Syphilis is a STD caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It has several stages, like primary, secondary, latent and tertiary and is common in homosexual men. It should be remembered that Syphilis is curable. It can be treated, if diagnosed in early stage. It can be cured, if medical help is sought for. Sharing toilets, clothes, or utensils doesn t cause this disease. It will vanish forever, if treated at once. However, it can be reinfected if exposed to the bacteria through new syphilis sore. It can also spread, if transmitted by direct touch or contact with Syphilitic sore via anus, skin surface, vagina, mouth and lips. It is very rare though that syphilis can be spread during a kiss.

Syphilis can live within the body for months, even years or decades. Initially, it remains as a painless sore on the genitals like anus, vagina, mouth or skin surface. If present for many years, there is an increased risk of contracting HIV.

Causes
The major causes of syphilis are unsafe sex with homosexual partners and the practice of having unprotected sex like anal, vaginal and oral sex. Individuals who have multiple sexual partners and are specially sexually linked to HIV-infected persons have the highest risk of contracting Syphillis.

It can not only be spread through multiple sexual unsafe intercourses, but also has its high risk in spreading from mother to baby during pregnancy; commonly unknown as congenital syphilis. In such cases, the baby has low birth weight and can develop cataract, deafness or seizures. In some cases, even new born babies die from the disease.

Diagnosis
The doctor will first conduct a physical examination of the patient. Thereafter, blood and urine are collected for bacterial test. If a sore is found on the body, the doctor may collect a sample from the sore to examine the presence of syphilis bacteria. If there are nervous system disorders in the patient, a spinal tap or lumbar puncture is done to collect the spinal fluid. The fluid is then tested for syphilis bacteria.

Treatments for syphilis
Initially, syphilis is treated with penicillin. It has to be kept in mind that long-term exposure to the disease can have life-threatening consequences. Patients suffering from syphilis are either given a single dose or multiple doses of penicillin. The quantum of the dose depends on the nature of symptoms and the infection. Individuals must use condoms to reduce the risk of transmitting the disease while having sexual intercourse. In the case of penicillin allergy, the patient is recommended to have alternative medicines. Infants and newborns born with syphilis undergo antibiotic treatment.

Syphilis - How to Diagnose And Treat It?

Recurrent miscarriage is a condition when there has been three or more successive pregnancy losses. It is different from infertility as, infertility is the inability to conceive. For many cases, the cause of a recurrent miscarriage has not always been found. A number of factors can cause recurrent miscarriages of which some are treatable.It may not always be possible to identify a cause for recurrent miscarriage in a couple, even after extensive research and treatment procedures. Some of the common causes of recurrent miscarriage are described below:
1. Chromosomal abnormalities: Incompatible chromosomes can result into pregnancy losses. When an egg and a sperm meet, of which one of them is faulty, they can't line up properly resulting into chromosomal abnormality. Such conditions lead to miscarriages.
2. Uterine abnormalities or Incompetent cervixes: Miscarriages occur if the uterus is abnormally shaped since the embryo is not properly implanted or even if it gets implanted, it may not get sufficient nourishment to survive. If the woman has a weak cervix, it cannot hold the developing embryo, leading to miscarriage.
3.  Immunologic disorders: Under rare cases, the embryo itself is not accepted by the body. Antiphospholipid antibodies are those, which attack self tissues, such as embryos and prevent them from building up. This leads to recurrent miscarriage.
4. Untreated thyroid problems: Conditions such as thyroid or uncontrolled diabetes result in uterine conditions which make it tough for the embryos to survive.
5. Polycystic ovary syndrome: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome tend to have high levels of male hormones which, result in irregular menstruation and ovulation. This can prevent the lining of the endometrium from maturing that is required for holding the embryo.
6. Bacterial infections: There may be presence of a number of microorganisms inside the reproductive tract that may be harmless for the person. But there may be certain bacteria lined up in the reproductive tract, which can prevent development of embryo, thus leading to miscarriages.
7.  Lifestyle: Smoking and drinking are harmful lifestyle habits, which may increase the chance of miscarriage to a great extent. It is always advised to avoid smoking or drinking when you wish to conceive. Other lifestyle conditions, such as working in certain environments like hospital environments, farms, laboratories, etc, may lead to miscarriages; however, the exact reason has not been identified yet.

Reasons For Recurrent Miscarriage

Menopause is the time in a woman s life at which she cannot procreate anymore. Side effects of pre-menopause, menopause and post menopause, shift incredibly from woman to woman. Nonetheless, normal side effects of menopause incorporate:

Hot flashes
Changes in eating habits
Weakness
Stress
Tiredness
Vaginal dryness and itching
The majority of the side effects connected with menopause really occur during the pre-menopause stage. A few women experience menopause with no complications or disagreeable symptoms. However, others find menopausal side effects crippling and they usually happen during pre-menopause and go on for quite a long time. The symptoms that women experience are basically identified with decreased levels of the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. Side effects change generally due to the many impacts that these hormones have on the female body.

Your period may not be as regularly as it used to be. You may bleed heavier or lighter than usual, and at times experience spotting. Additionally, your period might be shorter or longer in time length. In case that you do miss your period, try to rule out pregnancy. In case you are not pregnant, a missed period could show the beginning of menopause. In case you start spotting after not having your period for twelve continuous months, try to converse with your specialist to discount any genuine conditions, for example, cancer.

Symptoms of untimely menopause are frequently the same as those seen by women experiencing common menopause and may include:

Unpredictable or missed periods
Periods that are heavier or lighter than normal
Hot flashes (a sudden warmth that spreads over the abdominal area)
These symptoms are an indication that the ovaries are delivering less estrogen.
Vaginal dryness (the vagina may likewise get to be distinctly more dry and less adaptable)
Bladder fractiousness and increased of loss of bladder control (incontinence)
Emotional changes (crabbiness, mood swings, mellow stress)
Dry skin, eyes, or mouth
Restlessness
Diminished sex drive
Keeping in mind the symptoms recorded above, in case that you are less than forty years old and experience any of the accompanying conditions, you need to see your specialist to figure out if you are experiencing untimely menopause:

You have experienced chemotherapy or radiation
You or a relative has an immune system issue, for example, hypothyroidism, Graves' infection, or lupus
You have unsuccessfully attempted to wind up distinctly pregnant for over a year
Your mom or sister experienced untimely menopause
To analyze untimely menopause, your specialist will in all likelihood carry out a physical exam and extract blood to diagnose different conditions, for example, pregnancy and thyroid illness. He or she may likewise arrange a test to quantify your estradiol levels. Low levels of estradiol, a type of estrogen, can demonstrate that your ovaries are beginning to fall flat. At the point when estradiol levels are beneath thirty, it might show that you have early menopause.

Menopause - Spot the Early Signs!

Pregnancy brings with it the need to be extra careful about the overall well-being of the mother-to-be. Extreme caution has to be taken in managing health, as antibiotics and a lot of other treatment modalities are best avoided during pregnancy. With diabetes becoming common in the younger ages and women choosing to delay pregnancy, there are multiple women who are diabetic and choose to get pregnant later in life.

With diabetes being a chronic and a lifestyle condition, it definitely has its effects on pregnancy. However, the key is to manage diabetes cautiously in such a way that its effects on pregnancy, both the mother and the developing baby, are minimal. The increased blood sugar levels from the mother pass on to the baby, so keeping a close watch on the blood sugar levels is very important.

The maximum effect of diabetes on the baby is during the first few weeks of pregnancy. It is when the vital organs (brain, heart, lungs and kidneys) are forming, and high blood sugar levels can be harmful. This is slightly tricky as most women realise they could be pregnant only after about 6 weeks. If pregnancy is planned, it is best advisable to keep a check on sugar levels much ahead of the pregnancy.
The baby could be used to high levels of sugar while in the womb, and once delivered, it could have too low sugar levels. This needs to be monitored.
Preeclampsia, which is increased protein in the urine and high blood pressure, can happen during the second trimester. This may require the baby to be delivered prematurely.
Babies born to diabetic mothers are often bigger. The baby s pancreas is used to higher sugar levels and so the extra sugar gets converted to fat, which is the reason for the bigger babies. This may also necessitate C-sections.
Pregnancy can induce the development of diabetic retinopathy, which may prevent vaginal delivery, as the woman may not be able to exert the required pressure.
Abnormal calcium and magnesium levels, which need to be monitored for a while after birth
Most diabetic women reach full term if the sugar levels have been under good control.
Diabetic pregnant women are high at risk. However, with advanced medical care, these risks and complications are managed very well producing healthy babies from normal deliveries with effectively no harm to the mother s health. Once a diabetic woman tests positive, it is advisable to seek medical help to plan diet/meal plan, physical activities, exercise regimen, lifestyle changes, and medication dose adjustments. This is not a one-time activity, but needs to be closely monitored with daily blood sugar levels throughout the pregnancy. 

How Can High Diabetes Affect Your Pregnancy?

Although most women experience menopause between the age of 45 and 55, but when women experience the menopause before they reach 40, it is termed a premature or early menopause. It is also known as premature ovarian failure.
This may be due to primary ovarian insufficiency in which there is decreased activity in ovaries and the periods spontaneously stops. It may be result of chemotherapy treatment for cancer or it can be surgically induced menopause when the ovaries are removed. Premature menopause can also be caused by treatments for cancer or other conditions that involve chemotherapy or radiation therapy for the pelvis. These treatments can damage the ovaries and result in ovarian failure. The chances of premature menopause depend on the type and amount of chemotherapy as well as the age of the patient

Removal of both ovaries by surgery causes menopause right away. Menstruation stops after this surgery, but the hormones of women facing such condition drop quickly. They experience strong menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and diminished sexual desire.

Chromosome defects like Turner s syndrome can lead to premature menopause. In this condition, the female is partly or completely missing an X chromosome due to which the ovaries does not form normally leading to early menopause. Women with a family history of premature menopause are more likely to have the same themselves. Autoimmune diseases like Thyroid disease and rheumatoid arthritis that attack the body's immune system may mistakenly effect the ovaries thus preventing them from making hormones.

One should visit agynaecologist, if the period stops or changes before the age of 40. Menopause is confirmed when a woman does not have her period for 12 months in a row. Blood tests for measurement of oestrogen and related hormones, like follicle-stimulating hormone determines if one has reached premature menopause

Women have premature menopause can be observed as physical problems, emotional disturbances or problems associated with sexual functioning. Women experience sudden waves of mild or intense body heat commonly known as hot flashes and can also experience profuse sweating called as night sweats and have difficulty in sleeping. They experience vaginal dryness and the sexual drive or the libido also decreases. The bone density decreases leading to osteoporosis and fractures. In addition to physical symptoms, there are emotional symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, loss of focus and difficulty in concentration. Women who want to conceive and go through premature menopause may feel extremely upset. The sexual symptoms include dryness and thinning of walls of vagina, thus causing pain or discomfort during sexual intercourse.

Premature Menopause - Signs and Causes

Don't Panic !

Having unprotected sex isn't the smartest move a person can make, but it isn't necessarily the end of the world, so follow the advice below and you should be fine.

We Had Unprotected Sex And...I Think I'm Pregnant

Finding out you're pregnant can be the happiest or the scariest day of your life.

Don't wait around and bury your head in the sand saying 'it won't happen to me' and 'I'll be fine' you might not be, and then you'll find yourself in a much more difficult situation than if you'd faced the situation head on and quickly.

If the intercourse happened less than 72 hours ago, emergency contraception, the morning-after pill, can be taken as a precaution against you becoming pregnant. However, note that the sooner you take the emergency contraceptive pill, the higher its efficiency is.

We Had Unprotected Sex And...I Think I Have an STI

Check for any unusual symptoms around your genitals (vagina or penis), such as:

Pain when you urinate
Itching
An unusual or smelly discharge
Sores
Unexplained bleeding
If any consult your healthcare provider immediately

Not all STIs have visible symptoms so even if you think you're fine, after having unprotected sex, get tested!

Go For Sexually Transmitted Disease Profile Including HIV ( 1ST Month HIV RNA, 3RD MONTH HIV ELISA), HSV 1 and 2, HbsAg, HCV, Urine Routine, VDRL, etc.

We Had Unprotected Sex And...I Think I May Get HIV

Take Post Exposure Prophylactic Drugs (Anti - HIV) as soon as possible. It works when started within 72 hours and must be continued for 1 month to prevent HIV.



What If You Have Unprotected Sex?

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