Women's Health and Pregnancy

Staging of endometriosis The American Society for Reproductive Medicine’s current classification of endometriosis in stages 1 to 4 is the most widely used and accepted staging system. The classification system uses point scores depending on location, extent, and depth of endometriosis implants; presence and severity of adhesions; and presence and size of ovarian endometriomas. However, the staging of endometriosis does not correlate with the presence of or severity of symptoms.  

Endometriosis symptoms vary and usually reflect the area affected. They may include the following: Recurring pelvic pain that can range from mild to severe cramping or stabbing pain that occurs on both sides of the pelvis, in the lower back and rectal area, and even down the legs Dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual cramps) Pain during and after sex If endometrial implants are found in the bowel, pain during bowel movements If endometrial implants are found in the bladder, pain may be felt during…

How to Prevent Endometriosis  You can't prevent endometriosis. But you can work towards reducing your chances of developing it by lowering the levels of the hormone estrogen in your body. Estrogen helps to thicken the lining of your uterus during your menstrual cycle. To keep lower estrogen levels in your body, you can: Talk to your doctor about hormonal birth control methods, such as pills, patches or rings with lower doses of estrogen. Exercise regularly (more than 4 hours a…

Management of Endometriosis You can manage your endometriosis by lowering the levels of the hormone estrogen in your body. Estrogen helps to thicken the lining of your uterus during your menstrual cycle. To keep lower estrogen levels in your body, you can: Exercise regularly (more than 4 hours a week). This will also help you lower body fat which helps decrease the amount of estrogen circulating through the body. Avoid large amounts of alcohol.  Alcohol raises estrogen levels. Limit…

Do you sometimes get sudden cramps in your calf or toe muscles? Dr. Shital Raval explains the causes and tips to get rid of leg cramps and to prevent them  Leg cramps or Charley horse (term used mainly in Canada and the US) is a common but harmless condition experienced by most individuals. These are sudden painful contractions of the leg muscles often in the calf area. They can last for seconds to a few minutes and rarely last more than 10 minutes. हिंदी में पढ़ें: पैर में ऐंठन -…

This #BreastFeedingAwareness Week, let us remind ourselves about the benefits of breast feeding through this simple Infographic.  We all know breast feeding helps strengthen the bond between the mother and child. But there are other clear health benefits too. Breast feeding helps provide the necessary nutrition to the baby and build the baby's immunity as well as reduces the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and obesity for the mother.  For more details read the complete article…

Dr Shruti Mohanka, OBGYN and Fertility expert at Global Hospital in Mumbai, clears our doubts about various pregnancy delivery methods available to women and the benefits and risks of each In the past decade, there have been a growing incidence of C-section deliveries in India, especially in the urban areas. In a socially complex culture such as India, the spouse, relatives, and the doctor’s opinion are held more highly than the patient’s. This results in lack of authority or consent of…

Kavita Krishnamoorthy had resigned herself to sacrificing at least four days a month to severe headaches till proper diet, exercise and meditation showed her the way to complete relief. She shares her story of liberation here: Ever since I turned 30, I have been plagued with debilitating headaches. They would come with unerring regularity –- once mid cycle and once around the time of my period. When they came, they would last for a full 48 hours. A beating down, one-sided headache. I would…

Saswati Singh, Trustee member with Navprerna Foundations, a welfare organisation for the training and rehabilitation of persons with Autism and other developmental disabilities, talks about how important food intake can be for people with autism as well as other disabilities Autism is a developmental disorder, which affects social skills, communication, thought and behaviour. This is more of a neuro-physiological disorder and affected persons have difficulty in processing and integrating…

This time in our Health by Numbers/Medical Tests series, Dr Shital Raval takes a look at the importance of Potassium levels in the electrolyte panel. Read the first part on Sodium Levels  POTASSIUM: Potassium is both a mineral and electrolyte. It is important for heart, muscle, digestive and nerve functioning.  The potassium test is often part of a routine or done to check on the electrolyte balance of the body. The best sources of potassium are: Leafy greens such as swiss chard,…