It gives me great pleasure to author another article for Bham Pharma Ltd as part of their Women’s Health online blog series. We seek to write about important and contemporary issues that affect the health of women across the globe to consider optimal health service delivery. For this reason, I am going to discuss the…
Rett Syndrome – An Incurable Disorder Affecting Young Girls
Rett syndrome is an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder that results in severe cognitive and physical disabilities. It predominately affects females, with symptoms often initially presenting in infancy after a period of typical development. It is estimated that 1 in 12,000 girls are born with Rett syndrome every year, and it is the second most common cause…
International Day of Action for Women’s Health
The International Day of Action for Women’s Health is a day dedicated to raising awareness about women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, which has been celebrated since 1987. Every year, women and health organisations worldwide commemorate this day to draw attention to the ongoing disregard for women’s autonomy, coercion, discrimination, and violence. The day…
Menstrual Conditions – A Much-needed Conversation
For tens of millions of women around the world, menstruation regularly, and often catastrophically, disrupts their physical, mental, and social wellbeing(1). A normal menstrual cycle has a frequency of 24–38 days, lasts 7–9 days, and results in 5–80 mL of blood loss. However, variations in any of these 4 parameters constitute abnormal uterine bleeding(2), which…
Ovarian Cancer, The Silent Killer
Despite ovarian cancer being the 7th most common cancer in women, many women are unaware of the symptoms, resulting in 2/3 of diagnoses being made after cancer has already spread. The common symptoms of ovarian cancer (constantly feeling bloated, abdominal, or pelvic pain, feeling full quickly after eating, or an increased need to urinate) can…
IUD Fittings and The Gender Pain Gap
Intrauterine devices, or the coil, are an effective contraceptive option. However, their fitting can often be very painful for women, and anaesthesia is not readily provided, and the pain is expected to be accepted.
Breast Cancer: The Signs, Symptoms, and Treatments
With 1 in 8 women estimated to be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime, I would be very surprised if you or someone you know has not been affected by breast cancer (1). Thankfully, the mortality rate of breast cancer is declining worldwide, partly due to early detection (2). This blog aims to raise…
Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids represent the most common tumour in women; this is a monoclonal tumour consisting of an abundance of extracellular matrices that bury disordered uterine smooth muscle cells [1]. The incidence is estimated to be 20–40% in women during their reproductive years, and there is extreme heterogeneity between fibroid size, location, composition, and symptomatology [1].…
Women’s Health – A Man’s Perspective
From a young age, I have always wanted equality. It never mattered to me what someone’s gender, sex, sexuality, race, ethnicity, nationality, religious disposition, or socio-economic status was, what mattered was whether they were a nice person or not. Most of the categories I listed above are beyond people’s control, but the response to all…
Antenatal And Postpartum Mood Disorders: The Importance Of Protecting A New Mother’s Mental Health
Childbirth can be one of the most painful events in a woman’s life. Coupled with the social, hormonal, and physical changes that accompany birth, it is no wonder that women feel emotionally overwhelmed following the delivery of their baby. This feeling is so common that it is often referred to as ‘baby blues’, which shockingly…