Though pregnancy is one of the most cherished phases in a woman s life, there are times when it is not desired. This can be due to various reasons ranging from premarital sex to the couple not being ready yet. Whatever the reason, emergency contraceptive measures are available, and I-Pill has become synonymous with that.

Since its introduction, it is widely used to prevent unwanted pregnancies. The easy availability (no prescription required) and low cost have added to its popularity. However, not many realize it has some side-effects and the need to be aware of certain facts when using the I-pill.

It is an emergency contraceptive pill, should be used between 24 to 72 hours after unprotected sex
It is effective in 95% of the women when taking during this time frame
It prevents pregnancy by stopping fertilisation or preventing implantation of the fertilising egg
It stops pregnancy; however, if you conceive before the pill it was taken, it will not have any effect. It is therefore not an abortion pill
So, if you miss the period the next month, test for pregnancy
It does not offer protection against sexually transmitted disease including HIV/AIDS
It is not to be used on a regular basis
If you are on long-term medication, please consult with the doctor before taking the I-pill
It has no long-term consequence. However, there could be some minor symptoms including breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting, headache, and lower abdominal pain (pelvic area),
The next menstrual cycle could be delayed by a couple of days
There could also be spotting before the actual period starts
Women who are allergic to levonorgestrel should not take I-pill.
It can cause skin allergies and reduce libido.
When used repeatedly, it can cause delayed and irregular menstruation
It is ideal for use between the age of 25 and 45. Teenagers should not use it regularly. This needs to be made aware through sex education, as the prevalence of teenage sex and pregnancy is on the rise in India
Repeated usage can cause ovarian damage and severe menstrual issues, so occasional use is the only recommended usage
It is safe to take the pill during lactation. There is no effect on the quality of milk or any other adverse effect on the baby
I-Pill was introduced as an emergency contraceptive method, and not for regular contraceptive purpose. Its correct usage and avoiding complications is largely dependent on sex education which needs to start early and talk about other safe sex measures and avoid using it on a regular basis.


Side-effects of i-Pill Tablets - Every Woman Must Know!! 

Syphilis is one of the most common STD and can affect both men and women. This bacterial infection can be easily treated, but if left unattended it can cause serious problems. Syphilis can be caught by mere skin to skin contact with an infected person s genitals or mouth. Hence even if you do not have intercourse with an infected person, you can still get infected from them. If a woman who is pregnant gets infected with this disease, she could pass it on to her unborn child as well.

A person suffering from syphilis may not always exhibit symptoms of the disease. This disease goes through active as well as dormant phases with symptoms being present only in the former. Even its dormant phase, this disease can be transmitted from one person to another.

There are four stages of syphilis and each of them have their own symptoms.

Primary stage: In its first stage, syphilis is marked by the presence of open sores called chancres. This can occur in the mouth, genitals are or around the anus. It can also be seen in other parts of the body where bacteria may have entered the body. These chancres are painless and may be accompanied by a swelling of the lymph nodes around it. This is the most contagious stage of the disease. Without treatment, these sores will resolve themselves in 3-6 weeks but the syphilis bacteria itself will remain in the body.
Secondary stage: Anywhere between 2 weeks to 12 weeks after coming in contact with the bacteria, this infection may move into its second phase or secondary stage. At this point, you will notice a rash on your skin. This rash can be seen as a collection of small, flat or raised skin sores along with small, open sores on mucous membranes. These sores may contain pus. Dark-skinned people may notice that these sores are lighter than the surrounding skin. Along with this, the patient may also have fever, a sore throat, headaches, weakness, irritability and suffer from weight loss.
Latent stage: Once the rash clears, this disease moves into its dormant or latent phase. This is also known as the hidden stage and can last anywhere from 1 to 20 years. It is very difficult to diagnose syphilis in this stage as there are no visible symptoms.
Late (tertiary) stage: If the disease is not diagnosed and treated by the time it reaches this stage, it can cause a number of serious health problems. This includes blindness, cardiovascular problems, mental disorders and even death.

Syphilis - Decoding the Stages and Their Symptoms

Changes in the colour of your urine can reveal important information about your health. If your urine takes on a hue beyond what's normal, it can be indicative of something wrong with your health. In general, the normal urine colour varies from pale yellow to deep yellowish-brown, which is a result of a chemical pigment in the urine called urochrome.

1. Red or Pink

- When your kidneys, urethra, bladder or any other urinary tract organ gets infected or inflamed, blood cells get leaked into the urine, giving it a red hue. The causes behind the presence of blood can be urinary tract infections, kidney cysts, kidney stones, enlarged prostate and even cancer. Taking blood thinners can also cause you to have blood in your urine.
- Certain foods like blackberries, rhubarb and beets can cause your urine to turn pink.
- The use of certain medications like a particular class of antibiotic used in the treatment of tuberculosis can turn your urine red. Likewise, a drug used to numb discomfort in the urinary tract can cause a red/pink discoloration of your urine.

2. Blue or Green

- The consumption of coloured food dyes containing green or blue pigments can cause you to pass urine of such hues.
- Certain anti-depressant and anti-inflammatory medications can turn your urine green/blue.
- A very rare medical condition called familial benign hypercalcemia (fbh), characterised by high levels of calcium in thE blood and low levels of the mineral in the urine can cause your urine to turn blue.
- Green urine can also occur if your urinary tract gets infected by the pseudomonas bacteria.

3. Dark Brown

- Having large amounts of these foods - aloe, rhubarb (a type of leafy green) and broad beans can cause you to pass dark brown urine.
- Certain anti-malarial drugs, laxatives and muscle relaxants can darken the colour of your urine as well.
- Dark brown urine can also be caused by disorders of the kidney or liver as well as infections of the urinary tract.
Injury of the muscle as a result of excessive training can result in dark brown urine.

4. Orange

- Problems with the bile duct (the duct through which bile from the gall bladder and liver passes before entering the duodenum) or liver along with the passing of light coloured stools can result in orange urine.
- A cause of orange urine may also be dehydration as fluids bring about a decrease in the concentration of compounds present in the urine.

5. White

- The presence of calcium or phosphate sediments in the urine can give it a white hue.
- White urine can also be a result of funguria infection (a form of fungal urinary infection wherein the fungus produces white sediments) or a bacterial infection.



What the Colour of Your Urine Says About Your Health?

The disease itself may not discriminate on the gender basis, but when it comes to healthcare for patients with diabetes, women find themselves at a disadvantage as compared to men. Studies indicate that diabetes, a disease that affects over 371 million people worldwide takes a greater toll on women than men. Though, hormones in women do account for some of the unique challenges they have to face, but there are other societal factors as well that bring in the differences.

This World Diabetes Day is about promoting the significance of affordable care for diabetes and equitable access for all women at risk or living with diabetes to essential medicines, technological information and self-management education they require and achieve an optimal outcome to strengthen their adequacy to prevent type-2 diabetes. Because it's your right to a healthy and disease-free future!

So, how will you know if you are suffering from this deadly disease   Diabetes?

Symptoms

Women with diabetes experience many of the same symptoms as that of men. However, there are some that are specific to women.

Symptoms experienced by both women and men:

Frequent urination

Increased thirst and hunger

Unnecessary weight loss or gain

Blurred vision

Fatigue

Wounds that heal slowly

Skin infections

Nausea

Breath that has a sweet or fruity odor

Irritability

Reduced feeling in hands or feet

Symptoms unique to women:

Vaginal yeast infections

Urinary infections

Vaginal thrush

Polycystic ovary syndrome

Female sexual dysfunction

Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in women globally, causing 2.1 million deaths each year. Two out of every five women suffering from diabetes are of reproductive age. Women with diabetes have more difficulty conceiving and may have poor pregnancy outcomes.

Diabetes and Pregnancy

The affect of Diabetes, in a pregnancy, will not be great, if controlled properly. Women with diabetes should talk to their gynaecologists while planning to conceive so that they can control their blood sugar levels even before getting pregnant. Your gynaecologist will help you control and monitor your diabetes and blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

And, if you fail to get your blood sugar levels under control during pregnancy, you may experience severe risks:

Miscarriage

Premature delivery

Difficult delivery or cesarean section (C-section)

Birth defects

Having a large baby

Preeclampsia (high blood pressure usually with protein in the urine)

Low blood glucose in a newborn

Breathing problems in the newborn

Yellowing skin and eyes (jaundice) in a newborn

Worsening diabetic eye problems and kidney problems for the mother

Urinary or bladder infections

What is Gestational Diabetes?

When diabetes occurs in women during pregnancy, it is called gestational diabetes. It is usually diagnosed at the first week of pregnancy. Like in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels become too high. When a woman is pregnant, more glucose is required to nourish the baby developing inside her womb. During this time, the body needs additional insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. In some women, the body does not produce enough insulin to meet this need, and blood sugar levels rise, resulting in gestational diabetes. 

Fortunately, for most women, gestational diabetes will go away once the baby is delivered. However, women who have had gestational diabetes are at increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Further, people suffering from PTSD are at higher risk and should consult their doctors immediately and those who are presently affected with Diabetes should consult for pre-conception consultation.

Risk Factors for Diabetes in Women

You are at risk for type-2 diabetes if you:

are overweight or obese

are older than 45

have a family history of diabetes (parent or sibling)

have had gestational diabetes

have had a baby with a birth weight of more than 9 pounds

have high blood pressure

have high cholesterol

have other health conditions that are linked to problems using insulin, such as PCOS

Diabetes Treatment Options

Medications

There are various medications you can take to control the symptoms of diabetes. These include:

Insulin therapy

Sulfonylureas like chlorpropamide, which increase pancreatic insulin secretion

Metformin (Glucophage), which reduces blood sugar

Lifestyle changes

A change in your diet and lifestyle can also help women control their diabetes

Exercise and maintain a healthy weight

Monitor your blood sugar

Eat a diet focused on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Strictly avoid smoking cigarettes

Alternative remedies

Women with diabetes can try other alternative remedies to treat the symptoms, such as 

Eat more broccoli, buckwheat, sage, peas, and fenugreek seeds

Take supplements like chromium or magnesium

Take plant supplements

But, always remember to consult with your doctor before trying any new treatment. Even if they are natural, they can intrude with your on-going treatment or medications. So, this World Diabetes Day, take a pledge towards healthy living... because your health is important to someone else!



type diabetes

Diabetes In Women - Because It's Your Right To A Healthy Future!

One of the most important decisions a couple takes is to start a family. It fills them with hope and joy of new future, but if the attempts have been unsuccessful for more than six months, it can take a toll on the relationship and the mental health of the couple. This is the time to seek fertility specialist who will be appropriate to analyze the situation and provide proper guidance. Read on to find out the exact indications to see a fertility specialist:

1. If a woman who is under the age of 35 is unable to get pregnant even after a year of having regular unprotected sex
2. A woman who has had more than three miscarriages
3. Someone who has suffered from blocked fallopian tubes and is in need of surgery
4. One who experiences irregular ovulation
5. A couple who has suffered from genital infections
6. A pregnant woman who has consumed an estrogen derivative
7. A man who has been diagnosed with low semen count, also known as poor motility
8. A couple who has not been diagnosed with any irregularity but is infertile

Which specialist should you visit?

If you or your partner or both have shown signs of infertility, then visiting the following specialists can be helpful:

Specialists for men

Urologists and Andrologists are specialists who treat men for infertility. Urologists conduct an analysis of semen quality, semen count, hormone levels, reproductive organs and abnormalities in bladder and kidneys. Andrologists are medical professionals who specialize in hormonal conditions and physiology of male infertility.

Specialists for women

Hormonal imbalance is one of the potent obstacles to pregnancy. If a general obstetrician/gynecologist has not been able to successfully treat a woman then she can visit a reproductive endocrinologist who specializes in hormonal disorders. Depending upon the nature of the problem, she can also visit a reproductive surgeon who deals with uterine abnormalities, endometriosis, and reproductive organ surgery.

When Should a Couple See a Fertility Specialist?

What is Monogamous Relationship?

You (who have been tested for STD/STIs and don't have any) are having sex with only one partner (who also has been tested for STD/STIs and doesn't have any) who only has sex with you. And you both keep it that way! 

Stated another way, you are both STD/STI free and only have sex with each other. People of any sexual orientation can engage in monogamous relationships. The only thing implied by the term monogamy is that the relationship consists of two people who are romantically and/or sexually exclusive. Theoretically, outside of abstinence, this is really the safest type of "safer sex" that you can have. 

Celebrated on 1st December of each year, World AIDS Day, aims to spread awareness about HIV / AIDs. It is an STD wherein, HIV stands for human immunodeficiency infection and AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The disease hinders the immune system in keeping up our body s security against sickness. HIV causes individuals to end up wiped out with infections that regularly would not affect them and HIV leads to AIDS.

Understanding the Symptoms:

HIV has few or no signs or symptoms for up to ten years or more before side effects of AIDS tends to manifest. There is no cure for HIV/AIDS, yet treatment is accessible. A few people have HIV symptoms not long after being infected. These include:

There are a few phases of HIV illness. The primary HIV side effects may include swollen glands in the throat, armpit, or crotch.
Other early HIV symptoms incorporate slight fever, headaches, exhaustion, and muscle throbs.
These symptoms may keep on going for just a couple of weeks. At that point, there are typically no HIV indications for a long time. That is the reason it can be difficult to know whether or not a person is suffering from HIV.
The symptoms of AIDS show up in the most advanced phase of the HIV disease. These are as follows:

Along with a severely damaged immune system, a person with AIDS may likewise have thrush. A thrush is a thick, whitish covering on the tongue that is brought about by a yeast infection and now and then joined by a sore throat.
Serious or repetitive vaginal yeast infection.
Pelvic inflammatory illness.
Serious and frequent infections.
Unexplained fatigue that might be followed by headaches, dizziness.
Loss of more than ten pounds of weight that is not because of physical exercise or consuming fewer calories.
Risk Factors: There are a lot of ways in which you can get the infection. HIV is transmitted through blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. The most well-known ways in which HIV is spread, are:

Having sexual intercourse without a condom with somebody who has HIV/AIDS.
Using needles or syringes that have been used by someone who has HIV/AIDS.
Being punctured with a needle or surgical instrument that has been contaminated with HIV.
Getting HIV blood, semen or vaginal discharge into open injuries or wounds.
Babies born to women with HIV/AIDS can get HIV from their mothers during birth or from breastfeeding.
There are numerous ways in which you can protect yourself from HIV. These are as follows:

The most secure way is to limit the number of sexual partners you take on.
Try to have safer sex and always use protection.
Get your partners tested for HIV.
HIV tests are a typical piece of social insurance.
In case that you think you may have been infected by HIV, talk to a specialist or a doctor about testing. Discussing what risks you might have taken can help you choose whether testing is ideal for you.

This World AIDS Day - Let's Spread the Awareness About HIV/AIDS

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