This world cancer day, let us take a look at the most common types of cancers that affect women. Cancer during pregnancy, cervical cancer, the effects of cervical cancer in pregnancy is some of the areas of focus in this article. In most cases, these cancers are highly treatable and if diagnosed early, have the potential for a complete recovery. Knowing what these cancers are could potentially help in their prevention. The following are the most common types of cancers in women:
- > Breast cancer: Cancer of one or both the breasts
- > Endometrial cancer: Cancer of the uterine lining.
- > Cervical cancer: Cancer of the cervix.
- > Ovarian cancer: Cancer of one or both the ovaries
- > Lung cancer: Cancer that affects the lungs
- > Skin cancer: Also known as melanoma, caused due to excessive exposure to the sun or a variety of other factors.
- > Colorectal cancer: A cancer of the colon and the rectum. Its counterpart in men is prostate cancer.
Breast Cancer It is the most common type of cancer in women which is why we are devoting a whole section to it. The risk of this ca →
Most of the newly married couples today who wanted to start their family often have doubts about contraception. Given they wanted to focus on their career and take their own time before they start a family, contraception and family planning have become one of the most discussed topics for couples today. Contraception methods, though the definition looks simple, the act of contraception has many elements like safety, effectiveness, and availability. So counselling and guidance for contraception very important for newly married couples to tread the waters of contraception. Dr. Neelima Mantri, the best gynaecologist in Mumbai, is often consulted by the newly married for counselling and guidance for conception and contraception and she has helped thousands of couples along the way. To make it easier in this blog here we wanted to provide basic information about contraception. Here are some of the basic contraception methods with essential pointers for reference: Emergency Contraception: Emergency contraception is the most common contraception method that is used by couples. It is needed most in times of unforeseen situations like fail of normal contraception (condom splits), missing contraceptive pills or injection, or unprotected sex. Emergency Con →
Heavy or unusual bleeding through the vagina, experienced by women during or in-between the regular periods is called abnormal uterine bleeding. The bleeding is termed abnormal because it is usually irregular, heavier and is usually caused by hormonal or structural abnormalities of the female reproductive system. Abnormal uterine bleeding is more commonly diagnosed at the beginning of the reproductive cycle and at the end of it in older women. At our clinic in Mumbai, 20% of the AUB cases occur in adolescent girls, more than 50% are occur in women above age 40. Following are the situations when the uterine bleeding is considered abnormal: Bleeding between the normal periods.
- Spotting or bleeding after intercourse.
- Bleeding that happens after menopause.
- Irregular cycles which vary by more than 8-9 days.
- Abnormally heavy bleeding during your regular period.
- Bleeding while your menstrual cycles happen to be shorter than 24 and longer than 38 days.
Causes of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding: There is no one single cause for abnormal uterine bleeding experienced by women. Following some of the causes of abnormal uterine bleeding experienced by women:
- Structural abnormalities like polyps,
There is nothing as magical as seeing a baby grow inside the womb of the mother right from the conception. The miracle of human birth takes right in front of our eyes and we are all so privileged to witness it, as this was not possible before the advent of imaging studies. Today, we are left amazed by the meticulous development over the course of the pregnancy. And this development of the baby can be comfortably divided into three categories: Stage: 1(0-3 months), Stage 2(3-6 months), Stage 3(6-9 months). Here’s a brief account of the baby development stages from the conception to the delivery: Conception: The sperm penetrates the egg, completes the genetic make-up of the foetus, rapidly divides into the cells, passes through the fallopian tube and implants itself in the uterus where the nourishment begins. Stage 1 (0-3 Months): Month 1: After about a month, the basic structures if the head, abdomen, chest, and organs begin to develop into separate areas. The legs and arms slowly bud from the outside and your home pregnancy test comes out positive. Month 2&3: The foetus grows to a length of about 1 cm after 2 months, developing its facial features (ears, nose tip &eyelids). The buds now become clear legs and arms, as the toes and fingers slowly develop. After the →
Pregnancy is the most memorable journey of every woman. It is also a phase their vulnerable to many health problems, a woman braves everything that the pregnancy hurls at her to make it to the delivery phase. One such problem most commonly experienced by the women in their pregnancy in Anemia. Anemia in Pregnancy: The women’s body goes through a series of significant changes over the course of pregnancy. The volume of blood in pregnant women increases by almost 25% and this increases the iron requirement to make sufficient haemoglobin. Most of the women do not get a sufficient amount of iron to their body in 2nd and third trimester resulting in Anemia. Iron is not the only nutrient required for the optimal production of red blood cells, Vitamin B12 and Folate play an important role, which is why their deficiency can lead to Anemia too. Although there are many kinds of this condition, Iron-deficiency, Vitamin B12 deficiency & Folate Deficiency Anemia are most common among pregnant women. 50% of Pregnant Women in India Suffer from Anemia: A pregnant woman might suffer a higher risk of becoming anemic if she doesn’t consume enough iron, suffers a high pre-pregnancy menstrual flow, or conceive immediately after pregnancy without giving the body enough time to recuperate. Thou →
One out of every six women experience infertility problems and find it difficult to conceive. Infertility need not always be about physical problems either, 1 out of every 5 couples we treat at our infertility centre suffer infertility due to emotional problems like extreme stress, nervousness, and anxiety. According to researchers, stress and anxiety may not lead to a successful conception and around 20% of the women face these emotional issues, on an average. It’s completely natural for women to feel stressed and nervous about the biggest change that is going to come into her life. While the thoughts of pregnancy running in the mind of the first-timer make her nervous and anxious, the same thoughts can increase the stress for the women who had been trying for so long. This stress experienced by the woman automatically signals her body that it is not the right time for pregnancy thereby decreasing your chances of conception. Then how should a woman keep herself in proper emotional health while trying for conception? Here are four best ways to de-stress and boost your conception chances:
- Take a Break:
It is only natural to feel trapped inside and stopping you to go outside. But make an effort if not force y →
According to the studies carried out in the past and in recent times, obesity in pregnant women has been proven to be a cause for Gestational Diabetes. With the increase of weight and BDM, pregnant women are found to carry higher risk of diabetes. Excess maternal weight is found to be a major cause of diabetes among pregnant women, and in certain cases also causing the baby to be carrying the dreadful disease. If not addressed in time, diabetes may sometimes prove to be fatal for both the mother and the baby. So, what can we do to prevent obesity and diabetes in pregnancy? Exercise and simply exercise can be the only remedy. Recent studies have revealed that even small changes in the body mass weight can help to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes to a great extent. This can be achieved through exercise and physical activities on a regular basis. Retention of weight can also be achieved by following a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet plan, excluding comfort food and plenty of water can reduce the risk of increased blood pressure and the BDM. The types of exercises recommended for pregnant women include moderate intensity treadmill walking for about half an hour and strength training →