Menstrual health is an essential aspect of women's health that often goes underappreciated. For immigrant and refugee women in particular, managing menstrual health presents unique challenges. Cultural differences, language barriers and limited resources all contribute to these challenges.
Pregnant people in the United States have many options when it comes to planning what their labor and delivery experience looks like. Common options include home delivery, various types of delivery centers and the hospital. In the United States and other western countries, hospital deliveries have largely become the default. Each option comes with its own benefits and downsides.
Period poverty is the lack of accessibility or affordability of menstrual hygiene tools and educational material, such as sanitary products, washing facilities and waste management.
During my Women’s Health Education Program (WHEP) elective, I had the privilege of spending a month learning from international board-certified lactation consultants and caring for lactating parents at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. As a medical student, I knew only that chest feeding led to better health outcomes. However, what I now know is that U.S. parents who chest feed tend to be of higher socioeconomic statuses, be disproportionately white, and have job flexibility, social support, low stress levels and higher levels of education.
Uterine fibroids, also known as leiomyomas, are the most common benign (noncancerous) tumors made of smooth muscle and connective tissue that develop in the myometrium layer of the uterus. They are the most common pelvic tumors among women of reproductive age, affecting more than 70% of women worldwide.
Pregnancy is a unique period in a person’s life. During these 40 weeks, the body goes through many changes and adjustments to nurture the fetus growing inside. One common complaint, present in about 50-80% of pregnant patients, is low back and/or pelvic pain. As the patient gains weight, the center of gravity is shifted forward which increases the forces applied to the lower back. Back pain has also been correlated with increased levels of relaxin which is a hormone produced by the corpus luteum and uterine decidua.
Many mothers would agree that the process of childbirth is not an easy experience. The body goes through physical, psychological and emotional changes. One of the most common problems that women face after childbirth is postpartum depression (PPD).
According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), “Infertility is the result of a disease (an interruption, cessation, or disorder of body functions, systems, or organs) of the male or female reproductive tract which prevents the conception of a child or the ability to carry a pregnancy to delivery” (Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 2022). An infertility evaluation should be initiated after one year of unprotected intercourse without pregnancy.
Pregnant women are at risk of developing another type of depression called postpartum depression (PPD). The symptoms for postpartum depression and major depressive disorder are the same, with the exception that postpartum depression develops within a year of giving birth or within the last trimester of pregnancy.
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are an increasingly popular choice for contraception. There are two types: hormonal (which contain progestin, a form of progesterone) and non-hormonal, made with copper. You can discuss with your health care provider which one is best for you.
The health benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and infant have been well-touted for years. Based on these undeniable benefits, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continuation of breastfeeding until two years of age or beyond, a recent revision from the previous recommendation of continued breastfeeding for the first year of life or longer.
Emergency contraception (EC) is used to prevent pregnancy before it happens after unprotected sex or at times when birth control fails during sex. It is different from the abortion pill, which is meant to terminate pregnancies after they have already occurred. There are a variety of reasons someone might need EC. Perhaps they forgot to take their birth control pill that day or place their vaginal ring. Maybe the condom broke during sex or their partner did not pull out in time.