Women's Health and Pregnancy

Oral health is not limited to your teeth alone. Mouth ulcers or sores can develop inside the mouth, cheeks, lips and tongue that can be extremely painful. Dr Shail Jaggi informs us on causes and symptoms of mouth ulcers and offers some advice on how to keep our mouth healthy, hygienic and problem free. All of us have at some point experienced oral sores in the mouth. These are generally very unpleasant and extremely painful and will persist for a couple of days. These sores are called ulcers.…

Nearly 72,000 women die in India every year due to cervical cancer. If it goes undetected and untreated, cervical cancer can be life-threatening. We share with you the personal accounts of two cervical cancer survivors and how they have become staunch advocates of the HPV vaccine, starting with their own family and daughters. A specific type of virus called human papilloma virus (HPV) causes almost all of the cases of cervical cancer. Your doctor can screen for this virus and precancerous cells…

Cervical cancer kills one Indian woman every 7 minutes. Mridu Gupta, Chief Operations Officer, CAPED - Cancer Awareness, Prevention and Early Detection Trust, urges every woman to go for regular cervical cancer screening tests and recommends the HPV vaccine for their daughters. January was World Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. But nobody is really aware of the fact and nobody really cares. Its only another cancer in a long list of cancers, isn’t it? No. It isn’t. And you should care. Very much…

Sunrita Mitra, an academician, suffers from chronic Dysmenorrhea or menstrual pain, which almost renders her immobile. Here she talks about how she copes with it physically and emotionally. Please tell us a bit about your present condition. At the age of 50 plus, I am eagerly waiting for my menopause but I am having painful periods at regular (28 plus/minus 2 days) intervals that last for 5 to 6 days. Pain starts two-three days prior to menstrual discharge and usually the first two days are…

Post-Menopause is tied to long-term health problems if wholesome food intake and regular physical activity is not practiced. Nutritionist Kohila Govindaraju shares tips on what to eat and importance of exercise. Menopause is a natural biological process. It is the time when a woman stops menstruating. The hormones estrogen and progesterone production will be low and the ovaries no longer produce eggs. In women, estrogen is mainly produced in the ovaries. It is also produced in fat cells and…

The thyroid gland is fundamental to the functioning of several organs such as kidneys, liver, brain, heart and even skin.  Dr Shital Patel explains the common types and causes of thyroid disorders. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the lower-front part of the neck, just below the Adam’s apple. It is an endocrine gland made up of two lobes connected by a isthmus. It is responsible for the secretion of thyroid hormones which regulates body processes such as respiration, body…

When actors go through phases of rapid weight gain to rapid weight loss in preparation for film roles, many eyebrows are often raised among health professionals. Dr Shital Raval lists out reasons why it is medically dangerous and unhealthy of such yo-yoing. Imagine going from 68 kg to 93 kg in six months and then back again to original size. Well...That’s what actor Aamir Khan did recently oscillating from rapid weight gain to rapid weight loss. While Khan’s bulging - thinning programme…

Could Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) be the cause of your hair loss or excessive facial hair? If it isn't treated or the underlying causes not addressed, over time it can lead to infertility, diabetes and heart disease. Obstetrician & gynaecologist Dr. Chandan Dubey advises on the key treatments for PCOS: What is the first line of treatment for most PCOS patients? PCOS is characterised by and diagnosed when two of the following 3 features are seen in a woman: Menstrual cycles coming at…

Diabetes Awareness and You (DAY), Kolkata says that food and lifestyle habits play a significant role in the prevalence of diabetes in West Bengal. PatientsEngage talks to DAY on the steps to help manage diabetes especially among women.   What are the challenges of Diabetes Mellitus in WB? Is it different from the rest of the country? (Kolkata has the second highest prevalence rate of diabetes among Indian metros) The world is moving on the wheels of scientific advancements, adding years…

Menopause can wreak havoc on your diabetes control. But there's plenty you can do to better manage diabetes and menopause, recommends leading diabetologist Dr Pradeep Gadge. What is the link between Diabetes and Menopause? During the transitional years of menopause (when menstrual cycles slow down but haven't stopped), estrogen and progesterone hormones are unstable, and cause problems with diabetes management. Higher levels of estrogen usually improves insulin sensitivity, while higher levels…