Breast exams are performed to check for any unusual changes to your breast tissue. These checks are an important way to be proactive with your breast health—early detection is the best protection. Do you know how to do a monthly breast self exam? Prioritizing breast health: your guide to breast exams.
Continue reading “Prioritizing Breast Health: Your Guide to Breast Exams”
You were never one to panic or overreact to things in your life, but then again, you have never been pregnant before. Life has changed, and your “panic meter” may be set differently. Time to find out about cramping during pregnancy: should I be worried?
Continue reading “Cramping During Pregnancy: Should I Be Worried?”
If you are a chronic procrastinator, now is the time to change your habits. Having your hospital bag ready early is non-negotiable! If you are the type who is always early, completes tasks ahead of time, or is generally well organized—good for you—but you still need a hospital bag guide. Let’s go through items to pack for your hospital stay and delivery.
Continue reading “Hospital Bag Guide: Items to Pack for Your Hospital Stay and Delivery”
Your dream is finally coming true. You are pregnant! Once you come back down to earth and calm down, it’s time to start planning your first prenatal visit. Here’s everything you should know.
Continue reading “Your First Prenatal Visit: Everything You Should Know”
You have accomplished a miraculous thing. You grew a baby inside your body for nine months, and then gave birth to a healthy new human being. Think about that! Yes, millions of women have done that for centuries, but now you did it. Take a breath and settle into an entirely new life by practicing self care after giving birth.
If you are sexually active, you should get STD tests. It is an essential part of your overall health. How often you should be tested is dependent on your current and past sexual situation. Let’s find out what experts say about who should get STD tests and how often.
Do you often worry about getting pregnant again? Are you giving thought to not having any more children? Many women have these same feelings, and don’t want to continue taking birth control medications. Let’s get some answers concerning when to consider permanent birth control.
Continue reading “When Should I Consider Permanent Birth Control?”
If you’re experiencing post-menopausal bleeding, you may be wondering if you should visit your gynecologist. In a word, yes, you should be concerned but not panicked. There is usually no pain with post-menopausal bleeding, but regardless of the color or amount of flow, you should ask to see your gynecologist. It’s normal to have irregular vaginal bleeding in the years leading up to menopause, but if you have bleeding more than a year after your last menstrual period, that is not normal. It could be the result of a simple infection or benign growths, but in rare cases, it could be something more serious. Let’s get more specific about post-menopausal bleeding.
Continue reading “Post-Menopausal Bleeding: Should I Be Concerned?”
Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when ovaries stop releasing eggs and estrogen levels drop. It usually occurs gradually over a period of time known as perimenopause. This natural part of aging comes with many side effects and normally occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. Some women go through this change of life earlier. Let’s dive into what you should know about premature menopause.
Continue reading “What You Should Know About Premature Menopause”
There are many misconceptions about fibroids making it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Let’s start with the facts. One half of American women will develop fibroids by age 50. You are 3 times more likely to develop fibroids if your mother or grandmother had them. African American women are 3 times more likely to get them versus Caucasian women. Now let’s debunk myths you may have heard.
