Posts Tagged ‘Uterus’

Learn About the Stages of Ovarian Cancer Part I

Comments: 0December 22nd, 2011 by admin



In previous articles, we touched on various aspects of ovarian cancer such as symptoms, treatments (both alternative and conventional), and risks. But what are the stages of ovarian cancer?

The stages for ovarian cancer number 5, with stages I, II and III subdivided. Any discussion on stages must start with stage 0.

Stage 0 quite simply is the earliest stage that the cancerous cells have been detected at. The cancer is just forming and has not spread.

In stage I, the cancer is confined to either one or both ovaries and has not yet spread to other organs. This stage is divided into IA, IB, and IC.

In stage IA, the cancer is present inside one ovary. No cancer cells are present on the outside surface of the ovary or in the abdomen or pelvis. This is considered to be the earliest form of stage I cancer.

In stage IB, the cancer is present in both ovaries but there are still no cancer cells on the outer surfaces of the ovaries and none in the abdomen or pelvis.

Stage IC, is the most advanced form of stage I ovarian cancer. Cancer is present in either one or both of the ovaries. In addition, cancer cells may also be present on the outer surfaces of one or both ovaries. Cancer cells may have also been found in tissue samples from the abdomen.

In stage II, the cancer is present in either one or both ovaries but has also spread to other organs in the pelvis. These organs may include the bladder, rectum, uterus, Fallopian tubes or the sigmoid colon. This stage is again divided into IIA, IIB and IIC.

In stage IIA, the cancer has spread to the uterus or Fallopian tubes but cancerous cells are not yet present in the abdomen. Cancer is also in either one or both ovaries at this stage.

In the next division, stage IIB, the cancer has now spread to other pelvic organs such as the rectum or colon as well as uterus and is in the ovaries.

In stage IIC, the cancer has spread to the organs as noted above in IIB but may also be present in the outer surfaces of one or both ovaries

Stage IIA: With this stage, cancer is present in one or both of the ovaries and has spread into the uterus and/or Fallopian tubes. However, cancer cells are not present in the abdomen.

Stage IIB: With this stage, cancer is present in one or both of the ovaries and has spread to other pelvic organs, as the bladder, colon, rectum, or uterus.

Stage IIC: With this stage, cancer is present in one or both of the ovaries and has spread to either the uterus, Fallopian tubes, bladder, sigmoid colon, or rectum. In addition, cancer cells may also be present on the outer surfaces of one or both ovaries; the outer wall of a cystic ovarian tumor may have ruptured; or cancer cells may have been found in tissue samples from the abdomen.

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Posted in cancer

What is Endometriosis?

Comments: 0June 27th, 2011 by admin



Women often hear about endometriosis as a condition that can happen to women of reproductive ages. Naturally, they would ask “what is endometriosis?” The uterus has an inner lining called endometrium. This endometrium is a very important part of the uterus for this is where the egg cell would implant itself after fertilization. If fertilization does not happen, it sloughs off during a woman’s menstrual cycle. In endometriosis, the endometrium grows in other parts of the body other than the uterus. It can be found on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or on the superficial lining of the pelvic cavity.

When delving into the question of “what is endometriosis,” do understand that the condition is benign. It can affect 3% to 18% of women in the United States that are within their reproductive years. Endometriosis occurs in some women when they start experiencing menstrual periods. The condition also stops when the woman reaches menopausal stage. It is not understood what causes endometriosis and why some women can go through life without experiencing the condition. Some do not seek treatment because the signs and symptoms of endometriosis can be masked by the same signs and symptoms during menstruation. These symptoms can include:

- Painful menstrual cycle that increases in severity through time

- Pain during and/or after intercourse

- Pain during bowel movement

- Dull, heavy feeling along the pelvic area and lower back that can occur anytime, without warning. In some women, the condition is experienced throughout the day.

To answer “what is endometriosis,” it is one of the common causes of pelvic pain or discomfort in women. It is also among the leading reasons why women have to undergo laparoscopic surgery. There are medications prescribed to limit the pain brought about by endometriosis and may even prevent its growth. NSAID’s are generally given to lessen the pain and inflammation around the pelvic area. Birth control pills are also prescribed to help prevent proliferation of endometrial implants, but they are only given to women who have no plans of getting pregnant. If NSAID’s and birth control pills do not work, some hormonal therapy is prescribed to limit the proliferation and even shrink the size of endometrial implants.

The problem with these hormonal therapies is that they induce a state somewhat similar to menopause where your menstrual cycle is completely halted. Side effects of these drugs are similar to the discomforts experienced by women in menopausal age, and they even increase the risk of osteoporosis. Hormonal replacement therapy for endometriosis includes gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRH analogs), Progestin, and Danazol. These medications must only be taken with the recommendation of the doctor and must be taken according to physician’s instructions.

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Timing Ovulation

Comments: 0December 28th, 2010 by admin



Whether you are trying to conceive or you are interested in natural family planning, you may be interested in timing your ovulation. This can help you to time intercourse around the time that you ovulate, or avoid it to lower your chances of getting pregnant.

Your ovaries produce at least one egg every menstrual cycle. The follicles in the ovaries will mature and release an egg. This is referred to as ovulation. Follicles form on the outside of your ovaries. They are essentially like tiny holes that grow and fill with fluid as the cycle progresses. The egg is housed inside of the follicle and protected by the fluid.

Over time, as the follicle matures and increases in size, it will get ready to burst open. When the follicle bursts, it sends the egg surrounded by fluid into the fallopian tube. The fluid protects the egg on its journey and also helps it to travel down the tube. If the mature egg encounters sperm, then this is when fertilization will take place. If the egg is fertilized, then it should implant when it reaches the uterus and pregnancy occurs.

Your menstrual cycle should be about twenty eight days long. Of course, some women may have longer or shorter cycles, so you will need to determine exactly when you ovulate to achieve the best results. Most women ovulate around day fourteen of their menstrual cycle.

To calculate when day fourteen is, you need to count from the first day that menstrual bleeding starts. This would be day number one. If your menstrual cycle is longer or shorter than twenty eight days, then you may want to count back instead of forward. Some women can have more than fourteen days between the first day of their menstrual period and ovulation. Some, of course, can have way less. Fortunately, you can count back from the first day of your period because almost every woman ovulates fourteen days before the first day of her period.

Irregular periods can make it nearly impossible to anticipate an ovulation. Basal body temperature and ovulation prediction kits can help you if you are having trouble pinpointing when you ovulate. Some women may rarely or never ovulate. If you are trying to get pregnant, then speak with your OB/GYN about irregular or missed ovulations. There are hormonal therapies that can help you get back on track and attain your goal.

If you are trying to avoid pregnancy, remember that sperm can live for days inside of the uterus and vagina. Diet, medications and lifestyle can change the date of your ovulation. You may not successfully avoid pregnancy by counting days alone.

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Ovulation Mucus – Improving Its Quality Dramatically 100% Naturally

Comments: 0February 3rd, 2010 by admin



Did you know that having quality ovulation mucus could make the difference between conceiving in a few weeks and not being able to conceive for a year! It is possible to improve its quality naturally by increasing intake of certain vitamins and herbal medication.

What does Cervical Mucus do?

Ovulation mucus is a crucial part of conception. It is a substance which is produced during a woman’s regular monthly cycle and is released into the vagina. It is designed to protect sperm from the acidic content of the vagina.

The cervical mucus’ role is to neutralise this acid. Furthermore, this mucus helps the sperm travel up the fallopian tubes and into the uterus to find an egg. If that wasn’t enough, the mucus will be able to detect sperm which are defective or abnormal and slow them down. This increases the chances of a healthy baby.

It is not present immediately after your period occurs, or for the 3 to 5 days after it. Hence it is extremely difficult to conceive in this time.

How to Detect When You Can get Pregnant using Ovulation Mucus

You can find your most fertile period of the month by checking your cervical mucus. A week after your period you will notice that a small amount of mucus will build up. It will range in color and consistency and at this time there will be little chance of conception.

About 10 days after your period leading up to ovulation, mucus will increase in quantity and consistency. It will become moist and sticky and should have the same texture and appearance as egg white.

To check this simply insert a finger into your vagina and move it in circular motions close to the cervix. Check the color and consistency of it and see if it matches my description. This is when you are most likely to conceive!

If you find that your ovulation mucus is not matching the quality or description I’ve described and you have had trouble conceiving for a while, it is worth considering taking herbal medication and vitamin supplements.

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Ovulation Bleeding From Fibroids

Comments: 0January 27th, 2009 by admin



I wanted to talk to you about ovulation bleeding from fibroids. If you’re unfamiliar with what fibroids are, it is quite simply tumors and growths in the uterus. The good news is that they are not cancerous, but they do end up causing other problems. It can really cause effects with pregnancy. A lot of women that have fibroids will have miscarriages, which no one wants to ever have. The medical community doesn’t really have a good solution for this problem. Like a lot of things, they just want to cut it out and hope for the best. If you’re experiencing ovulating bleeding from fibroids, I have some information that is going to open your eyes.

When it comes to these fibroid growths that you have, there is one main theory on what is causing it; estrogen. It is found that as you get older, your estrogen decreases and these fibroids happen to decrease with them. This is an extremely important point on why surgery should be avoided because surgery can cause a lot of damage. You may lose the ability to get pregnant, which can be devastating if you want children. That’s why it is important to investigate this much better option.

If you’re having ovulation bleeding from fibroids than you need to get some sort of hormone therapy going. If you’re able to lower your estrogen, than these growths causing the problem will disappear. You’ll need to speak with a doctor that can help you with this type of therapy.

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Posted in Alcohol