as over the last several months I noted that my periods were getting progressively heavy. My doctor sent me for an ultrasound as she felt as though my uterus might be slightly enlargedEnlarged adenoids
Enlarged prostate.
I went and had the ultrasound and the technician found a large polyp, a diffusely thickened endometrium and a very slightly enlargedEnlarged adenoids
Enlarged prostate uterus. Oh, and one benignBenign ear cyst or tumor
Benign positional vertigo cyst.
My gyn told me I needed to get the polyp removed and also needed to get a D&C. On the day of surgery, my gyn sat down and told me that she thought I may be dealing with adenomyosis. Up until this point, I have to say I had not experienced any discomfort or pain. Again, the only thing I was dealing with were progressively heavy periods. I started to panicPanic disorder
Panic disorder with agoraphobia as she was throwing around words like incurable and hysterectomyHysterectomy
Hysterectomy series... all of this immediately prior to surgery.
I had the surgery in mid-July and have not been the same since. I have a constant dull pain in the middle of my pelvicKegel exercises
Pelvic adhesions
Pelvic inflammatory disease (pid)
Pelvic laparoscopy
Prostatitis nonbacterial
Uterine prolapse area, weird urinary issues, pressure, some spotting, brown discharge, what feels like pressure on my tailbone. I've also been dealing with lots of anxiety over the concern of having chronic pain and having to get a hysterectomy to ever feel like myself again.
Also, I went to see a second doctor who sent me for a follow up ultrasound (after the surgeries in August) and my uterus was not enlarged whatsoever and my endometrium was 6mm. Correct me if I'm wrong, but once a uterus is enlarged by adenomyosis, can it shrink back to normal size? My original gyn told me no.
a. Is it really possible for adenomyosis to progress to no discomfort to chronic discomfort in a matter of 5-6 weeks? I find it highly unlikely, however this is basically what I have experienced.
b. Would pregnancy provide any relief to adenomyosis symptoms? I ask because I am 7 weeks pregnant and I have not witnessed any relief to my symptoms whatsoever.
A couple of thoughts--It is very good that you had the polyp removed--those need to be taken out and biopsied to rule out problems. It also probably permitted the conception, or at least will not cause you problems like a miscarriage, etc.
Adenomyosis is a "pathologic diagnosis" in other words, it can't be diagnosed for certain without removing the uterus--we can only guess that it might be there before surgery, and we usually guess that when we can't find anything else to blame the problems on. It is a variant of endometriosis, and is not cancerous.
I was not there for the discussion that you had with your first doctor, but I would not recommend that you stay with that person, as it sounds like the two of you were on very different wavelengths. Make sure you thoroughly trust your doctor!
Your ultrasound findings could be consistent, as "slightly enlarged" by one tech could be "normal" by another tech. The endometrium should be normal after a D&C, which basically scrapes off the excess tissue.
Finally, there are lots and lots of options for treating heavy periods/bleeding, eg. endometrial ablation, so make sure that all of those have been discussed with you to your satisfaction before you agree to a hysterectomy. Also, make sure you have all the children you want!
As for your new symptoms it is impossible to say at this point whether that is pregnancy-related, or not--only time will tell.

Adenomyosis Pain

Adenomyosis Pain

Diagnosis is often by mistake because of the failure to diagnose the actual situation responsible for the pain. In these cases, the patient is an effective treatment on the other hand denied Rashid aimed at the underlying disease. Typically, the diagnosis of adenomyosis or fibroids are the cause of pelvic pain. A woman with chronic pelvic pain should be subject to systematic and comprehensive in order to exclude a variety of circumstances. These include diseases of women and the digestive system, urinary tract and nervous system, diseases of the muscles and bones. Gynecological conditions that can cause pelvic pain include fibroids, adenomyosis, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, pelvic adhesions, ovarian diseases (such as a bag), pelvic congestion syndrome, diseases of the fallopian tube. If the reasons have been excluded of the reproductive system of women, there may be a need to evaluate the digestive exclude conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, and diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Urinary tract conditions that may cause pelvic pain include bladder infection, urinary tract stones (stones in the urinary tract, and inflammation of the urethra.
Pelvic floor disorders muscular skeletal system is a common cause of chronic pelvic pain. Pelvic floor muscle tension has been linked to painful intercourse (dyspareunia), and urinary urgency and frequency, perineal pain (vulvodynia), as well as the dissemination of pelvic pain. Normally, muscles in the pelvic floor is excessive tension with the trigger points. These points give rise to irritation of the pain may refer to the bottom of the abdomen, suprapubic region, hips, perineum and tail bone, or lower back. This phenomenon may lead to confusion about the source of pain. Expert assessment of the pelvic floor in a positive identification of skeletal muscle source of pain, and to identify specific points of the trigger. Laparoscopy in these patients yielding negative results. Physical treatment of the condition is directed to specific results and to release the trigger points.
Pelvic congestion syndrome is a mild pain or achy, mostly women in the parous, due to varicose veins in the pelvis. Pain is exacerbated by conditions that increase pressure within the abdomen, such as constipation requiring pressure to pass stool, and standing for long periods of time / walking, lifting heavy loads. Pain is often relieved by lying down. Pain during intercourse is a typical, and may continue for hours and days. Patients may avoid sexual intercourse for this reason. Adnexal tenderness during the examination model. Ultrasound has limited value for the diagnosis of the situation. Laparoscopy is also limited because of varicose veins beneath the surface of the peritoneum and peritoneal pressure of the air inside the veins. Diagnosis can be done by venography through the thigh. A catheter is inserted into a vein and the left thigh in the left ovarian vein. Ovarian vein is enlarged (> 4mm) or incompetent, and side by side with the expansion of the arteries of the uterus. Tomography and magnetic resonance imaging venopgraphy not allow for the detection of invasive veins as well as extended immediate treatment with embolisation particles from the veins of the ovary. Such treatment may reduce the fertility rate. Other treatment options are hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy. Ovarian suppression with Lupron can also provide temporary relief. Pelvic varices may be present in the symptoms of women completely. It is therefore important to establish a diagnosis of pelvic congestion syndrome and diagnosis of exclusion, women in maltiparous, with dilated pelvic veins with the islands, when all other possible causes of pelvic pain has been ruled out. In my experience, and was misdiagnosed many women with adenomyosis diagnosed and ill-treatment of pelvic congestion syndrome.
Sometimes chronic pelvic pain and psychological. In 50% of women with chronic pelvic pain has a long history of sexual abuse in childhood can be identified. Therefore, when all organic causes of pelvic pain have been excluded, and the psychological evaluation is necessary. Sometimes chronic pelvic pain and found to be associated with congestion in the pelvic veins (varicose veins basin). Diagnosis of pelvic varices requires special imaging studies, such as pelvic venography or ultrasound.

Adenomyosis Symptoms

Definition:
Adenomyosis is the presence of endometrial cells in the outer muscle layer of the uterus. Normally, cells lining the uterus and function as part of the lining of the uterus and the uterus to shed during menstruation. Adenomyosis causes thickening of the uterus, increasing the size of the uterus to two or three times in the 'non-normal-size pregnant women. The good news is that adenomyosis is a benign condition.
Adenomyosis occurs most often in women over the age of 30 who have children, and rarely occur in women who have never had a full-term pregnancy.
Exact cause of adenomyosis and how it developed is still the subject of debate among the medical community.
While many of the women who have adenomyosis are the symptoms and women who may experience symptoms [Dysmenorrhea] experience harsh and heavy menstrual bleeding. And pelvic exam usually reveals that the enlarged uterus, which may be two or three times their normal size.
adenomyosis include treatments for the treatment of pain and Mirena IUD, which may help reduce pain and bleeding. Most of the other hormonal treatments have proved ineffective. When symptoms are severe, there may be some women opt for a hysterectomy, which ends the symptoms completely. In most cases, adenomyosis resolves after menopause.

Adenomyosis Treatment

Adenomyosis Treatment

Question:
I have been told I have adenomyosis. Can you please tell me about the cause of this, its treatment, and if there is cure for it? Carol
Answer:
Adenomyosis is a condition similar to endometriosis. In both conditions, cells of the endometrium (inner uterine lining) can be found where they don't belong. Normally these cells grow in the endometrial cavity, the hollow central portion of the uterus. In women with endometriosis, these cells grow on the peritoneum (abdominal lining), the ovary, the bowel, bladder, surgical incisions and even some locations outside of the abdomen. In adenomyosis, however, the misplaced cells are found growing deep in the muscular wall of the uterus. Symptoms generally are abnormal uterine bleeding, painful intercourse, pelvic pressure or cramping associated with periods. We don't really know what causes women to develop this condition. The older you are and the greater the number of periods you have, the higher your risk. Uterine surgery, such as myomectomy (fibroid removal), may predispose you to this condition. On the other hand, the use of birth control pills may reduce your risk of developing this condition later in life. Adenomyosis may be found spread throughout the uterine wall, or it may form small nodules. Adenomyosis may interfere with fertility either directly, by compressing the uterine lining, or indirectly, by compressing blood vessels in the uterine wall that supply blood to the uterine lining and nourish an early pregnancy. The diagnosis of adenomyosis is most often made after it's no longer a problem - in the pathology lab when the uterus is examined after being removed in a hysterectomy. In a woman who still has her uterus, adenomyosis is typically discovered during an ultrasound procedure to diagnose the cause of infertility or to monitor ovulation induction treatment. Although I may suspect this condition when I perform an ultrasound examination, rarely do I see this condition mentioned in reports from earlier ultrasound examinations. Often adenomyosis is confused with fibroids on ultrasound. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan, if properly performed, can confirm the presence of adenomyosis, but this test is costly and not usually necessary. Few studies have looked at this condition. As adenomyosis is quite often diffusely spread throughout the wall of the uterus, surgical treatment options are limited. And, since we often cannot be certain of our diagnosis, few medical trials have been carried out. Case reports have suggested that some patients may benefit from GnRH-a (Lupron, Zoladex or Synarel) treatment, which suppresses normal hormonal activity, for a period of approximately three months. This treatment is followed by ovulation induction with injectable gonadotropins. However, patients with extensive involvement of the uterine wall may be unresponsive to GnRH-a treatment, and adenomyosis will usually recur within a few months of stopping medical therapy. For these women, in vitro fertilization with embryo transfer to a gestational carrier (surrogate mother) may be required to achieve a pregnancy.

Question:
I have been told I have adenomyosis. Can you tell me about the reason for this, treatment, and if there is a cure for this?
Carol
Answer:
Adenomyosis is a condition similar to the lining of the uterus. In all cases, the cells of the lining of the uterus (the lining of the uterus of the Interior) where you can find they do not belong. Typically, these cells grow in the middle of the uterus, and a hollow central part of the uterus. With the lining of the uterus in women, and these cells grow in the peritoneum (abdominal lining), ovary, and bowel and bladder, and surgical incisions, and even some sites outside the abdomen. In adenomyosis, however, the cells are growing out of place in the depth of the muscle wall of the uterus.
Generally are the symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding, painful intercourse, and pelvic pressure or cramping associated with periods. We do not really know what makes women in the development of this condition. You are older and increase the number of periods you have, the higher your risk. Surgery in the womb, such as myomectomy (fibroid removal), you may predispose to this condition. On the other hand, you can use the pill reduces the risk of developing this condition later in life.
Adenomyosis can be found scattered in the wall of the uterus, or it may form small nodules. Adenomyosis may interfere with fertility, either directly, by pressing the lining of the uterus, or indirectly, by compressing the blood vessels in the wall of the uterus that supply blood to the lining of the uterus, nutrition and early pregnancy.
Diagnosis of adenomyosis is most often made after it is no longer a problem - in the laboratory of pathology when examined in the evacuation of the uterus after hysterectomy. A woman who is still her womb, adenomyosis is usually detected during an ultrasound to diagnose the cause of infertility or for monitoring ovulation induction treatment. Although I may suspect this condition when an ultrasound examination, and rarely see this condition mentioned in earlier reports of ultrasound examinations. adenomyosis is often confused with fibroids on ultrasound. And magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, if properly implemented, can not confirm the presence of adenomyosis, but this test is costly and not usually necessary.
Few studies have examined this condition. adenomyosis as is often scattered throughout the wall of the uterus, and surgical treatment options are limited. Since we often can not we have some of the diagnosis, and lack of medical experiments have been implemented. Case reports indicated that some patients may benefit from GnRH - treatment (Lupron, Zoladex or Synarel), which suppresses normal hormonal activity, for a period of almost three months. This treatment is followed by ovulation induction with gonadotropins by injection. However, patients who may suffer from broad participation in the wall of the uterus does not respond to GnRH - treatment, and adenomyosis are usually repeated within a few months of stopping treatment. For these women, had in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer to the carrier pregnancy (surrogate mother) there will be a need for a pregnancy.

Adenomyosis Uterine

Adenomyosis Uterine

The occurrence of a new menstrual pain periodically in the contract of 40 and can be attributed to inflammation of the lining of the uterus, uterine fibroids, partial or narrowing of cervical adenomyosis. Even now most likely cause of this painful menstrual cramps at this time is adenomyosis. This is sometimes called the International lining of the uterus or the lining of the uterus of the Interior.
Since this is the problem is most likely that your doctor will want to rule in or rule out with tests diagnositic, let us focus on adenomyosis.
What is adenomyosis?
Adenomyosis know the existence of endometrial glands and tissues supporting the muscles of the uterus where it usually will not happen. When that is subject to the growth of thyroid tissue during the menstrual cycle, and subsequent rupture, could be the old tissue and blood can not get out of the muscles, and the flow out of the cervical part of the normal menstruation. This global blood and tissues of the uterus cause pain in the form of menstrual cramps. It also produces abnormal uterine bleeding and some of the blood in the end avoid muscle and results in selecting a location for long periods. For a picture of what looks like a simplified adenomyosis, see pictures () in one location gynecologist.
Adenomyosis occurs more often in the decade of 40's, perimenopausally. Samples in a hysterectomy, can be found on adenomyosis be from 15% to 25% of the time (1, 2). Change in the glandular cells lining the uterus in adenomyosis are often incomplete in the second half of the menstrual cycle (phase luteal), and as a result, adenomyosis may not be very responsive to repression by progesterone. About 50% of adenomyosis are the symptoms although it does not run deeper into the muscles of the uterus, it tends to be more likely to produce symptoms (3, 4). It is also often associated with fibroids (5), and is often associated with other conditions, such as ovarian cysts, and depression and even cancer gynecology (6) that can cause pain in the pelvis.
How is the diagnosis of adenomyosis?
Until recent years, it was said that adenomyosis was diagnosed only by a pathologist examines the sample hysterectomy. Now magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can accurately diagnose adenomyosis, despite the fact that many doctors feel this is too expensive to use the test routinely. Patterns of adenomyosis as recognized by the before and seems to be magnetic resonance imaging are either scattered in all parts of the uterus (about 66%) or focal lesions (33%) that do not occur only in places and one or two (7). If treatment is not a hysterectomy is being considered in adenomyosis, then MRI should be used to diagnose the disease and if coordination is shown, then surgical amputation of the lining of the uterus without doing a hysterectomy may be considered.
You can use a special ultrasound Doppler color flow can also be used for the diagnosis of adenomyosis (8). Sometimes it has difficulty to distinguish smaller fibroids (smooth muscle) of adenomyosis but are able to capture about 80% of the existing lesions. In-depth discussion on the pre-ultrasound diagnosis of surgical adenomyosis, see (and Presurgical diagnosis of diffuse Adenomyosis by Helen Bickerstaff, MB, BChir.
Uterus and take samples of uterine needle has also been used for the diagnosis of adenomyosis (9), but there seems to be within the clinical process because they miss a lot of areas in the muscle lining of the uterine glands, uterus, where they can find. When used in conjunction with ultrasound, and they may be able to pick areas that are positive (10). The most important concept in diagnosis is to keep in mind that since adenomyosis produce symptoms of pain and / or abnormal bleeding, only 50% of the time (11), just an imaging study found no evidence of adenomyosis, does not mean that the focus is causing the pain. This may be physiological adenomyosis is a condition found in women after pelvic pain but not necessarily the cause of pain, a total of (12).
Caesarean section does not link the issue of in vitro or adenomyosis?
There is some evidence that women who have had Caesarean sections may be at risk was slightly higher (about 2 to 1) for adenomyosis 13). Theoretical basis for this would be when construction operations are performed inside the uterus, and this may allow the lining of the uterus to the bottom of the workbook muscles of the uterus. This is known to occur in the incisions in the abdomen with a caesarean section in the lining of the uterus, which is sometimes mentioned in the cracks and must be eradicated (14).
Another factor that had been proposed as a possible associated factor, causing the adenomyosis is tubal ligation. Under this theory, the natural flow of the cells lining the uterus back in those allocated to the development of women lining of the uterus is blocked due to the process of connecting pipes faloppian. This would increase the pressure in the uterus and the strength of some of these cells to the bottom of the uterine muscles and consequently the development of adenomyosis. There is some support for this concept that women who have adenomyosis may be more frequent a tubal ligation (15).
In one study, there were also a higher incidence of adenomyosis in a woman who had termination of pregnancy (16). Presumably, most of these have been implemented by extending the suction and C, and again we have the concept of the uterus may result in organs in the lining of the uterus that grows deep in the muscles. It is important to remember that there is no pregnancy is also considered a risk factor (17).
What are the treatments for adenomyosis is hysterectomy?
Factors can be released Gonadotropin (for example, Lupron ®) can be used for the treatment of adenomyosis, but the problem is that adenomyosis seems to recur after stopping treatment. It can be used, however, to reduce the amount of adenomyosis and then the rest of the areas can be resected if, for example, a woman wants to get pregnant (18). The device can progesterone contraceptive intrauterine pregnancy can also be used to improve the irregular bleeding and avoid hysterectomy (19).
The question of whether endometrial ablation may be a treatment for adenomyosis, or perhaps even that it could make matters worse? This was seen in one study and found that endometrial ablation was nearly the same success rate improving heavy menstrual periods (approximately 60%) and whether or not adenomyosis was present (20). Thus, if the bleeding is severe, rather than menstrual cramps is one of the major symptoms of adenomyosis, and endometrial ablation should be considered a treatment.
Hysteroscopic endometrial ablation and can sometimes remove the adenomyosis superficial, but in order to remove most of the areas of coordination adenomyosis, which is more in-depth, either laparoscopic or open amputation amputation of myometrial myometrial there is a need to get rid of the symptoms (21).
Hysterectomy is a very successful for the treatment of adenomyosis?
One might think that a hysterectomy would cure the pain in 100% of women with adenomyosis undergoing this surgery, but in fact, studies that do not appear specifically in the treatment of pain rate for women with adenomyosis undergoing hysterectomy. Generally, when the uterus is the pelvic pain in origin, hysterectomy significantly improves pain in 75-80% of cases (22, 23).
Conservative surgery for adenomyosis is about 50% effective (24), so it is still likely that a hysterectomy is more successful in treating this disease, although we do not know with certainty what is the success rate of hysterectomy. Are likely to be a hysterectomy at least 80% or more effective. For all types of chronic pelvic pain, and non-surgical treatment and can be good, although the rate of recovery is not as high as hysterectomy (25).

Cervical Dysplasia Recurrence

Cervical Dysplasia Recurrence

Introduction:
Cervical dysplasia is a condition characterized by the presence of abnormal cells in the cervix, indicating either precancerous or cancerous cells. The condition is classified as low-grade or high-grade, depending on the extent of the abnormal cell growth. Low-grade cervical dysplasia progresses very slowly and typically resolves on its own. High-grade cervical dysplasia, however, tends to progress quickly and usually leads to cervical cancer. An estimated 66% of cervical dysplasia cases are estimated to progress to cancer within 10 years. Currently, 11% of U.S. women report that they do not have regular cervical cancer screenings.
Signs and Symptoms:
Cervical dysplasia often produces no symptoms and is usually discovered during an annual Pap smear.
Occasional signs and symptoms of the condition can include:
* Genital warts
* Abnormal bleeding
* Spotting after intercourse
* Vaginal discharge
* Low back pain
It is important to note that these symptoms are not unique to cervical dysplasia and they may indicate a different problem. If you are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, you should see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
Causes:
The precise cause of cervical dysplasia is not known. Studies have found a strong association between cervical dysplasia and infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), but additional factors (still unknown) must also be at play in order for cervical cells to change and become precancerous.
Risk Factors:
The following may increase an individual's risk for developing cervical dysplasia:
* Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection
* Genital warts
* Smoking
* Early onset of sexual activity (younger than 18 years old)
* Multiple sexual partners
* Having a partner whose former partner had cervical cancer
* History of one or more sexually transmitted diseases, such as genital herpes or HIV
* Having suppressed immune function from, for example, HIV or the use of chemotherapeutic medications to treat cancer
* Long-term use (5 or more years) of birth control pills
* Being born to a mother who took diethylstilbestrol (DES) to become pregnant or to sustain pregnancy (this drug was used many years ago to promote pregnancy but it is no longer used for these purposes)
* Low levels of folate (vitamin B9) in red blood cells
* Dietary deficiencies in vitamin A, beta-carotene, selenium, vitamin E, and vitamin C (scientific data are not entirely conclusive at this time, see section on Nutrition and Dietary Supplements)
Diagnosis:
If any of the symptoms mentioned earlier are present, the physician will perform a physical including an abdominal, back, and pelvic examination. As part of the pelvic exam, a Pap smear will be performed to detect precancerous or cancerous cells in the cervix. A Pap smear is also performed annually for screening purposes even when no symptoms are present. This test may be performed more or less often than once a year, depending on your individual medical history and risk factors for cervical cancer. For example, an individual who has had abnormal Pap smears in the past may require more tests than an individual who has always had normal Pap smears. But, if you have had normal pap smears 3 years in a row and you are over age 30, your doctor may perform a pap smear test only every 2 - 3 years. If there are any questionable or unclear results from the Pap smear, one of the following tests will be performed by a gynecologist:
* Colposcopy Colposcopy is a procedure in which the physician uses a viewing tube with a magnifying lens to examine the abnormal cell growth in the cervix.
* Biopsy Biopsy is when a small sample of tissue is removed from the cervix and examined under a microscope for any signs of cancer.
Preventive Care:
While there is no established strategy for preventing cervical dysplasia, regular Pap smears are the most effective and reliable method of identifying the condition in its early stages. Such early detection is key to preventing the condition from progressing to cervical cancer. Women should begin receiving annual Pap smears as soon as they become sexually active or no later than age 21. Women whose mothers took DES during pregnancy are advised to begin regular Pap smears at age 14, at the onset of their first menstrual period, or as soon as they become sexually active, whichever comes first.
Barrier contraceptives, such as condoms, may offer some degree of protection from cervical dysplasia.
The FDA has approved a vaccine, Gardasil, for human papillomavirus (HPV) for females 9 - 26 years of age to prevent cervical cancer. The Center for Disease Control’s National Immunization Program (NIP) and the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have recommended the use of the vaccine. Although the vaccine could prevent up to 70% of cervical cancer cases, it cannot prevent infection with every virus that causes cervical cancer. Routine Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer remain very important.
Some lifestyle modifications may also help prevent the development of cervical dysplasia:
* Practicing safe sex
* Not smoking
* Eating a diet rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and folate (vitamin B9) from fruits and vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli, are especially important in preventing cancers such as cervical cancer.
Treatment Approach:
Surgical removal of abnormal tissue is the treatment of choice for cervical dysplasia. Medications are not used to treat cervical dysplasia, and few complementary or alternative therapies have been evaluated for their effectiveness in treating the condition. Several studies indicate, however, that the development and progression of cervical dysplasia may be related to certain nutritional deficiencies, including folate, beta-carotene, and vitamin C.
Medications
Medications are not used to treat cervical dysplasia.
Surgery and Other Procedures
Surgical removal of abnormal tissue is the most common method of treating cervical dysplasia. Ninety percent of these procedures can be done in an outpatient setting. These procedures include:
* Cryocauterization Cryocauterization uses extreme cold to destroy abnormal cervical tissue. This is the simplest and safest procedure, and it usually destroys 99% of the abnormal tissue. Cryocauterization is frequently performed without anesthesia.
* Laser therapy Lasers destroy abnormal cervical tissue with less scarring than cryocauterization. Lasers are more costly than cryocauterization, are performed with local anesthesia, and have a 90% cure rate.
* Loop electrosurgical excision (LEEP) During a LEEP, a thin loop wire excises visible patches of abnormal cervical tissue. LEEP is performed with local anesthesia and has a 90% cure rate.
* Cervical conization During a cervical conization, a small cone-shaped sample of abnormal tissue is removed from the cervix. Cervical conization requires general anesthesia and has a 70 - 98% cure rate, depending on whether cancer cells have spread beyond the cervix.
Nutrition and Dietary Supplements
Following these nutritional tips may help reduce the chances of developing cervical dysplasia:
* Eat calcium rich foods, including beans, almonds, and dark green leafy vegetables (such as spinach and kale).
* Eat more cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.
* Eat antioxidant foods, including fruits (such as blueberries, cherries, and tomatoes), and vegetables (such as squash and bell pepper).
* Avoid refined foods such as white breads, pastas, and sugar.
* Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy) or beans for protein.
* Use healthy cooking oils, such as olive oil or vegetable oil.
* Reduce or eliminate trans-fatty acids, found in commercially baked goods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, French fries, onion rings, donuts, processed foods, and margarine.
* Avoid coffee and other stimulants, alcohol, and tobacco.
* Drink 6 - 8 glasses of filtered water daily.
* Exercise moderately, for 30 minutes daily, 5 days a week.
Nutritional deficiencies may be addressed with the following supplements:
* Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, 1 - 2 capsules or 1 tablespoonful oil daily, to help decrease inflammation and improve general health.
* A multivitamin daily, containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, D, E, the B-vitamins, and trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and selenium. Folic acid is important in preventing cervical dysplasia and should be part of a multivitamin supplement.
* Digestive enzymes, 1 - 2 tablets three times daily with meals.
* Coenzyme Q10, 100 - 200 mg at bedtime, for antioxidant and immune activity.
* N-acetyl cysteine, 200 mg daily, for antioxidant effects.
* Acidophilus (Lactobacillus acidophilus), 5 - 10 billion CFUs (colony forming units) daily, when needed for maintenance of gastrointestinal and immune health.
* Grapefruit seed extract (Citrus paradisi), 100 mg capsule or 5 - 10 drops (in favorite beverage) three times daily, for antibacterial/antifungal activity, gastrointestinal health and immunity.
* Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), 3,000 mg twice a day, to help decrease inflammation.
Herbs
Herbs are generally a safe way to strengthen and tone the body's systems. As with any therapy, you should work with your health care provider to get your problem diagnosed before starting any treatment. You may use herbs as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, you should make teas with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 - 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 - 20 minutes for roots. Drink 2 - 4 cups per day. You may use tinctures alone or in combination as noted.
* Green tea (Camelia sinensis) standardized extract, 250 - 500 mg daily, for antioxidant and immune effects. You may also prepare teas from the leaf of this herb.
* Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) standardized extract, 20 mg three times a day, for inflammation, immune and antibacterial/antifungal activity.
* Bromelain (Ananus comosus) standardized extract, 40 mg three times daily, for pain and inflammation.
* Turmeric (Curcuma longa) standardized extract, 300 mg three times a day, for inflammation.
* Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum), 150 - 300 mg two to three times daily, for inflammation and for immunity. You may also take a tincture of this mushroom extract, 30 - 60 drops two to three times a day.
Several population-based studies have suggested that eating a diet rich in the following nutrients from fruits and vegetables may protect against the development of cervical cancer:
Beta-carotene
Some controversial clinical studies suggest that individuals deficient in beta-carotene may be more likely to develop cancerous or precancerous cervical lesions, but this relationship remains inconclusive. Other studies indicate that oral supplementation with beta-carotene may promote a decline in the signs of cervical dysplasia. Despite these promising results, the benefit of using beta-carotene supplements to prevent the development of cervical dysplasia or cervical cancer has not been proven.
Supplemental beta-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer, prostate cancer, intracerebral hemorrhage, and cardiovascular and total mortality in people who smoke cigarettes or have a history of high-level exposure to asbestos. Beta-carotene from foods does not seem to have this effect.
Folate (Vitamin B9)
Like beta-carotene, some evidence suggests that folate (also known as vitamin B9) deficiencies may contribute to the development of cancerous or precancerous lesions in the cervix. Researchers also theorize that folate consumed in the diet may improve the cellular changes seen in cervical dysplasia by lowering homocysteine (a substance believed to contribute to the severity of cervical dysplasia) levels. The benefit of using dietary folate to prevent or treat cervical dysplasia has not been sufficiently proven.
Castor Oil Packs
Dampen a cloth with castor oil and apply to the abdomen. Cover with saran wrap and then apply a heating pad over this pack. Used for 1 - 3 hours, castor oil packs can reduce cramping and pain in some patients.
Other Considerations:
Pregnancy
* Cases of cervical dysplasia may advance during pregnancy, but treatment can generally be deferred until after delivery.
* A biopsy to diagnose cervical dysplasia is safe to perform during pregnancy.
* Treatment with cervical conization may adversely affect fertility.
Prognosis and Complications
Pap smears are essential to detecting precancerous lesions as well as early stages of cervical cancer. The regular use of Pap smears as a screening test has prevented millions of cases of cervical cancer and has saved a similar number of lives. Despite their value, they are not always 100% accurate. Up to 2% of women with normal Pap smear results actually have high-grade cervical dysplasia at the time of evaluation. In some rare cases, Pap smears may produce "false positive" results, meaning that a healthy woman may be falsely diagnosed with cervical dysplasia. Despite these errors, Pap smears are the most effective and reliable method of identifying cervical dysplasia.
Cervical cancer, a major complication of cervical dysplasia, is the leading cause of death in many developing and poorer countries and accounts for 4,800 deaths in the United States every year. Most cervical cancer deaths occur in women who have not had a Pap smear. Cervical cancer constitutes more than 10% of cancers worldwide, and it is the second leading cause of death in women between the ages of 15 - 34.
With early identification, treatment, and consistent follow-up, nearly all cases of cervical dysplasia can be cured. Without treatment, many cervical dysplasia cases progress to cancer. Women who have been treated for cervical dysplasia have a lifetime risk for recurrence and malignancy. Fortunately, while the incidence of cervical dysplasia has been on the rise, the incidence of cervical cancer has declined dramatically. This may be due to improved screening techniques, which identify cases of cervical dysplasia in the early stages, before they have progressed to cancer.

Treatment for Cervical Dysplasia

Treatment for Cervical Dysplasia

Doctors use a few different approaches doctors when treating cervical dysplasia. The goal of treatment is to remove abnormal areas of the cervix before they possibly become cancerous, but not all cases of cervical dysplasia require medical treatment.
Watching and Waiting
For women with mild to moderate cervical dysplasia, "watching and waiting" is often the prescribed treatment. "Watching and waiting" simply means that a Pap smear or colposcopy/biopsy will be performed every 6 to 12 months to monitor the dysplasia. Mild to moderate dysplasia often resolves itself within two years without medical treatment.
Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP)
Sometimes called a LLETZ, a LEEP is a procedure that uses an electrically charged wire loop to remove abnormal cells from the cervix. This type of treatment is typically used in cases of high grade cervical dysplasia.
Conization
Conization is a treatment option for some women with high grade cervical dysplasia. Conization removes a cone shaped piece of tissue from the cervix. It is also called a cone biopsy and can be used to help diagnose cervical cancer.
Cryosurgery
Cryosurgery is another method used to treat high grade cervical dysplasia. Abnormal cells are removed by a gas that then freezes them. Cryosurgery is also referred to as cryotherapy.
Follow-Up After Treatment for Cervical Dysplasia
After being treated for cervical dysplasia, following up with doctor's recommendation is essential. The doctor will recommend a follow-up plan based on the patholgy report from the LEEP or conization.
Common recommendations following treatment is a regular colposcopy and cervical biopsy every 6 to 12 months. Cervical dysplasia can return, so following the doctor's follow-up recommendation is very important.

cervical displasia

Cervical displasia (cervical dysplasia) is a pre cancer HPV oncogenic stage. Increased risk is associated with multiple sexual partners, early beginning of sexual activity, early childbearing, and sexually transmitted diseases, especially HPV. There are usually no visual symptoms of these disorders. A Pap smear shows all stages of the disease. Treatments range from careful observation to electrocauterization, cryosurgery, laser vaporization, or surgical removal. It often happens that this disorder disappears on its own without medical treatment. Cervical displasia (cervical dysplasia) is a pre cancer HPV oncogenic stage.
Just select from the Research Topics on the adjacent gray column for easy viewing of important articles. If this is your first visit, click here for a brief summary of this website.
Acuminatum
Alternative Cervical Dysplasia Treatment
Atypia Dysplasia
Cause Cervical Dysplasia
Causes Of Cervical Dysplasia
Cervical And Displaysia
Cervical And Dysplagia
Cervical Dysplasia Recurrence
Cervix Disease
Cervix Dysplasia
Colocoscopy
Colposcopy Pictures
Curing HPV
Dysplasia Symptoms
Guidelines Colposcopy
Leep Procedure And Pregnancy
Leep Test
Leep Treatment
Mild Dysplesia
Pap Smear Exam
Precancerous Cell
Sexually Transmitted Disease Genital Wart
Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion
What Doe An Abnormal Pap Smear Mean
What I Cryosurgery
Cervical Displasia
Cervical Dysplasia, HPV
This disorder is the abnormal growth of the epithelial tissue on the surface of the cervix. It can be of three stages: CIN I � mild, CIN II � moderate to marked, and CIN III � severe to carcinomain-situ (cancer localized to the intraepithelial tissue.) Cervical displasia (cervical dysplasia) is a pre cancer HPV oncogenic stage.

cervical dysplasia treatmen

cervical dysplasia treatmen

WHAT IS IT? Cryosurgergery is literally freezing the abnormal tissues to dealth. Cryosurgery (also called cryotherapy) uses the extreme cold of liquid nitrogen. Externally, it is used by applying the liquid nitrogen directly to areas of the skin where the abnormal vells are. When cryosurgery is used internally, a holow metal tube with a tip, called a cyroprobe, is used to circulate the nitrogen through. The cryoprobe is used to touch and freeze the tissues to temperatures as low as -295° F.
HOW IS IT DONE? A speculum, similar or the same type used to do your regular papsmears, is inserted into the vagina and positioned so that the cervix is clearly visible and the walls of the vagina are seperated. The machine which circulates the liquid nitrogen through the probe will be turned on and the physician will wait until the end of the probe forms a thin layer of ice crystals on it. The probe is then placed against the cervix and kept in place for a specific period of time to freeze the cervix. You may experience some cramping during the freezing. The probe is then removed and the cervix allowed to thaw for a short period. Once again the probe is placed against the cervix and freezes the tissues.
ADVANTAGES? Comparatively inexpensive. Can be done in the office or out patient clinic. You can leave as soon as the procedure is completed.
DISADVANTAGES? The depth of freezing and destruction of cells cannot be controlled. Healing is accompanied by a watery discharge which may last up to 4 - 8 weeks. Should not be used on large areas of abnormal cells. After healing the squamo-columnar junction (Tranformation Zone) is usually not easily seen and is inside the cervical canal, making follow-up difficult. High rate of recurrence.

urinary tract infection causes

urinary tract infection causes

The urinary tract is the body's filtering system for removal of liquid wastes. Because we have a shorter urinary tract, women are especially susceptible to bacteria that may invade the urinary tract and multiply -- resulting in infection known as a urinary tract infection, or UTI.
Although most UTIs are not serious, they can be a painful nuisance. Approximately 50 percent of all women will have at least one UTI in her lifetime with many women having several infections throughout their lifetime. Fortunately, these infections are easily treated with antibiotics. Some women are more prone to repeated infections than others and for them it can be a frustrating battle.
What Causes Urinary Tract Infections?
The most common cause of UTIs are bacteria from the bowel that live on the skin near the rectum or in the vagina, which can spread and enter the urinary tract through the urethra. Once these bacteria enter the urethra, they travel upward, causing infection in the bladder and sometimes other parts of the urinary tract.
Sexual intercourse is a common cause of urinary tract infections because the female anatomy can make women more prone to urinary tract infections. During sexual activity, bacteria in the vaginal area are sometimes massaged into the urethra.
Women who change sexual partners or begin having sexual intercourse more frequently may experience bladder or urinary tract infections more often than women who are celibate or in monogamous relationships. Although it is rare, some women get a urinary tract infection every time they have sex.
Another cause of bladder infections or UTI is waiting too long to urinate. The bladder is a muscle that stretches to hold urine and contracts when the urine is released. Waiting too long past the time you first feel the need to urinate can cause the bladder to stretch beyond its capacity. Over time, this can weaken the bladder muscle. When the bladder is weakened, it may not empty completely and some urine is left in the bladder. This may increase the risk of urinary tract infections or bladder infections.
Other factors that also may increase a woman's risk of developing UTI include pregnancy, having urinary tract infections or bladder infections as a child, menopause, or diabetes.
What Are the Symptoms of Urinary Tract Infections?
Symptoms of UTI or bladder infection are not easy to miss and include a strong urge to urinate that cannot be delayed, which is followed by a sharp pain or burning sensation in the urethra when the urine is released. Most often very little urine is released and the urine that is released may be tinged with blood. The urge to urinate recurs quickly and soreness may occur in the lower abdomen, back, or sides.
This cycle may repeat itself frequently during the day or night--most people urinate about six times a day, when the need to urinate occurs more often a bladder infection should be suspected.
When bacteria enter the ureters and spread to the kidneys, symptoms such as back pain, chills, fever, nausea, and vomiting may occur, as well as the previous symptoms of lower urinary tract infection.
Proper diagnosis is vital since these symptoms also can be caused by other problems such as infections of the vagina or vulva. Only your physician can make the distinction and make a correct diagnosis.
How Is a Diagnosis of UTI Made?
The number of bacteria and white blood cells in a urine sample is the basis for diagnosing urinary tract infections. Urine is examined under a microscope and cultured in a substance that promotes the growth of bacteria. A pelvic exam also may be necessary.
Antibiotics (medications that kill bacteria) are the usual treatment for bladder infections and other urinary tract infections. Seven to ten 10 of antibiotics is usually required, although some infections may require only a single dose of antibiotics.
It's important that all antibiotics are taken as prescribed. Antibiotics should not be discontinued before the full course of antibiotic treatment is complete. Symptoms may disappear soon after beginning antibiotic treatment. However, if antibiotics are stopped early, the infection may still be present and recur.
An additional urine test may be ordered about a week after completing treatment to be sure the infection is cured.
Tips for Preventing Urinary Tract Infections
* The most important tip to prevent urinary tract infections, bladder infections, and kidney infections is to practice good personal hygiene. Always wipe from front to back after a bowel movement or urination, and wash the skin around and between the rectum and vagina daily. Washing before and after sexual intercourse also may decrease a woman's risk of UTI.
* Drinking plenty of fluids (water) each day will help flush bacterium out of the urinary system.
* Emptying the bladder as soon as the urge to urinate occurs also may help decrease the risk of bladder infection or UTI.
* Urinating before and after sex can flush out any bacteria that may enter the urethra during sexual intercourse.
* Vitamin C makes the urine acidic and helps to reduce the number of potentially harmful bacteria in the urinary tract system.
* Wear only panties with a cotton crotch, which allows moisture to escape. Other materials can trap moisture and create a potential breeding ground for bacteria. Avoid thongs.
* Cranberry juice is often said to reduce frequency of bladder infections, though it should not be considered an actual treatment. Cranberry supplements are available over-the-counter and many women find they work when an UTI has occurred; however, a physician's diagnosis is still necessary even if cranberry juice or related herbals reduce pain or symptoms.
* If you experience frequent urinary tract infections changing sexual positions that cause less friction on the urethra may help. Some physicians prescribe an antibiotic to be taken immediately following sex for women who tend to have frequent UTIs.

Fertility Problems

Fertility Problems

You may have fertility problems if you have not been able to get pregnant after trying for at least 1 year. Another word for this is infertility. Infertility may not mean that it is impossible to get pregnant. Often, couples conceive without help in their second year of trying. Some do not succeed, but medical treatments help many couples.
Age is an important factor if you are trying to decide whether to get testing and treatment for fertility problems. A woman is most fertile in her late 20s. After age 35, fertility decreases and the risk of miscarriage goes up.
* If you are younger than 35, you may want to give yourself more time to get pregnant.
* If you are 35 or older, you may want to get help soon.
What causes fertility problems?
Fertility problems can have many causes. In cases of infertility:1
* About 50 out of 100 are caused by a problem with the woman?s reproductive systemClick here to see an illustration.. These may be problems with her fallopian tubes or uterus or her ability to release an egg (ovulate).
* About 35 out of 100 are caused by a problem with the man's reproductive systemClick here to see an illustration.. The most common is low sperm count.
* About 5 out of 100 are caused by an uncommon problem, such as the man or woman having been exposed to a medicine called DES before birth.
* In about 10 out of 100, no cause can be found in spite of testing.
Should you be tested for fertility problems?
Before you have fertility tests, try fertility awareness. A woman can learn when she is likely to ovulate and be fertile by charting her basal body temperature and using home tests. Some couples find that they simply have been missing their most fertile days when trying to conceive.
If you are not sure when you ovulate, try this Interactive Tool: When Are You Most Fertile?Click here to see an interactive tool..
If these methods don't help, the first step is for both partners to have some simple tests. A doctor can:
* Do a physical exam of both of you.
* Ask questions about your past health to look for clues, such as a history of miscarriages or pelvic inflammatory disease.
* Ask about your lifestyle habits, such as how often you exercise and whether you drink alcohol or use drugs.
* Do tests that check semen quality and both partners' hormone levels in the blood. Hormone imbalances can be a sign of ovulation problems or sperm problems that can be treated.
Your family doctor can do these tests. For more complete testing, you may need to see a fertility specialist.
How are fertility problems treated?
A wide range of treatments is available. Depending on what is causing the problem, you may be able to:
* Take a medicine that helps the woman ovulate.
* Have a procedure that puts sperm directly inside the woman (insemination).
* Have a surgery that corrects a problem caused by endometriosis or blocked fallopian tubes.
* Have a procedure that might increase the man?s sperm count.
If these options are not possible or don't work for you, you may want to consider in vitro fertilization (IVF). During an IVF, eggs and sperm are mixed in a lab so the sperm can fertilize the eggs. Then the doctor puts one or more fertilized eggs into the woman?s uterus. Many couples try IVF more than once.
Treatment for fertility problems can be stressful, costly, and hard on your body. Before you start testing, make some decisions about what you want to do. You may change your mind later, but it?s a good idea to start with a plan.
* Learn all you can about the tests and treatments, and decide which you want to try. For example, some couples agree to try medicines but don't want surgery or other treatments.
* Find out how much treatments cost and whether your insurance will cover them. If you don't have insurance coverage, decide what you can afford.
Treatments for infertility can increase your chances of getting pregnant. But they also increase your chance of having more than one baby at a time (multiple pregnancy). Be sure to discuss the risks with your doctor.
Fertility problems can put a lot of strain on a couple. It may help to see a counselor with experience in infertility. Think about joining an infertility support group. Talking with other people with the same issue can help you feel less alone.

Ovulation Fertility

Ovulation Fertility

Menstruation, Ovulation, and Fertility

The menstrual cycle is an average of 28 days, although it is normal to vary between 23 and 35 days. The cycle is counted from the first day of your period. Ovulation is the release of the egg from the ovary. This usually occurs at about day 14 of the cycle. Once released, the egg is fertile for up to 48 hours. If the egg is not fertilized, then the lining of the uterus will disintegrate, causing a period. By knowing your menstrual cycle, it is possible to approximate when you will be most fertile.
The Menstrual Cycle
* The cycle begins on the first day of menstruation, when the lining of the uterus (also called the endometrium) is shed as menstrual blood. This is caused by a decline in the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which occurs when the egg from the previous cycle is not fertilized.
* The decrease in estrogen and progesterone causes the pituitary to release follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The follicles are the structures inside the ovaries that produce the eggs. Each month, one follicle matures to release the egg for that cycle.
* FSH is produced during days 1-13 of the cycle, causing the follicle to produce estrogen. Estrogen causes the endometrium to grow and thicken in preparation for the fertilized egg. The mucus produced by the cervix (usually noticed as vaginal secretions) becomes thin, clear, and watery.
* Rising levels of estrogen cause the pituitary to release luteinizing hormone (LH), which stimulates the follicle to release the egg into the fallopian tube (oviduct). This is called ovulation, and it usually occurs on day 14 of the menstrual cycle.
* After ovulation, the follicle turns into a structure called the corpus luteum, which produces progesterone, causing the lining of the uterus to thicken more in preparation for the fertilized egg.
* If the egg is not fertilized, the production of estrogen and progesterone drops sharply, which triggers the shedding of the endometrium, and the next period.
* If the egg is fertilized, it will usually implant in the uterus within 3-4 days after ovulation.
Fertility
You will be most fertile around 2 weeks after the beginning of your last period. This period of fertility will last for about 2 or 3 days afterwards. It is important to remember that sperm can live inside your body for up to 5 days. This means that if you have unprotected sex 5 days before your most fertile day, you can still become pregnant.

Natural Fertility

Natural Fertility

Natural Fertility methods are a system for observing bodily symptoms like cervical mucus to determine a woman's sexual fertility at any given time. It is quite a simple and easy method to use that only requires the curiosity to learn and the persistence to observe your body over time.
It is important to know that the human female body is only fertile for a limited time during the menstrual cycle, and ideally this hormonal fertility co-incides with the natal lunar phase fertile time.
How does natural fertility work?
The system works by observing the female body as it moves through the menstrual cycle. If you are unfamiliar with the biology of the menstrual cycle click here. There are various indicators of fertility, the main ones are:
*basal temperature
*vaginal mucus
Basal temperature refers to the temperature of the body taken at rest, usually this means as soon as you wake up in the morning before you get up and do anything. Generally the basal temp will be steady throughout the first half of the cycle, rising markedly (by 0.5 degrees Celsius) just after ovualtion, and staying high until menstruation occurs, or just staying high if you are pregnant.
Usually women chart their temperature when they are learning to use natural fertility methods, as it is the fluctuations in temperature that indicate ovulation has occurred. This becomes useful information for interpreting mucus changes which are the most important bodily change during the menstrual cycle as far as fertility is concerned.
Cervical mucus will change throughout the menstrual cycle from being dry, thick or pasty (infertile) to being wet and slippery (fertile).
It is the job of the cervical mucus to either restrict or allow sperm penetration through the cervix. When observing mucus, ask yourself the question "Could a sperm swin through this type of mucus?" It helps you decide if you are fertile or not. It is easy to imagine that mucus that is dry and thick is not as easy to swim through than mucus that is wet and slippery.
Getting to know your body and recognising its type of fertile cervical mucus is a very important step in using natural fertility methods.
Different women have different symptoms or charateristics of mucus, differences in the wetness, colour, smell, pastiness, so only you can know what your own personal pattern is. Personal observation is vital.
Observing mucus is simple.
We are only interested in the mucus that is readily observable at the mouth of the vagina. You need only touch the mouth of the vagina or alternatively wipe vaginal mouth with a tissue and feel mucus from that.
Dry or none = infertile
wet, profuse and slippery = fertile The changes from dry to wet indicate that fertile phase is coming (start abstinance) and changes from wet to dry indicate fertility is lessening. Factors like illness, intercourse (sperm left in vagina) and infection can all affect mucus observation, which is why proper instruction in these methods is vital.
Physically charting your observations on a calendar, diary or software speeds up the learning time considerably. The section Keeping Track goes into this in more detail.
From a contraception point of view.
Knowing when you are fertile makes it much easier to use less invasive forms of contraception eg diaphram or condoms that do not interfere with your bodies natural hormonal function (for example, the pill) or biology (IUD). What would normally be a hassle to use all cycle long becomes much more manageable when used just at your fertile times (and the safety time margins either side). Or if you don't want to use contraception at all, you may abstain from intercourse all together at your fertile time. It may be best however to be prepared as libido is often high at fertile times, and if you do not wish to conceive you are taking risks.
From a conception point of view.
Chances to successfully conceive are increased by timing intercourse at your fertile time.
Knowing your own personal menstrual rhythm is important and useful in ways that are not connected to conception. Observing your fertile times and incorporating this knowledge with the moon phases and womanly archetypes means you are truly in tune with your menstrual cycle and can therefore use it creatively and healthily to maintain balance in your life. It simply demystifies and befriends the whole process. Your body is no longer the enemy.
The other important factor to consider in using natural fertility methods is your Natal Lunar Phase Angle.In a nutshell; Each month when the moon returns to the same position as it was at your birth, it can trigger your body to spontaneously ovulate no matter what day of your cycle you are on. For more information on this go to two fertile times or lunar phases explained.

Fertility Treatment

Fertility Treatment

Infertility is a risk for all women who receive chemotherapy for breast cancer. Still, if your treatment plan includes chemotherapy, you can take steps that may allow you to have a baby even after your ovaries stop making eggs.
Extracting eggs
One option is to harvest mature eggs from your ovaries before you start breast cancer treatment. Without fertility drugs, only one or two eggs, at most, per cycle will be harvested. With fertility drugs, as many as eight to ten mature eggs can be obtained. But using fertility drugs greatly increases the amount of estrogen in the body that may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells.
For this reason, doctors and researchers are now looking at using tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors alone or together with traditional fertility drugs to both stimulate the ovaries and protect the body from high estrogen levels.
When tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors are used in this way, they are given at high doses for just a few days. This is very different from how they're used in breast cancer treatment — at low doses, over a long period of time. These methods of fertility treatment are still experimental. But so far research has shown that they increase egg production without increasing the risk of breast cancer recurrence, at least in the first few years after treatment.
IVF
The eggs that are harvested can then be fertilized in a test tube with sperm from your partner, or a donor, depending on your situation. This is called in vitro fertilization (IVF). It's done in the laboratory, not within your body. The fertilized eggs grow briefly into tiny embryos and are then frozen.
After breast cancer treatment, if you're ready to get pregnant but your periods have not returned, the embryos are implanted in your uterus. Most clinics try not to transfer more than two at one time to avoid the risk of more than a twin pregnancy. Any number of embryos — or none might successfully implant and start to develop.
Freezing eggs
Single women without a specific partner may choose to freeze unfertilized, mature eggs. Pregnancy rates are low, however, once the eggs are thawed about 2% per egg. But techniques may improve in the next several years.
Freezing ovarian tissue
There are also experimental methods in which your ovary or ovaries are removed and parts of them containing unripe eggs are frozen. When you are ready to try to get pregnant after your cancer therapy is finished, the ovary tissue is put back in your body.
Strips of ovary tissue are thawed and transplanted either into your pelvis or your arm. The hope is that new blood vessels will grow, and the tissue will produce hormones and ripening eggs. Once the eggs are ready for ovulation, the goal is to remove and fertilize them, and then implant them in the uterus. So far, very few embryos have been produced in this way. And to date no baby has been conceived.
Donor eggs
If you decide not to extract and store your own eggs or ovaries, you can seek donor eggs. These can be fertilized with sperm from your partner or a donor and then implanted in your uterus.
Will fertility treatments work for you?
The success rate of fertility treatments varies from center to center. It also depends a great deal on your age. Younger women have a higher chance of pregnancy. The success rate drops significantly after age 40.
No matter what your age, the larger the number of eggs and embryos obtained, the higher your chance of getting pregnant in the future.
Before you go to a fertility center for treatment, find out what its pregnancy rates are. In the best programs, the pregnancy rates for women under 40 can be as high as 50%, while the rates for older women may be lower than 20%.
Fertility treatment using frozen embryos usually results in pregnancy rates that are about 33% lower than with fresh embryos. Most women who are about to start breast cancer treatment need to put their eggs or embryos away for later. This means freezing them.
If you're getting fertility treatment AFTER your breast cancer treatment is over and you're now ready to get pregnant, then eggs can be extracted and fresh embryos can be used.

Female Hormone

Female Hormone

As women get older, menopause becomes inevitable. Estrogen, widely considered THE female hormone, falls and is eventually absent. Progesterone, the OTHER female hormone, likewise falls victim to menopause. What most people don't realize is that yet another female hormone, testosterone, will fall as well.
Both men and women have testosterone. But since men have so much more of it, it is mistakenly called the male hormone. We know what testosterone does for a woman by what happens when it's gone...sex drive, or libido suffers.
Here are some interesting observations about menopause, testosterone, libido, and quality of life:
* Testosterone either declines 50% or is absent altogether in women after the menopause. The adrenal glands can provide some, but this source is very unreliable after menopause.
* With a fall in testosterone, libido falls and with it, frequency of sexual intimacy.
* With a fall in sexual frequency, more arguments occur in a marriage and partners grow more distant, increasing estrangement, either through separation psychologically or separation of actual addresses.
* With life spans lasting longer than ever, and with the baby boomers in the menopausal years, we can expect an "epidemic" of loss of sexual function and happiness.
The Importance Of Sex
Is this putting too much importance on sex?The answer is no in the strongest possible terms.
You don't have to be Masters and Johnson to know that sex pervades our lives. All of the media is absolutely obsessed with it. But this is a charade:
Actually, all of the media is obsessed with money, and since sex sells...there you are.
But sex sells because we are the ones obsessed.
Is this nasty or vile or debauchery?
No, again.
We are deeply sexual beings, and to deny it is as ridiculous as denying hunger or thirst or the need for comradery, friendship, or love. And the statistics on sexual dysfunction and marital discord after the menopause prove this.
Sexual dysfunction is real pathology that needs to be treated. In menopausal women, the first need that should be addressed is the estrogen. Estrogen provides structural nourishment for the vaginal tissue, lubricating glands, and the clitoris. Decreased sensitivity of the clitoris occurs with decreased estrogen. More importantly, with its absence the thinning vaginal walls may lead to painful intercourse, which then adds a severe psychological obstacle to overcome in regaining a normal intimacy between the married couple.
A trial of estrogen replacement, besides addressing a possible cause of sexual dysfunction, will also provide the benefits of reducing the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. (Progesterone should be added, too, in the presence of the uterus, so that a balanced effect on this tissue will prevent any pre-cancerous changes in the uterus.) Once estrogen deficit has been corrected, if there is inadequate improvement in libido, testosterone should be added, which is the whole point of this article.
A Woman's Libido
One of the problems that women have is the prejudice against their gender when it comes to vague complaints like decreased libido. Male and female doctors alike have been traditionally prone to ignore these complaints as being "all in the head." This attitude has been unfairly strengthened by the fact that women outnumber men in depression by 2:1, and in anxiety by 4:1. But I've always found that it's the ethically correct thing to give a woman the benefit of the doubt before writing off a complaint as irrationally neurotic. To do so is a tragic misdiagnosis that is disgraceful to the medical profession. But along with the care of not labeling complaints as hysterical, a physician must also be aware that there may in fact be some psychological factors that are part (not the only cause) of the problem. In this vein, a psychologist, psychologist, or social worker can be helpful in rounding out the treatment.
But if the only problem is hormonal, then this can be diagnosed...and corrected. Quality of life depends on it, and so too may the marriage.

Female Reproductive System

Female Reproductive System

Ever wonder how the universe could allow the existence of someone as annoying as your bratty little brother or sister? The answer lies in reproduction. If people like your parents (ew!) didn't reproduce, families would die out and the human race would cease to exist.
Reproduction
All living things reproduce. Reproduction the process by which organisms make more organisms like themselves is one of the things that set living things apart from nonliving matter. But even though the reproductive system is essential to keeping a species alive, unlike other body systems, it's not essential to keeping an individual alive.
In the human reproductive process, two kinds of sex cells, or gametes (pronounced: gah-meetz), are involved. The male gamete, or sperm, and the female gamete, the egg or ovum, meet in the female's reproductive system to create a new individual. Both the male and female reproductive systems are essential for reproduction. The female needs a male to fertilize her egg, even though it is she who carries offspring through pregnancy and childbirth.
Humans, like other organisms, pass certain characteristics of themselves to the next generation through their genes, the special carriers of human traits. The genes that parents pass along to their children are what make children similar to others in their family, but they are also what make each child unique. These genes come from the father's sperm and the mother's egg, which are produced by the male and female reproductive systems.

female anatomy breast

female anatomy breast

The function of breasts is to produce milk for the baby. Each breast has milk producing glands (also called lobules or alveoli) that make milk from the nutrients and water they take from the bloodstream.
Secondly, there are milk ducts that carry the milk to the nipple from the milk glands. The system of milk glands and ducts resembles several bunches of grapes: the glands are the grapes, the ducts are the stems. Like grapes come in bunches, the milk glands and ducts also are organized into several clusters that are called lobes. The breast actually has 15-20 of these lobes or grape bunches in it. From outside, the lobes feel like little nodes or lumps especially before menstruation.
The female breast.
The space in between the lobes is filled with connective and fatty tissue. Fat also surrounds the whole system of milk ducts and glands. Usually the breasts of young women are mainly glandular tissue and that is why their breasts are firmer. The softer the breasts are, the more fat they contain.
Note that the breast does not have any muscles (except for tiny ones in the nipples), so no amount of exercise will change their appearance. The breast is supported by semi-elastic bands of tissue called Cooper's ligaments. These ligaments (along with the skin) stretch over time when the gravity pulls the breast down, and that is why the breast will start drooping or sagging.
The breast size and shape in different women varies a lot. Some women have more glandular tissue in their breasts, some have less. Some have more fatty tissue than others. Some have more connective tissue so their breasts are firmer, and yet some women are totally flat-chested. The size and shape also varies over time in the same woman because of the changes during menstrual cycle, pregnancy, after weaning, and during menopause. Most of the size differences between women are due to the amount of fatty tissue in the breast. But practically all breasts can make milk and help nurture the baby - and that is what makes breasts beautiful!
The rare exception to this is the so-called hypoplastic or underdeveloped breast that does not have much glandular tissue (or milk-making glands). Hypoplastic breasts often are small, elongated or tubular shaped, narrow at the chest wall with wide space in between, and often have big areola.&nbps; Women with these tubular under-developed breasts may have low milk supply, but many of them can with the proper measures develop full supply and breastfeed succesfully.
MOST women's breasts are not totally symmetrical (don't judge by the models and actresses in the media since they have had theirs fixed, pushed up, padded and everything else). Usually, one breast is slightly larger or smaller, higher or lower, or shaped differently than the other. It is kind of a similar situation to men's testes: usually the left one hangs lower than the other.
The darker part surrounding the nipple is called the areola. Areolas usually grow in size and get darker during pregnancy - as if making it easier for the baby to spot the place of nourishment. The little 'bumps' on the areola are called Montgomery glands, and they produce oil that lubricates the nipple/areola complex.
The nipple has several tiny openings in it through which the milk flows during lactation. Nipples can sometimes be flat, with a 'line' through them, or inverted, where the nipple is indented inward. Neither situation is serious or dangerous since the baby can usually pull the nipple out. By the way, a teenager nipple does not necessarily protrude but it is only truly flat nipple if it does NOT get erect when stimulated or when cold.
Nipples also come in all different kinds of looks. Some women's nipples are constantly erect whereas some have nipples that only become erect when stimulated by cold or touch. It is common to have some hair on the breast. The nipple can be flat, round, or cylindrical in shape. The areola can be a very narrow ring, or may cover half of a small breast. The color varies from pink to black. Even so, these characteristics don't affect the breastfeeding process - with the exception that sometimes women with flat or inverted nipples have to use special measures to get the baby to feed. You can see pictures of nipples on our nipple gallery page, as well as links to web pages about flat/inverted nipples.

risk of miscarriage

risk of miscarriage

Pregnant women who take certain types of painkillers, including aspirin, are up to 80 percent more likely to miscarry, scientists said on Friday.
But paracetamol is not a risk, regardless of how often it is used during pregnancy, they added.
Researchers in California interviewed more than 1,000 women shortly after they became pregnant and asked them about their reproductive history and their use of painkillers. They found that use of aspirin and other non-steroid based anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increased the risk of miscarriage by 80 percent.
The risk was much higher when NSAIDs were taken close to the time of conception. Paracetamol, aspirin, and other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, all suppress fatty acids which are needed for the successful implantation of an embryo in the womb.
But NSAIDs act on the whole body, paracetamol acts only on the central nervous system, which may explain why it has no effect on pregnancy, the researchers said.
These findings will need confirmation,” said the authors of the research, which appears in this week’s edition of the British Medical Journal.
Meanwhile, it may be prudent for physicians and women who are planning to be pregnant to be aware of this potential risk and avoid using NSAIDs around conception.”
Other studies have shown that pregnant women who take low-doses of aspirin are less likely to have a still-birth or develop the life-threatening condition of pre-eclampsia.