6 handy tips to manage repeated vaginal infections

Vaginal infections occur when the walls of the vagina get inflamed. This can be caused by several factors such as bacteria, viruses, yeast, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), chemicals and clothing. The standard medical term for it is vaginitis and it bothers most women at some point in their lives.

Maintaining vaginal and overall genital health is very important in preventing and dealing with infections that affect the affect the area, especially those which are persistent or recurrent.

Some tips to manage repeated vaginal infections are as follows:

1. Maintaining personal hygiene. The most important aspect of maintaining vaginal health is keeping the pubic region cleansed and hydrated. Poor hygiene and dryness make it more prone to recurring infection.

2. Using the right products. Harsh chemical soaps and sprays may cause irritation to the vagina and make it susceptible to inflammation due to infection.

3. Wearing skin-friendly clothing. Certain types and materials of clothing have a harmful impact on the delicate skin of the genital area which puts the vagina at the risk of contracting infections. These include nylon underwear, tight jeans and trousers, pantyhose with no cotton lining, etc. Wearing soft cotton underwear and linen bottoms are the best ways to prevent vaginal infection and inflammation.

4. Using protection during sex. Protected sexual intercourse prevents the spread of STDs which cause vaginal infection. Hence, it is always advisable to use a condom while having sex.

5. Urinating after sex. Always urinating after sex reduces the chances of catching a vaginal infection.

6. Getting regular health checkups. The most efficient way of managing vaginal infections is by getting the vagina checked up by your gynaecologist as regularly as possible so as to prevent further complications and ensure early detection of infections or diseases.

These are some of the simple and effective ways of handling vaginal infections. Most cases are not very serious and can be easily treated and managed.




6 Ways to Stop Repeated Vaginal Infections

Why is breastfeeding so good for your baby and you

Breast milk is the best for babies and the benefits of breastfeeding are one too many. Breast milk not only supplies your baby with its requirement of vitamins and nutrients, but also gets the substances which fight diseases, making your baby healthy and strong. 
Benefits of breastfeeding are:

1. Protects Your Body - Breastfeeding induces some changes in your body which you might not be very delighted to accept, but are for the sake of your baby. Did you know, these very changes benefit you as well. Studies have proved that women who breastfeed are protected against breast and ovarian cancer. The longer you feed, the more protected you are.
2. Reduces Stress - Adding to the benefits of breastfeeding you can derive, is the fact that it helps you reduce stress. It also lessens your risk of postpartum depression. Breastfeeding has been found to be relaxing since it releases the hormone called oxytocin. This release also helps the uterus contract.
3. Averts Risk For Baby - A breastfed baby has lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome.
4. Reduces Obesity Risk In Baby - Breastfed babies have lower chances of obesity. They are good at judging when their tummies are full and therefore stop drinking on time. This leads to healthy growth pattern. Compared to babies who are fed on formula, breastfed babies gain weight at slower speed, hence reducing chances of obesity later in life.
5. Increases Cognitive Skills - Multiple researches have shown that there is a direct relationship between cognitive development and breastfeeding.
6. Enhances Baby’s Immunity - Breastfeed babies are also said to be better protected from developing allergies as immune factors like secretory igA is present only in breast milk. It creates a protective layer on the babys intestinal tract. Babies who aren't breastfeed are known to fall sick pretty frequently as formula diet doesn't build their immunity as mother's milk does.

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Why Is Breastfeeding Is A Saviour For Your Baby & You | World Breastfeeding Week

Polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS is a condition in which a woman experiences fluctuation of hormone levels, estrogen, and progesterone which causes cysts in her ovaries, dysfunctional menstrual cycle, cardiac problem, fertility and changes in appearance. Hormones are chemical messengers that can trigger a number of issues in the body. Long term problems due to PCOS can be avoided with an early diagnosis and a proper treatment.

Causes
- Genetics and hormonal imbalance have been identified as the main causes of PCOS although the exact reason has not been discovered.
- Overproduction of androgen, a male hormone in a woman can cause small lumps in the ovaries, irregular development of eggs and abnormal insulin level.

Symptoms
The severity of the symptoms depends on the constitution of the person but the most common one is irregular periods. PCOS occurs when there is a decrease in sex hormones which can lead to the development of certain male features like:

- Deeper voice
- Growth of hair on face, toes, stomach, chest and back
- Reduction in breast size
- Loss and thinning of hair

There are other symptoms as well which can help one to determine the syndrome including:
- Oily skin leading to acne
- Irregular egg formation causing fertility problems and miscarriages
- Depression, anxiety and mood swings
- Hyperinsulinemia, that refers to the presence of too much insulin in the body which can cause obesity
- Difficulty in breathing while sleeping

The severity of the symptoms varies but if you are experiencing any of these problems, it is advisable to seek a professional consultation. A healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, nutritious diets are some of the preventive measures you can take. There are hormone regulating medicines and treatments that attempt to curb the condition but there is no permanent cure.

What is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

The cervix is a part of the female reproductive system. It is the lower part of the woman's uterus, and it connects the vagina with the uterus. This is usually closed and tight, but ends up dilating during occasions like pregnancy and childbirth. The cervix is also known to soften eventually during the course of one's pregnancy and delivery. In case the cervix starts to open up too early, this condition is known as an insufficient cervix or an incompetent cervix. Here is everything you need to know about this condition.

Definition and symptoms

An incompetent or insufficient cervix is one that opens up too early and does not support a normal delivery. The symptoms that may point at this condition include pressure in the pelvic area, pain in the back, light bleeding from the vagina, mild cramps in the abdomen, and a change in the odour and hue of the vaginal discharge that may be experienced by the pregnant woman. Usually, such symptoms and changes are not seen in the early stages of one's pregnancy. Mostly, the symptoms are experienced after the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy, in the second trimester, when there is greater pressure on the area due to the growing fetus.

Risk factors

There are a number of factors that increase the risk of this condition, including congenital conditions like uterine anomalies and other genetic disorders. These disorders may affect the fibrous protein that produces the connective tissue of the body, which is also known as collagen. When there is a decrease in this kind of tissue, the cervix becomes incompetent or insufficient. Also, when there has been overexposure to synthetic estrogen, this kind of condition may be experienced. Further, cervical trauma is another factor that may cause this condition along with dilation and curettage, which is a procedure that corrects uterine conditions.

Treatment

The main form of treatment usually includes the prescription of progesterone supplements in the form of weekly administered injections. Also, serial ultrasounds every fortnight can help in monitoring the situation closely so that the doctor is able to ascertain whether or not you are going to be able to go through a normal delivery or not. Cervical cerclage is also a surgical procedure that can help such a condition. In this procedure, the cervix is stitched up with strong sutures, which will be removed in the last month of pregnancy, or just before the delivery. This is especially helpful if there have been cases of premature delivery in the past. This procedure is usually carried out within the first 14 weeks of the pregnancy to avoid loss of the fetus.

What Is an Insufficient Cervix and How Can It Be Treated?

Chlamydia is one of the most common STD. It is a bacterial infection, caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. Occurring in both males and females, it can be transmitted via oral, genital, or anal sex. it has been dubbed as silent infection, as the affected person hardly ever presents with symptoms. It is extremely common though about 1 in 20 females in the age group of 15 to 25 can be affected. The disease, if left untreated, can cause severe reproductive issues including infertility in both males and females. Let us look at symptoms in men and women separately.

Men: About 50% of men infected with Chlamydia will go with no symptoms. It may take about 3 weeks for the symptoms to manifest and will include

    Small amounts of discharge from the penis
    Discomfort or pain with urination
    Painful, swollen, and inflamed testicles
    Burning and itching around the tip of the penis

Depending on the mode of transmission, the eyes, throat, and rectum can also be infected and there could be throat infection or conjunctivitis also.

If left untreated, Chlamydia can affect the sperm quality and lead to infertility in men in the long run.

Women: The infection is "silent" even in females and does not manifest itself with a lot of symptoms, only 30% of infected females present symptoms including:

    Abnormal, white or light yellow vaginal discharge
    Painful sex
    Bleeding or spotting in between regular periods
    Sometimes even bleeding during sex
    Burning or itching sensation around the vagina
    Severe abdominal discomfort
    Fever

In females, the infection usually travels up the urinary and reproductive tract. So, from vaginitis, it can lead to urinary tract infection, cervicitis, bartholinitis, and even pelvic inflammatory disease. If it reaches the fallopian tubes and/or the uterus, then the chances of fallopian tubes getting blocked is high. There can be scarring of the tubes and this can lead to infertility or ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy in areas other than the uterus, for example the fallopian tubes). This can be very dangerous and can be life-threatening situation too.

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a serious bacterial infection of the uterus and the fallopian tubes. Untreated Chlamydia infection often results in PID and requires antibiotics and bed rest.
Chlamydia infections have two negative sides to it, on one hand, it is difficult to detect given the absence of symptoms. On the other hand, there are serious implications leading to even fertility. It is therefore very important to prevent it. It is best to use a condom, especially with unknown partners; and in case of any doubt, one should get themselves tested and treated.

Symptoms of Chlamydia in Men and Women

When we talk about infertility attention usually falls on treatment for women. However, infertility can affect men as well. The condition of infertility, can be described as the inability to become pregnant for a period of 1 year despite having unprotected, well-timed sexual intercourse. A low sperm count is one of the primary reasons for infertility in men.

Typically there should be fifteen million sperm per milliliter of semen. Low sperm count refers to the ejaculation of less than a normal amount of sperm in semen. This can also be termed as oligospermia. A complete absence of sperm in semen is known as azoospermia. Low sperm count does not mean that you cannot impregnate your partner but it reduces the chance of a successful conception. Thus, one of the most common ways to treat infertility caused by low sperm count is IVF.

IVF involves harvesting eggs from the woman s uterus and sperm from the male partner and combining them in a laboratory to form a zygote. When IVF is used to treat male infertility, a semen analysis is the first step. This helps determine the patient s sperm count, sperm motility, volume, pH levels, white blood cell levels etc.
The ejaculated semen is then processed so as to separate the sperm cells from the plasma. In this process sperm cells with higher motility are identified and segregated. These cells have a higher chance of fertilizing the egg.
Sperm cells are then injected into the harvested egg. Some techniques may require the injection of 50,000 or more sperm cells while others such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can be effective with a single sperm cell. Once the egg is fertilized, it is allowed to develop for a few days in the laboratory. 
Two or three embryos are then selected to be reintroduced into the woman s uterus with the help of a catheter. The remaining fertilized embryos are preserved in an embryo bank in case the pregnancy is not successful. If these need to be used later, the woman does not have to go through the initial stages of IVF treatment to stimulate the follicles and harvest eggs from the ovaries.
When it comes to IVF, the success rates are very high. However, one of the most common side effects is the birth of twins or triplets. This is because multiple embryos are inserted into the uterus. The number of babies born then depends on the number of embryos that are implanted successfully.

Declining Sperm Count - How IVF Can Help Deal With It?

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