Q.
When do I need to see a gynecologist?
A.
Pay attention to your body.
If you notice unusual gynecological symptoms, make an appointment
with your health care provider at once. You might have an
easy to treat infection or a maybe a more serious problem.
The sooner you catch it, the better. Reasons to see your doctor
or health care provider right away include:
If you have been a victim of rape or sexual abuse
Vaginal discharge that's heavier than usual or has a strong
odor or color
Genital lumps or sores
Vaginal redness, itching or burning
A breast lump, abnormal nipple discharge, pain or change in
breast contour
Abdominal pain aside from your usual cramps
Changes in your period after you've been menstruating
for more than a year
See your gynecologist for an annual Pap smear and STD tests.
Early treatment can cure many STDs and
reduce the impact of others.
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Q.
Can having a Pap test during menstruation effect the results?
I've heard not to get one during this time. Can it cause abnormal
results? Why is this?
A.
You're right about what you've
heard: women don't usually have Pap tests done during their
periods. Menstruation itself does not cause abnormal Pap smear
results but, menstrual blood makes abnormal cervical cells
difficult to see. (You see a lot of blood cells instead).
It's
recommended that women schedule a Pap test between ten and
twenty days following the start of their periods. It's also
important not to douche, apply vaginal medication, and/or
insert spermicide (as foam, cream, jelly, film, suppository,
or tablet) for about two days before the exam because they
may remove or obscure abnormal cells, preventing the most
accurate test reading.
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Q.
How many eggs does a woman
have when she is born?
A.
Unlike men, who produce new
sperm daily throughout most of their lifetime, women are born
with a finite number of undeveloped eggs -- around one to
two million -- in their ovaries.
When
women reach puberty and start menstruating, only about 300,000
immature egg cells, or follicles, remain. Some of these begin
to develop with each monthly cycle, but during this time,
only one follicle matures into an ovum (egg) and bursts from
an ovary into the fallopian tubes, initiating ovulation.
Through
a process known as atresia, many of the follicles that don't
develop into mature egg cells degenerate. As a result, only
a few hundred remain at menopause, which usually begins at
around forty-five or fifty years of age; however, because
of the hormonal changes that accompany menopause, the remaining
follicles are unlikely to mature and become viable eggs. But
this does not mean that women going through menopause cannot
get pregnant.
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Q.
What is "Torsion of
the Testicle ?"
A.
Perhaps the most common testicular
problem is torsion of a testicle.
This is when it spins around on the spermatic cord, which
carries the spermatic artery, and cuts off its own blood supply.
This is a medical emergency and usually requires surgery within
four hours if the testicle is to be saved. Sometimes the doctor
will stitch it in place so the torsion doesn't happen again.
This can be a very painful experience. As the testicles' blood
supply is reduced, they gradually turn red, then purple and
eventually blue. The pain is excruciating and medical help
is essential. This is not to be confused with "blue
balls". To read more about this medical condition see our Testicular Torsion article.
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Q.
What can I do about recurring
urinary tract infections (UTIs)?
A.
Urinary tract infections can affect both men and women. New
or recurrent, UTIs need to be diagnosed and treated medically.
(Some can be treated without antibiotics, but I will include
that in "Bladder Infections".
Friction,
usually by the penis during intercourse or by masturbating,
seems to be a main cause of UTIs. A change of position may
make a difference in the prevention of UTIs. In addition,
drinking lots & lots of water sometimes helps flush out
the urethra. Urinating immediately after intercourse, for
both men and women, may help flush out the urethra of semen,
diaphragm jelly, nonoxynol-9, and/or bacteria. (Semen can
get into a woman's urethra if no condom is used during sex.
This is because of the close proximity of all these organs
during intercourse.)
Often,
UTIs occur following intercourse, especially after first intercourse
(the nickname, "honeymoon cystitis" was what they used to
call it ) or after one has not had intercourse for a while
and then begins to have it again.
Just
to emphasize, medical attention is important, especially with
recurrent UTIs, because left untreated chronic infections
may result in kidney infections and even damage. You don't
necessarily have to go to a GYN for this, you can go to your
family doctor for treatment.
