Important Health Facts for Peer Educators and Women in General

HIV/AIDS

TBA

Oral Contraceptives as a Form of Birth Control

There are an amazing variety of birth control methods for women- some available over-the-counter and others easily obtained from a doctor. The Birth Control Pill, prescribed by a health practitioner, is the most popular form of reversible contraception in the United States. It is a series of pills, usually 28 pills per package, that contain synthetic estrogen and/or progesterone that regulates egg development and the menstrual cycle. Basically, the pill tricks the body into thinking it is pregnant by creating the same chemical conditions that it would have if an egg indeed had been fertilized, except ovulation is prevented and the woman menstruates every month.

Breast Cancer

Approximately one woman out of eight develops breast cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death for women. This risk begins around the age of twenty and increases with age. Therefore, every woman beginning at age twenty should examine her breasts every month. She should also have a doctor give her a physical breast examination every three years until she is forty. Once she is forty, she should have an exam once a year. Post-forty, a woman should have a mammogram performed on her every year or two. A mammogram a is breast x-ray exam that can detect abnormal growths which may be too small to be felt during a manual breast examination. Principle risk factors associated with the development of breast cancer include: having a family history of breast cancer, a previous cancer (breast or other), being childless or bearing children after age 30, early menstruation, and having late menopause. Surgical removal of the cancerous tumor and lymph nodes- known as lumpectomy- is a increasingly popular treatment that spares the breast and underlying muscle. A more drastic measure is a masectomy, which is the surgical removal of the entire breast, and perhaps the underlying lymph nodes and chest muscles.

Cervical Cancer

Women between the ages of 35 and 60 account for 60% of all cases of cervical cancer.There appears to be an increased risk of this cancer in women who are farm workers, cooks, cleaners, maids, and those who work, or have partners that work, in environments that involve contact with certain chemical substances- those in the mining, textile, metal, or chemical industries. Some studies have also linked an increased risk of developing cervical cancer with smoking. As well, beginning intercourse before the age of 18 may increase the risks of developing this cancer. In its early stages, is cervical cancer is almost always curable. It can be detected by a Pap smear followed by a biopsy. The pap test is usually done during a pelvic exam and only takes around one minute. Cell samples are gently scraped from the cervix-usually a painless procedure- and examined under a microscrope. If the cervix shows signs of abnormality, a biopsy is performed, which is surgical removal of tissue for diagnosis.

Ectopic Pregnancy

Ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants in a fallopian tube instead of in the uterus. This usually occurs because the tube is obstructed, mostly due to pelvic inflammatory disease- which is an infection of the fallopian tube caused by an organism in which scar tissue forms within the tubes. This causes the embryo either to spontaneously abort or the embryo and placenta to continue to expand until they rupture the fallopian tube. This latter condition may require removal of the fallopian tube (salpingectomy) and abortion of the conceptus in order to save the mother's life.

Obesity

Obesity is responsible for, or is at least a contributing factor to, many chronic illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, sleep apnea, and cancer. To increase health and reduce risk of disease, it is important to maintain a regular exercise program and eat a diet that is low in fat and high in vegetables, fruits, and grains. Food in itself has an incredible impact on both the physical as well as emotional lives of women. Healthier diets promote greater well-being, increased energy, and may help reduce a number of cancers and diseases.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a disease in which the uterine tissue grows outside the uterus, many times appearing on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and in the abdominal cavity. It is the second leading cause of infertility, being most prevalent in women over the age of 30, most of whom have postponed childbirth for one reason or the other. Most women do not know they have this disease, for only its its most severe form are symptoms evident- such as heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding, low-grade fever, diarrhea, constipation, or painful menstruation and intercourse. The pain can also occur in the lower back, during urination or bowel movemnts. Pelvic exams can usually detect this condition, although a laparoscopy may be needed, which involves inserting a tiny camera attached to a viewing tool through the abdominal wall to examine the pelvic cavity. There is no cure for endometriosis, and practitioners generally aim to treat symptoms and pain.

Dysmenorrhea

Primary Dysmenorrhea is pelvic cramping and pain experienced by a woman during menstruation. To treat this condition, taking drugs like ibuprofen or birth control pills prescribed by a doctor can inhibit the body's production of prostaglandins, which are hormones in the body that, in excess, keep oxygen from reaching the uterus and abdominal muscles. Secondary dysmenorrhea involves pain that may extend outside the menstrual phase. This condition may be caused by pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, or endometrial cancer.

Amenorrhea

Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation unrelated to aging. Specifically, primary amenorrhea is a condition whereby a woman who has passed the age of 16 still has yet to menstruate. This may be due to not reaching the critical weight necessary to trigger menstrual cycle-inducing hormones, having hormonal deficiencies, abnormal body structure, or simply being a late maturer due to heredity. Most primary amenorrhea can be treated with hormone therapy. Secondary amenorrhea is a condition whereby a woman who previously menstruated stops for several months. This may be caused by stress, lowered body fat- especially due to anorexia, heavy athletic training, or hormonal irregularities. If a woman is not pregnant, is not breast-feeding, or is not taking hormonal contraceptives, she should see a doctor if she goes without menstruating for six months or more.

Endometrial Cancer

More than 99% of cancers of the uterus involve the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. Endometrial cancer usually occurs post-menopause unless a woman has certain risk factors. These risk factors for developing endometrial cancer include: being over age 55, extreme obesity, childlessness, late menopause, diabetes, hypertension, certain ovarian disorders, breast and ovarian cancer, radiation exposure, and menstrual irregularity. Unfortunately, some women may have no symptoms at all, and those that do won't experience pain as a first symptom, but rather much later as the cancer spreads. The most common symptom associated with this cancer is abnormal vaginal bleeding, most importantly if this occurs post-menopause. This cancer can sometimes be detected during a pelvic exam, though additional tests of tissue samples may be necessary. If caught at an early stage, treatment may simply include the hormone progesterone to be taken for several weeks. If the cancer is at a later stage a hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of the uterus, may be necessary. Most women recover well from hysterectomy, although fatigue and depression are not unusual during the first few weeks.

Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by excess sugar in the blood and urine due to a deficiency of insulin, a protein hormone. Nerve damage and circulatory problems can result. It is estimated that approximately 100 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with diabetes, with approximately 16 million of them in the United States.

Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent diabetes) is the most severe form with most under age 20. People diagnosed with it usually requir insulin injections to lower their high blood sugar level. Though no cause for this disease is known, it is found that this disease can be inherited.

Type 2 diabetes (non insulin-dependent diabetes), which accounts for 85 to 95 per cent of all diabetes cases, mainly affects those over the age of 40. Four out of five people with this form of diabetes are overweight. Often, diet regulation, sometimes accompanied by oral medication, can maintain a normal level of blood sugar within the individual.