Women's Health Discussions

[Princess08]

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When periods fail to start by the age of 16 or 17, a young woman has the condition that doctors call primary amenorrhea. For most of these girls, the problem is nothing more serious than an unusual delay. But for a few, there may be a more important underlying cause. Doctors divide young women with a significant problem into four groups.



Group 1: Girls in this group have flat enlarged breasts and an undeveloped uterus. Sometimes they have no uterus at all. Causes of their lack of menstruation range from low hormonal levels to diseases like tuberculosis, meningitis, and encephalitis. If the girl has some development of the uterus, treatment with gonadotrophic releasing hormone may make future pregnancy possible. If no pregnancy is desired, the doctor will prescribe estrogen to promote breast development. A few girls in this group are genetically male, and require other more specialized therapy.



Group 2: These young women have normal breast development but no uterus; and some may have testes (male sperm-producing organs). Although these girls can never have children, there are measures the doctor can take to correct other problems. If testes are present, they can be surgically removed after puberty and the doctor can prescribe estrogen. If the girl has a short vagina, it can be surgically lengthened to allow for intercourse.

Group 3: There are few girls with neither a uterus nor breast development. Available treatments are similar to those recommended for girls in Group 2. Estrogen is prescribed to promote breast development.

Group 4: If a girl has both breast development and a uterus, the failure to menstruate may be due to an imbalance in hormone secretion. Treatment is similar to that for amenorrhea developed later in life.

[Princess08]

Unusual mucus or other substances coming from the vagina is a common problem. The discharge is often due to infection, and frequently associated with pain, burning, itching, and painful urination. Not all infections are sexually transmitted, so don't assume that vaginal discharge means that you have an STD. There are a number of possible causes:



Inflammation of the vagina. Called vaginitis, this is the most common reason for discharge and is usually caused by infection. There are three main types of vaginal infections, all of which can be treated with oral or vaginal medications. Each infection tends to produce a distinct discharge:

• Thick, white, cottage cheese-like discharge, itching, irritated skin—yeast infection, or candidiasis. Women with diabetes and those taking antibiotics are more likely to develop this type of infection. Most women will have at least one yeast infection at some point in their lives.
• Thin, yellow, foul-smelling discharge— Trichomonas, which is usually transmitted sexually.
• Thin, gray or white, foul-smelling discharge—bacterial vaginosis.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). The result of an infection of the cervix, uterus, ovaries, or fallopian tubes, PID is the most common and serious complication of sexually transmitted disease. Each year in the United States, an estimated 1 million women have an episode. Symptoms include vaginal discharge or bleeding, lower abdominal pain, and fever. Chronic PID can result from one or more infections. The most common identifiable causes are gonorrhea or chlamydia, both of which are sexually transmitted. About 20 percent of women with PID become infertile.
Genital herpes. This infection can produce vaginal discharge if it affects the cervix. The first episode of genital herpes also features fever, itching, headache, and general muscle aches.
Infection of the inside of the uterus. This condition, known as endometritis, is usually caused by STDs, fibroid tumors, cancer, giving birth, or intrauterine devices (IUDs).
A hole in the vagina (connecting the vagina to the rectum or bladder). Because of this passageway, called a fistula, stool or urine can pass through the vagina. The problem can develop after surgery or injury to the area, infection, inflammation, or radiation.
Inflammation of the vagina due to lack of estrogen. As a woman enters menopause, her body produces increasingly erratic amounts of estrogen. This often causes the vagina to dry out and become irritated. The condition is known as atrophic vaginitis and is treatable by estrogen replacement therapy, vaginal creams, and vaginal suppositories.
Other, less common causes of vaginal discharge include pregnancy, genital warts, cancer, and foreign objects in the vagina, such as a tampon that could not be removed.
Your doctor will ask you about the type of discharge and whether it occurs immediately before, after, or during menstruation or sexual activity. You should also expect to undergo a pelvic exam.

A Dangerous and Growing Problem
With 5.5 million new cases reported each year, human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common causes of sexually transmitted disease. It's not a trivial problem, either: Some strains of HPV cause cervical, vaginal, or vulvular cancer.
Although HPV is frequently "silent," causing no symptoms at all, it's often signaled by the development of genital warts. Following infection, the warts can take up to 6 months to make their appearance. First seen as small, soft, moist, pink or red swellings, the warts then grow rapidly, often developing stems and clustering together to form a cauliflower-like growth.
Standard wart medications will sometimes clear up the infection. Frequently, however, the growths must be burned off or surgically removed. For more information on this increasingly common problem, see "Coming to Terms with Sexually Transmitted Diseases."

[Princess08]

This is a very common problem. Known as dysmenorrhea, it is often severe enough to cause absences from work or inability to perform other responsibilities. Symptoms include lower abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and headache during menstruation.




In one type of painful menstruation, called primary dysmenorrhea, doctors cannot find any problem with the reproductive organs. This common disorder tends to affect about half of all young women fairly soon after they first begin to menstruate. Painful contractions may occur as the uterine walls release natural substances called prostaglandins. Psychological factors may play a role.
Primary dysmenorrhea can be treated with ibuprofen (Advil, Nuprin, others), which helps block production of prostaglandins. In some cases, birth control pills or other medications containing hormones can help. Exercise, good nutrition, and reducing stress also are important.
Secondary dysmenorrhea develops after years of normal menstruation and results from disease of the uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. Among the possible causes are tumors and other abnormal growths, pelvic infection, uterine cancer, and endometriosis (in which uterine tissue is found outside the uterus, in the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and abdominal organs). Endometriosis is a serious disease that can cause infertility.
When you see your doctor, he or she will ask you about your periods and the timing and severity of the pain. The doctor will also do a pelvic exam. Since treatment for secondary dysmenorrhea depends on its cause, he or she may do additional tests or refer you to a specialist.

[shaxyra]

pero dba if you have your period you're not ovulating? naa pd diay tendency mabuntis?

[shaxyra]

nice one.. ang buko juice maktabang na? hgehehe

[Princess08]

yes shax.. pwede ka mabuntis..

[Princess08]

then more chances to have STD or things like that..

[knight007]

Mao ba... salamat sa info princess08. Gamit nalang gyud og contraceptives.

[Princess08]

mao mao mao.. pero mas nahan kog wala! hehehe.. wala tanan! hehe

[fire starter]

ngano man diay ug mabuntis princess? mas maayo jud nang wala oi!