By Personalized Women’s Healthcare | Tuesday, August 19th, 2014

Why your physician performs the pelvic exam?

You have heard on the news that the pelvic exam is not needed each year. As your gynecologist, Dr. Fleming and Dr. Jacoby believe it still a necessary exam in caring for their patients. We believe the pelvic exam can detect medical issues the patient may not know exists.

A pelvic exam is a way for your gynecologist to look for signs of illness in certain organs in a woman’s body. http://www.pwhcare.com/pregnancy/learn-pelvic-exams/ http://www.pwhcare.com/pregnancy/learn-pelvic-exams/The word “pelvic” refers to the pelvis. The exam is used to look at a woman’s:

• Vulva (external genital organs)
• Uterus (the womb)
• Cervix (opening from the vagina to the uterus)
• Fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs to the womb)
• Ovaries (organs that produce eggs)
• Bladder (the sac that holds urine)
• Rectum (the chamber that connects the colon to the anus)

When Are Pelvic Exams Done?

Pelvic exams are performed:

• During a yearly physical exam.
• When a woman is pregnant.
• When a doctor is checking for an infection (such as chlamydia, vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and others).
• When a woman is having pain in her pelvic area or low back.

By Personalized Women’s Healthcare | Monday, May 26th, 2014

By: Miranda Hester

Women undergoing the menopausal transition may be prone to prolonged bleeding with periods of heaviness, according to a new study in BJOG.

Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and the University of Michigan Health System looked at 1320 midlife women from a variety of races who had participated in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation Menstrual Calendar Substudy. Each woman completed a daily menstrual calendar from 1996 to 2006 that included information about hormone therapy, smoking status, and the level of physical activities. Height and weight were measured every year. Primary outcomes examined included menses of 10-plus days, spotting of 6-plus days, and heavy bleeding of 3-plus days. Multivariable regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to analyze the data.

In the cohort, 77.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 56.7-93.2) reported at least 3 occurrences of menses of 10-plus days. At least 3 occurrences of 6-plus days of spotting were reported by 66.8% (95% CI 55.2 – 78.0) of the women and 34.5% (95% CI 30.2 – 39.2) reported at least 3 occurrences of 3-plus days of heavy bleeding. Each primary outcome was associated with uterine fibroids, hormone use, and ethnicity. Body mass index was associated with 3-plus days of heavy bleeding.

The investigators concluded that the study provided important information about how frequent spotting, prolonged bleeding, and heavy bleeding can be during the menopausal transition. They felt the data could help facilitate clinical decision-making during that time.

– See more here!

By Personalized Women’s Healthcare | Thursday, May 30th, 2013

The average age of menopause is 51. You may notice that your menses occur more irregularly or that your periods begin to get heavier. You may then start to notice one or several of the following: hot flashes, night sweats, “mind fog”, dry skin, vaginal dryness, decreased libido, insomnia, and generalized moodiness. Some women go through menopause without any symptoms at all. If these symptoms are bothersome, consult your doctor. They can be helped.

Make sure that you get your calcium and vitamin D (1300 and 800IU) in two divided doses daily. We recommend annual mammograms after the age of 40. Colonoscopy screening should begin at age 50, or sooner if you notice bowl changes or have a family history of colon cancer.