Apr
9
Cervical Cancer Screening Update
Filed Under Women's Health News
The incidence and death rates from cervical cancer in the United States have dropped almost 50% since the widespread use of PAP smears began in the early 1970’s. However, cervical cancer still remains the third most common gynecologic cancer in the USA.
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) recently released new recommendations for cervical cancer screening that are based in part on newly available human papilloma (HPV) tests as well as a better appreciation for the evolution of cervical cancer. HPV is the virus known to cause 99% of cervical cancers. Should your PAP smear be abnormal, then further testing, called Colposcopy which is a magnified view of the cervix, will be usually be needed.
Regardless of the frequency of cervical cancer screening, annual breast & pelvic exams are recommended. While we try to remind you each year of the anniversary of your upcoming well women exam, please check your calendar or give us a call to see if we might have missed you.
Wishing you good health!
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Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Ave. Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
Apr
8
Primum non no cere…First do no harm is the Greek phrase that resonates from the Hippocratic oath every physician recites at graduation from medical school. It drives innovation such as the evolution of minimally invasive procedures.
t may seem like overkill, but until the 1960’s gynecologists often performed hysterectomy for requests for sterilization. Tubal ligation, tying the fallopian tubes, through an open incision then became the norm. Then in the late 1970’s the laparoscope made this possible through “band-aid” surgery. In this decade hysteroscopic sterilization is becoming the preferred procedure. A small scope is placed through the vagina into the uterus, where microinserts are placed blocking each tube. Because Essure hysteroscopic sterilization is free of any incisions it is the safest technique. In addition, since discomfort is limited to mild menstrual cramps, it is increasingly performed without general anesthesia, further reducing risks and undesired side effects, such as nausea.
Tubal ligation is highly effective, but not quite perfect at preventing unplanned pregnancies, which occur in about 1% of women. Essure has been placed in nearly 110,000 women worldwide and the failure rate is approximately 0.15%. So thus far it looks like it might be more effective. Essure does require an x-ray three months afterwards to confirm that the tubes are blocked, reassuring all involved of success.
There are also cost savings for women selecting the familiarity of a doctor’s office for hysteroscopic sterilization, which eliminates operating room expenses and anesthesiologist’s fees. Essure only takes about 15 minutes to perform. Most women return to regular activities the next day. And it is covered by most health insurance plans.
While vasectomy for men may seem like the ideal solution for couples interested in permanent birth control (because he has to do it), Essure is making sterilization for women less risky and less disruptive to their busy lives. Ultimately a woman’s choice should determine where she feels most comfortable having a procedure performed. For some women it’s the outpatient surgery center and for others our office. For more information visit. www.Essure.com or better yet schedule a consultation with your physician.
Wishing you good health!
Share this newsletter with those you care… sisters, mothers, friends
Learn more about Essure, Visit our web site
Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Ave. Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
Apr
4
For women seeking reversible contraception and interested in putting their period on hold, the FDA recently approved Lybrel® as the first combination oral contraceptive taken 365 days a year. The safety profile of this non-cyclic oral contraceptive was reported as similar to that of a traditional, cyclic oral contraceptive. Effectiveness is at least equal and perhaps slightly better. A national poll found that 60% of women would appreciate not having a period every month and one-third would choose never to have one.
Lybrel® works just like other combination birth control pills by preventing ovulation. The difference is that it supplies a steady low dose of hormones taken every day without a pill-free interval. Lybrel® can prevent menstruation:
- 59% achieved complete absence of all bleeding & spotting
- 20% experienced spotting only—not requiring sanitary protection
- 21% experienced breakthrough bleeding requiring sanitary protection
Opponents claim that it is unnatural or harmful to manipulate a woman’s menstrual Birth control offer no menstrual periodscycle by stopping her period. However the reality is that by using birth control pills women are already manipulating their menstrual cycles. An important distinction that should be made is that women who take oral contraceptives do not have a “true” period; they actually experience what is known as “withdrawal bleeding” on the seven days they are off hormones. he bleeding tends to be shorter and lighter than a regular period because the uterine lining does not build up as much in those who use the pill, so there is less tissue to be shed. This so-called period that occurs during regular birth control packs really has no medical function other than reassuring a woman that she is not pregnant.
Women have chosen to avoid their periods through manipulating their birth control pills because of physically demanding jobs, upcoming honeymoons or vacations, and/or severe period-related symptoms. For decades, medical professionals have been advising women on how to do this properly by starting a new pill pack during the fourth week (when one’s period usually occurs). Stable hormone levels also lead to a reduction or elimination of the symptoms associated with this week such as: bloating, cramping, irritability, headaches, and tender breasts. We welcome Lybrel® as another option on the contraceptive menu to help women take control of their bodies. It should be available this summer.
Wishing you good health!
Survey finds 60 % of women would appreciate not having a period…
To learn more about birth control, visit our web site
Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Ave. Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
