PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) is a common disease of the endocrine system among women who have attained the reproductive age. Women with this condition generally have ovaries larger in size than the usual, containing small pockets of fluids, also termed follicles. These 'follicles' develop in each of the ovaries as diagnosed with the help of an ultrasound exam. Abnormal or extended menstrual cycles, unusual growth of hair and obesity are some of the common accompanying conditions associated with PCOS. This disorder can interfere with a woman's menstrual cycles, thus making pregnancy difficult. More so, this condition can also impact the way you look and if left untreated for long, can lead to underlying disorders such as diabetes and other cardio vascular diseases.

Causes of PCOS
1. Excessive Insulin secretion: Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas, which allows the body cells to utilize the sugar; the most important energy store of your body. If you suffer from insulin resistance, your body's ability to utilize the insulin gets affected adversely. This forces the pancreas to secrete more insulin in order to keep up with the body's energy supply. This excess insulin might result in an increase in the production of androgen, which in turn, might interfere with the ovulation ability of the ovaries.
2. Low- level inflammation: Inflammation is the process by which your body's white blood cells fight infections. Studies reveal that women suffering from PCOS have a low level inflammation which acts as a catalyst in the production of androgens.
3. Can be hereditary: If you have someone in your family suffering from this syndrome, you might automatically be at a higher risk of developing this disorder.

Symptoms accompanying PCOS
1. Abnormal menstrual is the most commonly observed symptom. Women suffering from PCOS may have less than nine periods in an entire year and in some cases, even none. 
2. Excess secretion of male hormone, which is related to excess androgen production may result in symptoms, such as abnormal body and facial hair, acne and baldness, which is identical to that in men.
3. Unexplained increase in weight and difficulty losing it as well.
4. Another fairly noticeable symptom is depression.
5. Infertility

PCOS- Causes and Symptoms

How to know if you're pregnant

There are two main ways of finding out if you are pregnant - getting your blood tested, and doing home pregnancy urine test. In order for these tests to give you a clear picture, you need to wait until the right time i.e. until you've missed your period. However, there are several early signs of pregnancy that can give you an indication that you might be expecting.

1. Shortness of breath - Do you find yourself losing your breath on the stairs or when you walk for a long period of time, more than you usually do? This could be a sign of pregnancy since the fetus needs oxygen, leaving you feeling a little breathless even when you mildly exert yourself.

2. Sore breasts - If your breasts suddenly start feeling a little heavy or you feel like they have grown and your areolas seem slightly darker, it could be one of the first signs that you are pregnant.

3. Fatigue - The increase in hormones in your body during a pregnancy could lead to you feeling a lot more tired. If you end up exhausted after a normal day this could be because women tend to feel extreme tiredness during their first trimester of pregnancy.

4. Nausea - Around 6 weeks into a pregnancy (sometimes earlier), women tend to feel nauseous. This usually subsides as you enter into your second trimester. Feeling nauseous could be a sign of pregnancy. You can treat it by eating things that help settle your stomach like crackers and soda.

5. Frequent Urination - If you notice yourself needing to urinate more than usual, it could be a sign of pregnancy. This happens because your body is now producing extra fluids that cause your bladder to work extra.

6. Headaches - An early sign of pregnancy is experiencing frequent headaches. This happens because your body is now suddenly dealing with a lot of excessive hormones. To deal with the headaches make sure you take a pregnancy safe painkiller instead of a normal one.

Everybody has a way of expressing itself if only we take the time out to listen. If we really pay attention to these tiny reactions, detecting a pregnancy early, that is even before you skip that period is possible



How to know if you're pregnant

World Diabetes Day is celebrated on 14 November, each year. It is the primary global awareness campaign for diabetes as it is one of the major problem of today's time. With an upsurge in the number of people suffering from diabetes, the sole aim of celebrating this day is to create awareness about this disease and suggest preventive measures to those who have not acquired it and provide tips to manage it to those who are living with it. 

So, here are 15 health tips that will help you manage your diabete effectively: 

You should quit smoking as it is very bad for diabetes patients. Smoking leads to narrowing of the blood vessels, which reduces proper blood circulation.
You have to track your exercise patterns. Take actual notes about your exercise habits and make necessary changes based on the record.
Eliminate fast food from your diet. Avoid eating out at restaurants and avoid taking extra salt, sugar and calories. You should cook your meals at home with light ingredients and less salt and sugar.
Diabetes severely affects your vision and blindness is and blindness is a serious problem which may occur. Hence, get your vision checked regularly to prevent retinopathy.
Avoid having quick coffees. Fancy cups of coffee are full of sugar, which lead to glucose and insulin fluctuation in your body.
You must stay active and fit. This is the most important lifestyle choice for any diabetic patient. By exercising, you will maintain a good shape, your metabolism gets boosted and the insulin production increases as well.
You should use a pedometer to calculate how much you are moving each day while exercising.
Try to consume fruits and vegetables. By trying new vegetables and fruits, you will be able to keep your blood sugar under check and see how your body reacts.
You must increase your amount of fibre intake. Fibre is important for diabetic patients, which keeps the digestive processes to run smoothly. Your cholesterol level decreases and blood sugar levels may reduce if you take enough fibre.
You should chew gum as it keeps your mouth busy. It makes you crave for less food.
You should eat on smaller plates. This is a psychological trick which makes you consume less amount of food and your sugar and calorie levels are maintained.
Before taking any food item or eating out, gather information about them. Learn about diabetes friendly food options at restaurants and check which products you should avoid buying from the market.
You should get your blood sugar levels checked regularly. You should check it several times a day to learn how your body responds to food.
Circulation problems may cause issues with your feet, which may lead to a lack of sensation, cuts and scrapes. Check your feet regularly to notice changes.
Instead of having 2,3 large meals a day, you should take several small meals throughout the day. This will keep your body s digestive processes active thereby increasing insulin sensitivity.

World Diabetes Day Special - 15 Ways to Effectively Manage Your Diabetes

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.

HSV-1 is most commonly associated with blisters and ulcers around the mouth known as cold sores.
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:

The area around your genitalia becomes red and cracked without any pain or itching.
Itching around your anal region
Blisters around your genitalia can cause immense pains when they break open.
Pain in the open sores while urination.
Headaches and backaches.
Flu and swollen lymph nodes are very common.
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:

Try to have sex with people who have been tested negative for herpes or any other STDs.
Use a latex condom while having sex. It prevents any sort of liquid to pass inside your partner s genitalia.

Genital Herpes - A Sexually Transmitted Disease!

With the progress of her pregnancy, her body keeps changing. One such change is the expansion of her abdomen to accommodate the growing foetus in her uterus. Skin is elastic and hence it keeps extending until the baby is ready to be born. Once the mother delivers her child, her abdomen returns to its original size. But since it shrinks rapidly from its expanded dimension, it leaves stretch marks along her tummy.

What are Stretch Marks?

Stretchmarks are minuscule tears in the tissue layer right underneath your skin. The tears are caused because this supporting layer is stretched all the way to its limit. This manifests as fine white lines running along the length of the abdomen.

How can Stretch Marks be removed? 

Carboxy Therapy -

Carbon dioxide is administered to you just beneath your skin through an injection. This gas has the capacity to dilate and enlarge the blood vessels surrounding the site of the injection. Since the passage has been enlarged, more blood will flow through your vessels. That boosts collagen production. Increased blood flow and improved collagen production help make the stretch marks disappear.

Mesotherapy -

This is yet another therapy that aims to eliminate stretch marks caused by pregnancy. Mesotherapy promotes the production of collagen, elastin and fibroblast. The serum is injected into your bloodstream at the zone of the stretch marks. It also gives your cells micronutrients and amps up your blood supply, all of which make your marks less visible.

You might need 2 to 3 sessions every week to notice visible differences.

Plasma Rich Platelet Therapy

PRP therapy is a very favoured mode of banishing pregnancy-generated stretch marks. A doctor will draw blood from you and this blood will be treated until only very rich growth inducing proteins are left in a concentrated form. Then this plasma will be injected into your skin.

Plasma will help regenerate and develop new cells and tissues and help mend the damaged ones ensuring the stretch marks fade away.

Surgery can be a scary concept. But to get rid of those annoying stretch marks, you don t have to go under the knife. A few non-surgical simple session are all it takes to give you clean and taut skin.

Know How To Treat Post Pregnancy Stretchmarks Without Surgery!

Emergency is helpful in preventing pregnancies post unprotected sexual activity. It can be used in case of contraceptive failure, in case of sexual assault, incorrect use of contraceptives and unprotected sex.

Emergency contraception can be done by three methods. These are emergency contraceptive pills, combined oral contraceptive pills and copper intrauterine devices.



The copper IUD is considered to be one of the most effective forms of emergency contraception, when it is inserted within 5 days of unprotected sexual activity.

However, the emergency contraceptive pill regimen as per WHO is:

1 dose of levonorgestrel 1.5 mg, or 1 dose of ulipristal 30 mg, taken within 5 days (120 hours) of unprotected intercourse

The Yuzpe regimen which consists of 2 doses of combined oral contraceptive pills

What is Emergency Contraception?

Emergency contraception is usually referred to as the contraception which is used to prevent a pregnancy within the first 5 days after an unprotected sexual activity. It is used post failures of contraception, coerced unprotected sex, rape or misuse of contraception.

Emergency contraception is only effective in the first few days after an intercourse and before the egg has released from the ovary, and before there is fertilization between the egg and the sperm. The emergency contraception can do no harm to an interrupted pregnancy and a developing embryo.

Who needs emergency contraception?

Any girl or woman who is at her reproductive age might need an emergency contraception in case of an unprotected sexual intercourse.

Uses
1 Breakage , slippage or displacement of barrier methods 
2. Three or more missed OCPills for more than 12 hours 
3. Missed Mini pill for more than 3 hours 
4. Missed Desoestrel pills for more than 12 hours 
5. DMPA injections taken more than 2 weeks late 
6. Miscalculated dates of last period and present ovulation side effects 
These are meant only for emergency contraception and NOT AS A REGULAR CONTRACEPTIVE. It involves pumping of a hormone inside your body at levels which are 5 times higher than normal. hence excessive and unnecessary use may cause irregularity in the period cycles and an adverse effect on the menstrual health over a period of time. Ideally it should be taken under guided medical supervision.


In what situations should emergency contraception be used?

Emergency contraception can be used after a sexual intercourse. These include:

In case of no use of contraceptives

If it is a case of rape or coerced sex, where the woman was not protected

When there is a contraceptive failure, like

breakage

incorrect use or slippage

OCPILLS,

mini pills

DMPA

3 or more missed combined oral contraceptives, progestogen-only pill (minipill) taken more than 3 hours late, desogestrel-containing pill 12 hours or more, norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN) progestogen-only injection taken more than 2 weeks late

Delay in placing or dislodgement or early removal of the skin patch or the hormonal ring

Breaking, dislodgement, tearing or early removal of cervical cap or diaphragm

Failure of withdrawal that is ejaculation the external genitalia or vagina

The spermicide tablet failure

Miscalculating the periods, failure from using a barrier on the fertile days

Expulsion of an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD)

Methods of Emergency Contraception:

There are three emergency contraception methods:

Copper-bearing intrauterine devices (IUDs)

Emergency contraception pills (ECPs)

Combined oral contraceptive pills or the Yuzpe method



Safety of Emergency Contraception

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