Quick Facts: Women's Health Issues

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Medicine and Drug Use During Pregnancy

• Medicine and Drug Use During Pregnancy
  • How do drugs affect pregnancy?
  • How do I know if a medicine is safe to take during pregnancy?
    • Vaccines
  • What problems do drugs cause during pregnancy?
    • Alcohol
    • Caffeine
    • Cigarettes
    • Marijuana
    • Aspartame
  • What problems do illicit drugs cause during pregnancy?
    • Amphetamines
    • Bath salts
    • Cocaine
    • Hallucinogens
    • Opioids

Endometriosis

• Endometriosis
  • What is endometriosis?
  • What causes endometriosis?
  • What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have endometriosis?
  • How do doctors treat endometriosis?

Family Planning

• Abortion
  • What is abortion?
  • What are the types of abortion?
  • What happens before an abortion?
  • What happens during a surgical abortion?
  • What happens during an abortion with medicine?
  • How safe is abortion?

• Barrier Contraceptives
  • What are barrier contraceptives?
  • How do I use barrier birth control?
    • Condoms
    • Diaphragms
    • Cervical caps
    • Contraceptive sponges
    • Spermicides

• Emergency Contraception
  • What is emergency contraception?
  • What are the types of emergency birth control?
    • Medicines for emergency contraception (morning-after pills)
    • Copper IUDs

• Hormonal Methods of Birth Control
  • What are hormonal methods of birth control?
  • How well does hormonal birth control work?
  • Who can use hormonal birth control?
  • What are the different types of hormonal birth control?
    • Birth control pills
    • Skin Patch
    • Vaginal ring
    • Birth control implant
    • Birth control shot

• Intrauterine Devices
  • What are intrauterine devices (IUDs)?
  • How do IUDs prevent pregnancy?
  • What types of IUDs can I use?
  • Who can use IUDs?
  • What are problems with IUDs?
  • What are benefits of IUDs?

Fibroids

• Uterine Fibroids
  • What is a uterine fibroid?
  • What causes uterine fibroids?
  • What are the symptoms of uterine fibroids?
  • How can doctors tell if I have uterine fibroids?
  • How do doctors treat uterine fibroids?

High-Risk Pregnancy

• Overview of High-Risk Pregnancy
  • What is a high-risk pregnancy?
  • What can make your pregnancy high risk?
  • What causes mothers to die?
  • What causes babies to die?
  • How do doctors tell if your pregnancy is high risk?
  • How do doctors treat high-risk pregnancies?

Menopause

• Menopause
  • What is menopause?
  • What causes menopause?
  • What are the symptoms of menopause?
  • How can doctors tell if I have menopause?
  • How do doctors treat menopause?
    • Hormone therapy

Symptoms of Gynecologic Disorders

• Pelvic Pain in Women
  • What causes pelvic pain?
  • When should I see a doctor for pelvic pain?
  • What will happen when I go to the doctor for pelvic pain?
  • How do doctors treat pelvic pain?

• Vaginal Bleeding
  • What is vaginal bleeding?
  • Is vaginal bleeding normal?
  • When is vaginal bleeding abnormal?
  • Is abnormal vaginal bleeding serious?
  • What causes abnormal vaginal bleeding?
  • When should I see a doctor?
  • What will happen when I go to the doctor?
  • How do doctors treat abnormal vaginal bleeding?

• Vaginal Discharge
  • What is vaginal discharge?
  • Is vaginal discharge normal?
  • When is vaginal discharge abnormal?
  • What causes abnormal vaginal discharge?
  • When should I see a doctor?
    • Yeast infection
  • What will happen when I go to the doctor?
  • How do doctors treat abnormal vaginal discharge?

• Genital Itching
  • What is genital itching?
  • What causes genital itching?
  • When should I see a doctor?
  • What will happen when I go to the doctor?
  • How do doctors treat genital itching?

Vaginitis and Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

• Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)
  • What is the vagina?
  • What is bacterial vaginosis (BV)?
  • What causes BV?
  • What are the symptoms of BV?
  • How can my doctor tell if I have BV?
  • How do doctors treat BV?

• Cervicitis
  • What is the cervix?
  • What is cervicitis?
  • What causes cervicitis?
    • Infections that causes cervicitis
    • Other causes of cervicitis
  • What are the symptoms of cervicitis?
  • How can my doctor tell if I have cervicitis?
  • How will my doctor treat cervicitis?
  • How can I prevent cervicitis?

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)
  • What is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)?
  • What causes PID?
  • What are the symptoms of PID?
    • Early symptoms of PID
    • Later symptoms of PID
  • Can PID cause other problems?
  • How can my doctor tell if I have PID?
  • How will my doctor treat PID?
  • How can I prevent PID?

• Trichomonal Vaginitis
  • What is trichomonal vaginitis?
  • What causes trichomonal vaginitis?
  • What are the symptoms of trichomonal vaginitis?
  • How can my doctor tell if I have trichomonal vaginitis?
  • How do doctors treat trichomonal vaginitis?
  • How can I prevent trichomonal vaginitis?

• Vaginal Yeast Infection (Candidiasis)
  • What are vaginal yeast infections?
  • What are the symptoms of yeast infections?
  • How can my doctor tell if I have a yeast infection?
  • How do doctors treat yeast infections?

Complications of Pregnancy

• Cervical Insufficiency
  • What is the cervix?
  • What is cervical insufficiency?
  • What causes a weak cervix?
  • What are the symptoms of a weak cervix?
  • How can my doctor tell if I have a weak cervix?
  • How do doctors treat a weak cervix?

• Ectopic Pregnancy
  • What is an ectopic pregnancy?
  • What are the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy?
  • How can doctors tell if I have an ectopic pregnancy?
  • How do doctors treat an ectopic pregnancy?
    • Medicine
    • Surgery

• Hyperemesis Gravidarum
  • What is hyperemesis gravidarum?
  • How can doctors tell if I have hyperemesis gravidarum?
  • How do doctors treat hyperemesis gravidarum?

• Intra-Amniotic Infection
  • What is amniotic fluid?
  • What is an intra-amniotic infection?
  • What are the symptoms of an intra-amniotic infection?
  • What are the risks of an intra-amniotic infection?
  • How can doctors tell if I have an intra-amniotic infection?
  • How do doctors treat an intra-amniotic infection?
  • How can I prevent an intra-amniotic infection?

• Miscarriage
  • What is a miscarriage?
  • What causes a miscarriage?
    • Causes in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy
    • Causes in weeks 13 through 20 of pregnancy
    • Causes of repeated miscarriages
  • What are the symptoms of a miscarriage?
  • How can doctors tell if I've had a miscarriage?
  • How do doctors treat a miscarriage?
  • How can I prevent a miscarriage?
  • How can I feel better after a miscarriage?

• Pemphigoid Gestationis
  • What is pemphigoid gestationis?
  • What causes pemphigoid gestationis?
  • How can doctors tell if I have pemphigoid gestationis?
  • How do doctors treat pemphigoid gestationis?

• Placenta Previa
  • What is the placenta?
  • What is placenta previa?
  • What are the symptoms of placenta previa?
  • How can doctors tell if I have placenta previa?
  • How do doctors treat placenta previa?

• Placental Abruption
  • What is the placenta?
  • What is placental abruption?
  • What are the symptoms of placental abruption?
  • How can doctors tell if I have placental abruption?
  • How do doctors treat placental abruption?

• Preeclampsia and Eclampsia
  • What are preeclampsia and eclampsia?
  • What are the symptoms of preeclampsia?
  • How can doctors tell if I have preeclampsia?
  • How do doctors treat preeclampsia?
    • Mild preeclampsia
    • Very bad preeclampsia and eclampsia
    • Delivery
    • After delivery
    • After returning home

• Problems With Amniotic Fluid
  • What is amniotic fluid?
  • What are amniotic fluid problems?
    • Too much amniotic fluid
    • Too little amniotic fluid
  • How can doctors tell if I have an amniotic fluid problem?
  • How do doctors treat amniotic fluid problems?
    • Too much amniotic fluid
    • Too little amniotic fluid

• Polymorphic Eruption of Pregnancy
  • What is polymorphic eruption of pregnancy?
  • What causes these rashes?
  • How do doctors treat these rashes?

• Rh Incompatibility
  • What is the Rh factor?
  • What is Rh incompatibility?
  • Why is Rh incompatibility a problem?
  • How can doctors tell if I have Rh incompatibility?
  • What will doctors do if I have Rh incompatibility?
  • How can I prevent Rh incompatibility?

• Stillbirth
  • What is a stillbirth?
  • What causes a stillbirth?
    • Problems with the placenta
    • Problems with the fetus
    • Problems with your body
  • What are the symptoms of a stillbirth?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a stillbirth?
  • What do doctors do if I have a stillbirth?

• Vasa Previa
  • What are the placenta and umbilical cord?
  • What is vasa previa?
  • What are the symptoms of vasa previa?
  • How can doctors tell if I have vasa previa?
  • How do doctors treat vasa previa?

Complications of Labor and Delivery

• Cesarean Delivery (C-Section)
  • What is a cesarean delivery (C-section)?
  • Why would I need to have a C-section?
    • Can I delivery a baby vaginally if I had a C-section before?
  • What happens during a C-section?
  • How safe is a C-section?

• Excessive Uterine Bleeding at Delivery
  • What is excessive uterine bleeding?
  • What causes too much bleeding during delivery?
  • What can doctors do to stop me from bleeding too much?
  • How will doctors know if I am bleeding too much?
  • What happens if I start bleeding too much?

• Fetal Distress
  • What is fetal distress?
  • How can doctors tell if my baby has fetal distress?
  • How do doctors treat fetal distress?

• Prelabor Rupture of the Membranes (PROM)
  • What is prelabor rupture of the membranes (PROM)?
  • How do I know if my water broke?
  • What are the risks if my water breaks too early?
  • How will my doctor or midwife confirm that my water broke?
  • What will the doctor or midwife do if my water broke too early?

• Prolapsed Umbilical Cord
  • What is a prolapsed umbilical cord?
  • What causes a prolapsed umbilical cord?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a prolapsed umbilical cord?
  • How do doctors treat a prolapsed umbilical cord?

Breast Disorders

• Breast Cancer
  • What is breast cancer?
  • What causes breast cancer?
  • What are the symptoms of breast cancer?
  • How can doctors tell if I have breast cancer?
    • If you don't have symptoms
    • If you have symptoms
    • After breast cancer is diagnosed
    • Breast cancer stages
  • How do doctors treat breast cancer?
    • Surgery
    • Radiation therapy
    • Chemotherapy
    • Hormone-blocking medicines
    • After breast cancer treatment
    • What if treatment doesn't work?

• Breast Infection and Breast Abscess
  • What are breast infections and breast abscesses?
  • What are the symptoms of a breast infection?
  • What causes breast infections?
  • How do doctors treat a breast infection or breast abscess?

• Breast Lumps
  • What are breast lumps?
  • What causes breast lumps?
  • When should I go to the doctor for a breast lump?
  • What will happen at my doctor visit?
  • How do doctors treat breast lumps?

• Fibrocystic Changes of the Breast
  • What are fibrocystic changes?
  • What are the symptoms of fibrocystic change?
  • How do doctors treat fibrocystic changes?

• Nipple Discharge
  • What is nipple discharge?
  • What causes nipple discharge?
  • When should I go to a doctor for nipple discharge?
  • What will happen at my doctor visit?
  • How do doctors treat nipple discharge?

Cancers of the Female Reproductive System

• Cervical Cancer
  • What is cervical cancer?
  • What causes cervical cancer?
  • What are the symptoms of cervical cancer?
  • How can doctors tell if I have cervical cancer?
  • How do doctors treat cervical cancer?
  • How can I prevent cervical cancer?

• Ovarian Cancer, Fallopian Tube Cancer, and Peritoneal Cancer
  • What is ovarian cancer?
  • What are the symptoms of ovarian cancer?
  • How can doctors tell if I have ovarian cancer?
  • How do doctors treat ovarian cancer?
  • How can I prevent ovarian cancer?

Menstrual Disorders and Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding

• Abnormal Uterine Bleeding (AUB)
  • What is abnormal uterine bleeding?
  • What causes abnormal uterine bleeding?
  • What are the symptoms of abnormal uterine bleeding?
  • How can doctors tell if I have abnormal uterine bleeding?
  • How do doctors treat abnormal uterine bleeding?

• Menstrual Cramps
  • What are menstrual cramps?
  • What causes menstrual cramps?
  • What are the symptoms of menstrual cramps?
  • When should I go to a doctor for menstrual cramps?
  • How can doctors tell if I have menstrual cramps?
  • How do doctors treat menstrual cramps?

• Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
  • What is premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?
  • What causes PMS?
  • What are the symptoms of PMS?
  • How can doctors tell if I have PMS?
  • How do doctors treat PMS?

Pregnancy Complicated by Disease

• Diabetes During Pregnancy
  • What causes diabetes during pregnancy?
  • What problems can diabetes during pregnancy cause?
  • How can doctors tell if I have diabetes during pregnancy?
  • How do doctors treat diabetes during pregnancy?
    • Before pregnancy
    • During pregnancy
    • During labor and delivery
    • After pregnancy

• High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
  • What is high blood pressure during pregnancy?
  • What are the symptoms of high blood pressure during pregnancy?
  • How can untreated high blood pressure affect me and my baby?
  • How can doctors tell if I have high blood pressure during pregnancy?
  • How do doctors treat high blood pressure during pregnancy?

Infertility

• Infertility
  • What is infertility?
  • What is ovulation?
  • What causes infertility?
  • When should I see a doctor about infertility?
  • What tests will my doctor do?
  • How do doctors treat infertility?
  • Where can I get more information about infertility?

Normal Pregnancy

• Pregnancy Tests and Due Dates
  • How can I tell if I'm pregnant?
    • Home pregnancy tests
    • Doctors' pregnancy tests
  • When will my baby be born?
  • How pregnant am I?

• Development of the Fetus
  • How does a pregnancy start?
  • What happens after fertilization?
    • Twin pregnancy

• Physical Changes in the Mother During Pregnancy
  • What physical changes are cause for concern?
  • What physical changes happen in early pregnancy?
    • Morning sickness
    • Heartburn
  • What physical changes happen in late pregnancy?
    • Backache
    • Varicose veins
  • How will my breasts change during pregnancy?
  • How will my skin change during pregnancy?

• Medical Care During Pregnancy
  • Should I see a doctor before I try to get pregnant?
  • What happens at my first doctor visit?
  • What medical care will I need during my pregnancy?

• Taking Care of Yourself During Pregnancy
  • How can I take good care of myself during pregnancy?
  • What should I eat while I’m pregnant?
    • What shouldn't I eat or drink while pregnant?
    • What about mercury in fish?
  • How much weight should I gain during pregnancy?
  • What should I avoid while pregnant?
  • Should I take medicines and supplements while I’m pregnant?
  • Is it safe to exercise while I’m pregnant?
  • Can I have sex while I’m pregnant?
  • Can I travel while I’m pregnant?

• Blood Clot Disorders During Pregnancy
  • What are the symptoms of a blood clot disorder during pregnancy?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a blood clot disorder during pregnancy?
  • How do doctors treat a blood clot disorder during pregnancy?

Postpartum Care

• Overview of Postpartum Care
  • What is the postpartum period?
  • What happens right after I deliver?
  • When can I go home?
  • How soon can I exercise?
  • What should I expect as my body heals from delivery?
    • Hemorrhoids
    • Breastfeeding
  • When is it okay to have sex?
    • Birth control
  • What are warning signs of problems after delivery?

• Mastitis
  • What causes mastitis?
  • What are the symptoms of mastitis?
  • How do doctors treat mastitis?

• Bladder and Kidney Infections After Childbirth
  • What are bladder and kidney infections after childbirth?
  • What are the symptoms of bladder and kidney infections after childbirth?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a bladder and kidney infections after childbirth?
  • How do doctors treat bladder and kidney infections after childbirth?

• Infections of the Uterus After Delivery
  • What is an infection of the uterus?
  • What causes a postpartum uterus infection?
  • What are the symptoms of a postpartum uterus infection?
  • How can doctors tell if I have a postpartum uterus infection?
  • How do doctors treat postpartum uterus infections?

• Postpartum Depression
  • What is postpartum depression?
  • What causes postpartum depression?
  • What are the symptoms of postpartum depression?
    • What is postpartum psychosis?
  • When should I go to the doctor for postpartum depression?
  • How can doctors tell if I have postpartum depression?
  • How do doctors treat postpartum depression?
  • How can I prevent postpartum depression?

Labor and Delivery

• Overview of Labor and Delivery
  • What decisions do I have to make about labor and delivery?
    • Who should be with me?
    • Where should I have my baby?
  • How should I prepare for labor and delivery?

• Labor
  • What is labor?
  • What happens during labor?
  • How will I know when labor starts?
  • When should I go to my hospital or birthing center?
  • How do doctors check the baby during labor?
  • How do doctors treat labor pain?

• Delivery
  • Where will I deliver my baby?
  • What happens when I give birth?
    • What can help with delivery?
    • How is the placenta delivered?
  • What happens after delivery?

Biology of the Female Reproductive System

• Female Reproductive System
  • What is the female reproductive system?
  • How does the female reproductive system work?
  • What can go wrong with a woman's reproductive system?

• Puberty in Girls
  • What is puberty?
  • What causes puberty?
  • What changes happen in puberty?
  • What can go wrong with puberty?

• Menstrual Cycle
  • What is a menstrual cycle?
  • What can go wrong with a menstrual cycle?