Women's Health - Answers to Frequent Questions - Women's Health Issues

Frequently Asked Questions On Women's Health

Women's health problems are extremely common. The following are just a few of the more frequent questions that women often ask themselves and their professional advisors including their gynaecologist.

With increasing attention to lifestyle and health, a woman's life can be managed more effectively and can improve her well-being, self-esteem, and energy. With improvement in health over the last century, women can expect to live longer (life expectancy).

Promoting women's health physically and mentally should be a top priority internationally. An increasing awareness in women's health matters means that more women are taking their own health concerns and those of their family and friends ever more seriously.  This website has been developed to help you become more aware of your health and the things you can do to feel and stay healthy. Here, you will find the latest healthcare news and information as it relates to women's health, from before puberty to after menopause. As advances and debates relating to women’s health take place, the background information from the medical journals are added. For convenience there is a “What’s New in Women’s Health” page.

This website seeks to raise awareness about the range of factors that affect women's health. Treatment within women's health is one of the most rapidly advancing areas of medicine. Today women's health is coming to be viewed as a distinctive area. This website is devoted to women's health and makes finding information about women's health speedily.

Femininity

A woman's body is continually reminding her about her femininity.

• First there are the changes in body shape during puberty.
• This is followed by the menarche (first period) and
• then monthly periods.

The majority of women have some symptoms associated with their menstrual cycles such as

• breast
• or pelvic discomfort,
• premenstrual tension or
• heavy periods.

Most women have a little discharge from the vagina.

Four out of five women will develop menopausal symptoms.

These are all very personal and intimate matters that are rarely discussed with others.

Frequently the relationship with a partner may be affected sometimes leading to marital disharmony.

The media appear to thrive on women's health issues, harping on anxieties, particularly when there is no other newsworthy story. 

Good Health

How can women improve their health almost overnight?

1) Stop doing the bad things
2) Start doing the good things.

We all know the main bad things that affect  women's health. The main three obvious ones are to stop smoking, improve diet and increase exercise.

Good health is about prevention and management rather than curing symptoms. Positive health management can prevent altogether or minimise health issues. Women's Health today is about education and then prevention. It is not about apathy and then corrective action.

With increasing attention to lifestyle and health, a woman's life can be managed more effectively and can improve her well-being, self-esteem, and energy.

Women’s health concerns cover a wide spectrum. While many health conditions affect both men and women, a number of health issues affect only women and some are more prevalent in women. In addition, a number of medical conditions may cause different symptoms in women, affect women differently than men, and may require different treatment or prevention protocols.

Besides conditions such as menopause, ovarian and cervical cancer, and pregnancy, which are unique to women, other medical conditions play a large role in women’s health. Breast cancer and osteoporosis are thought of as women’s health concerns, although they can occur in men. Heart disease in a serious concern to both men and women, but risk factors and preventive strategies may differ in women.

Health professionals,  including nurses,  medical students,  and doctors studying for postgraduate qualifications,  including the DRCOG and MRCOG, may find the presentation, with links to clinically relevant medical abstracts, to be of assistance.

Medication

Aspirin seems to be gaining respect as having potential benefits. Aspirin may reduce high blood pressure⁰⁵⁰¹ and perhaps the incidence of heart attacks.⁰⁸⁰¹

Self-Esteem

Good health and self-esteem are inter-dependent.

An Introduction To Gynaecology

Gynaecology is the clinical speciality caring for problems associated with the female genital tract (Figure 2.1) and a gynaecologist is a specialist in gynaecology. Gynaecology is a hospital based specialty. In some countries, including the UK, women must first see a general practitioner (GP; also known as a family practitioner) who refers them to the gynaecologist as required.

Treatments For Women's Health Conditions

It is impossible to include a detailed discussion of all the drugs (medicines) that could be used by a gynaecologist. A brief synopsis of those more frequently used has been included (medication). As with all surgical specialties, gynaecologists employ medical or surgical therapies, depending on the exact nature of the symptoms and condition. They often employ standard drug therapies, such as antibiotics,  and antiemetics. Additionally, gynaecologists make frequent use of "specialized" hormone-modulating therapies such as clomiphene citrate and hormonal contraception) to treat disorders of the female genital tract that are responsive to pituitary or ovarian hormones.

Information for Patients

It is apparent to all doctors that patients are seeking ever more detailed explanations for their symptoms and information to assist them with treatment options. There is a particular interest in women's health.

Many will have found a book or article in a magazine.

Although few patients would wish to reach into the very depths of current research, some go as far as a computer search on the internet. These sites can provide a useful source of information although caution is required (internet information). At the end of most sections of this book, a few selected Web sites have been included, which may set you on the road to some fascinating surfing.

Details of support groups have also been provided.

Most of the questions answered on this website arose during consultations over several years at clinics in Whipps Cross University Hospital.

In gynaecology, and particularly in reproductive medicine, there are quite complex issues to be addressed.

It is relatively simple for a patient to understand that a 'joint is wearing out' or that a 'heart-valve is leaking' but hormones are an enigma to the majority. The interplay of the various hormones that are involved in the menstrual cycle, fertility, general health and the psyche are not yet fully understood even by specialists.

Historically in medicine, there was a paternalistic approach to deciding what should be done for a patient: the physician knew best and the patient accepted the recommendation without question. This era is ending, being replaced with consumerism and the movement toward shared decision-making.