The immune system is the body’s warrior force. Without its strength, vigilance, and quick response. In battling “invading foreign bodies,” each of us could lose our lives to the most minor infection or irritation. Invading bacteria, viruses, pollen, allergens, or any sub-Stance the body responds to as a threat are dealt with through this [...]
Less than a decade ago those who were infertile due to endometriosis may have been destined to never become pregnant. Due to the advancement of drug therapies and programmes such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), gamete intra fallopian transfer (GIFT) and related programmes, infertility does not necessarily mean that you will never conceive.
Establishing infertility
Usually the first [...]
A physical examination usually involves:
testing a specimen of your urine
taking your blood pressure
examining your breasts
examining your abdomen
a pelvic examination (sometimes also known as an internal or a vaginal examination).
The purpose of the pelvic examination is to try to determine whether there are any indications that you may have some endometrial implants or cysts present. Sometimes, [...]
Once a diagnosis has been made the gynecologist should mark the size and location of all your implants, cysts, endometriomas and adhesions on a drawing or prepared chart of the reproductive organs. If you have any endometrial implants or cysts located outside the pelvic cavity, such as on the bowel or cervix, the gynecologist will [...]
Your general practitioner might suggest some additional screening tests.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
This test can detect some disorders of heart function before they cause any symptoms.
Blood tests
These can be taken to discover any disorders of blood-cell formation, or any abnormalities in the chemistry of the serum that could be the result of disturbed liver, kidney or thyroid function. [...]
This is the name for inflammation with pus formation and scarring in the fallopian tubes and nearby structures in the pelvis. It is usually the result of spread of bacterial STD or of bacteria from the vagina to infect tubes previously damaged by STD or pelvic surgery. About half of all PID is caused by [...]
Breast pain (mastalgia) can be due to several causes other than those related to the menstrual cycle. If you have constant pain in both breasts unrelated to periods, see your doctor. It is often associated with a general overgrowth of glandular and fibrous tissue or, if there are many small cysts, fibrocystic breasts. Such breasts [...]
The suffix ‘osis’ means ‘a condition of. Bacterial vaginosis (also called non-specific vaginitis) doesn’t cause inflammation of the vagina, but it is a common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge. Like candidiasis, it is caused by an overgrowth of micro-organisms that normally live in the vagina in small quantities.
The main bacterium that overgrows is called Gardnerella [...]
This is the most commonly performed gynaecological procedure. It is used mainly to obtain endometrial tissue for examination under a microscope to determine the cause of abnormal uterine bleeding. D&C is a simple procedure. In Australia it is most often done with general anaesthetic, but local anaesthetic is also satisfactory.
After a bimanual examination to ascertain [...]
Labour pains are different from other pain
we experience. They mean the right things are happening: other pain usually means that something is wrong.
Pain relief during labour and delivery
Contractions of the uterus in labour are painful. Some people have played down me force of labour pains and given the impression that if you know what to [...]