Dr. Aparna Jha

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. One out of every six people in the United States suffers from this disease. It is more common than you think. Like any other STD, it is extremely important to take proper protection (use a condom) while engaging in sexual activities.

Genital Herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two types of herpes simplex virus.

1. HSV-1 is most commonly associated with blisters and ulcers around the mouth known as cold sores.
2. HSV-2 is associated with blistering lesions in genital areas that are exposed during sexual contact.

However, both types of herpes simplex virus can infect the mouth or the genital areas, meaning that genital contact with a cold sore on the mouth can lead to genital herpes. Likewise, kissing someone with a cold sore can spread the herpes simplex virus infection.

After the initial outbreak of herpes, the virus travels through the nerves and resides in nerve tissue within the body.

Most people with genital herpes don’t know they have it. That’s because in most people it produces either no symptoms or very mild ones.

Symptoms of Genital Herpes:

1. The area around your genitalia becomes red and cracked without any pain or itching.
2. Itching around your anal region
3. Blisters around your genitalia can cause immense pains when they break open.
4. Pain in the open sores while urination.
5. Headaches and backaches.
6. Flu and swollen lymph nodes are very common.
7. Fatigue is also felt if you suffer from genital herpes.

Symptoms like these can be mistaken for other infections such as vaginal yeast infections, bacterial infections and bladder infections. So, if you are suffering from such symptoms it is advisable to go in for a health check up followed by a physical exam and a blood test to confirm whether you have genital herpes or not.

How can it get spread?

You can only get Genital Herpes from vaginal intercourse and not anal or oral intercourse. The fluid present in the sore of a genital herpes patient has infected fluid. If the fluid comes in contact with their partner’s sexual organs while having intercourse they can be easily infected.

Can Symptoms Be Treated?

There is no cure for genital herpes. But the symptoms can be lessened and prevented with treatment. Treatment can also reduce the risk of infecting others.

Your healthcare provider may prescribe antiviral medications to help prevent or reduce the pain and discomfort from an outbreak of symptoms. Medication taken on a daily basis to suppress the virus can reduce the number of outbreaks and reduce the risk of infecting others

How to Avoid Getting Genital Herpes:

1. Try to have sex with people who have been tested negative for herpes or any other STDs.
2. Use a latex condom while having sex. It prevents any sort of liquid to pass inside your partner’s genitalia. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a sexologist.

In case the fertility odds are against your favour, you can undergo a procedure called IVF or in vitro fertilisation. It is a form of fertility treatment in which the sperms and eggs are combined in a laboratory. IVF is a very common fertility treatment procedure, involving modern technology. It is carried out by many women and couples worldwide. When you are facing ovulation problems and issues with the quality of eggs, have blocked fallopian tubes or if your male partner has a low sperm count, a sperm donor’s eggs are used via IVF to become pregnant.

The overall process of IVF involves several methods and steps:

1. Ovarian stimulation: You will have to take a fertility drug called gonadotrophin eight to fourteen days before the beginning of your menstrual cycle. This will help to stimulate your ovaries for the development of multiple, mature eggs for fertilisation. You will also be given synthetic hormones like cetrorelix and leuprolide.
2. Development of follicle: You should be visiting your doctor frequently while having the medicines for a check-up of your blood hormone levels. Your ovaries will also be measured using ultrasound. This will allow the doctor to monitor the follicle development.
3. Trigger shot: You will be given a trigger shot injection when the follicles are prepared. This injection leads to full maturation of the eggs, making them ready for fertilisation. The eggs require a period of 36 hours for retrieval after receiving the trigger shot.
4. Gathering of the eggs: An anesthetic will be given to you and an ultrasound probe will be inserted via your vagina for observation of the ovaries and follicles. A thin needle will be inserted through the vaginal wall with which the eggs are removed from the follicles.
5. Fertilisation: The eggs will be observed one final time before being combined with your partner’s sperm. Then they will be incubated overnight. Fertilisation occurs during this period and the abnormal eggs do not get fertilised. Three days after the egg retrieval, some of the successfully fertilised eggs transform into embryos composed of six to ten cells. Within five days, some of these embryos turn into blastocysts composed of fluid-filled cavities and tissue. This separates into the baby and the placenta. The most viable embryos are placed in your uterus. One to five embryos are placed in your uterus by the insertion of a catheter through the cervix. The embryo implants itself to the uterus walls. Gradually, it develops into the baby. The chances of pregnancy are higher when there are multiple embryos.

Before thinking of undergoing IVF, you must consult a doctor to know about the entire process. You also need to know whether you are fit to undergo IVF as there are several criteria you should satisfy for IVF.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The tube transporting urine from the bladder out of the body is known as the urethra. Under normal circumstances, this tube is wide enough for urine to flow freely but in some cases, one or more section can get narrowed and restrict the flow of urine. This may be diagnosed as a urethral stricture. This length of this stricture can range from 1 cm to affecting the entire length of the urethra.

This is caused by scar tissue or inflammation of tissue in the urethra. While this is a common condition that affects men, it is rarely seen to affect women. An enlarged prostate, exposure to STDs like gonorrhoea or chlamydia, suffering from an infection that causes urethral inflammation and irritation or having had a catheter recently inserted can increase the risk of suffering from a urethral stricture. An injury or tumour located near the urethra can also cause this condition. Hence, preventing this condition is not always a possibility.

Common symptoms to look out for include:

1. Inability to urinate
2. Reduction in the flow of urine
3. Increased urge to urinate frequently
4. Pain while urinating
5. Urinary incontinence
6. Abdominal pain
7. Swelling of the penis
8. Discharge from the urethra
9. Blood in the urine or semen
10. Dark urine
11. The bladder feeling gull even after urinating

A physical examination and tests that measure the rate of urine flow and chemical composition of the urine can help a doctor determine a diagnosis of urethral strictures. You may also need to undergo STD tests and a cystoscopy. An X-ray may also help locate the stricture. The treatment for this condition depends on the severity of the symptoms.

Non-surgical treatment for this condition involves using a dilator to widen the urethra. However, there is no guarantee the blockage will not recur at a later date. Alternatively, a permanent catheter may also be inserted.

There are two forms of surgical treatment for a urethral stricture.

• Open urethroplasty: This involves removing the infected or scar tissue and restructuring the urethra. The results of this procedure depend on the size of the blockage. It is usually advised only in cases of long, severe strictures.
• Urine flow diversion: In the case of a severe blockage and damage to the bladder, the doctor may advise rerouting the flow of urine to an abdominal opening. This process involves connecting the ureters to an incision in the abdomen with the help of part of the intestines. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!