Reproductive Health and Medicine

Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health refers to physical, mental and social well-being. It refers to diseases, developmental disorders, reduced fertility, preterm delivery, low weight birth, reduced fertility, impotency, menstrual problems which affect the chances of fertility.  The exposure to pollution also has been found out as a leading cause of infertility.  There are various factors contributing to ill-reproductive health which include stress, emotional imbalances, obesity. In majority of the cases people affected due to improper care is women due to female genital mutilation, teenage births, sexually transmitted diseases, improper sanitation facilities, multiple births

• Adolescent health
• Maternal health
• Cancers

Reproductive endocrinology

Reproductive endocrinology is the branch of science that deals with infertility and hormone related problems in both men and women.  This deals with various endocrine disorders related to male and female reproductive system. Common surgical procedure performed by the reproductive endocrinologist includes:

• Laparoscopy
• Hysteroscopy
• Abdominal myomectomy

Gynecology &Obstetrics

Gynecology is the branch of medicine which deals with female reproductive health, reproductive system and breasts.  Gynecology deals with the abnormalities related to uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix, ovaries and vagina.  This branch also deals with urinary tract problems as they are closely related to female reproductive organs.  Obstetrics is the branch of medicine concerned to prenatal care, pregnancy, labour. Generally gynecology and obstetrics go hand in hand and are very closely related. 

Preconception

Preconception refers to reproductive health of men and women during their reproductive years. It provides knowledge on the conditions and risk factors which can affect pregnancy.  It includes the food habits, medication and the life style which can cause difficulty in conception.  Also it helps in avoiding unplanned pregnancies which are at the greater risk of pre-term birth and low birth weight babies.

• Unplanned pregnancy
• Pre-term births

Pregnancy

Pregnancy also often termed as gestation.  It is typically around 40 weeks from the date of last menstrual period in case of humans.  Pregnancy occurs by sexual intercourse or through assisted reproductive technology. Broadly it is classified into three trimesters.  First Trimester include fertilization of sperm and ova forming a zygote which later reaches uterus for implantation and further growth.  There are high chances of miscarriage during this stage due various issues like week uterus lining, improper knowledge of pregnancy, improper implantation of zygote to uterus cell wall. Second trimester is from 13to 28 where the rapid development of feotus with the development of vital organs.  Third trimester where the movement of the feotus changes head down in order to facilitate the birth.

• Tiredness
• Morning sickness
• Constipation
• Pelvic girdle pain
• Back pain
• Braxton Hicks contractions
• Peripheral edema
• Low blood pressure
• Increased urinary frequency

Abortions & Miscarriages:

Abortion is the term used for surgical removal of the embryo from the uterus before it can survive on its own. Medication abortion include use of abortion pill usually within first 10 weeks of pregnancy. Surgical abortion includes the surgical removal of feotus from the uterus.  Miscarriage is the spontaneous death of the feotus in the uterus.  There are multiple reason for the miscarriage to occur. Most miscarriages occur as a result of chromosomal problems that infer with the development of the feotus. Multiple abortions usually can result in the loss of fertility. Miscarriages generally occur during the first trimester where the chances of risk are higher.  Repeated miscarriages need careful medical attention

• Endocrine, uterine disorders
• Autoimmune disorder
• Abnormal development of placenta

Menopause

Menopause is considered as a natural condition which shows up as the women age.  A woman is born with finite number if eggs whose release is controlled by estrogen and progesterone.  As the woman ages the ovaries stops releasing eggs.  This condition is termed as menopause where the female hormones are produced quite less amount.  However there are few conditions where the menopause starts early because of premature ovarian failure and due to surgical removal of uterus.

• Peri menopause
• Menopause
• Post menopause

Andrology

Andrology is a branch of medicine that deals male reproductive problems in particular and also male urological problems.  Male reproductive problems include treatment for physical conditions undescended testes, as well as injuries and diseases that can affect fertility or sexual function. Andrology collaborates with the care givers of cardiac related problems and renal problems as problems related to heart and kidney effect the fertility in men.

Reproductive health in Men:

Reproductive health in men is as important as that of women.  There are several factors which affect the man’s reproductive health which include diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, conditions related to heart and kidney.  There are few conditions which are often ignored by men if left untreated may cause serious issues like infertility, STD.

• Male infertility
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Penile fracture

• Prostate Cancer
• Penile Cancer

Contraception

Contraception is generally called as birth control.  Contraception is quite important to avoid unwanted pregnancies, multiple pregnancies which affect the health of the women.  There are many contraceptive methods which are used currently but it is highly recommended to be under medical supervision. 

• Birth control pills
• Vasectomy
• Tube ligation
• Intra uterine devices
• Physical barriers

Gynecologic Disorders

Gynecological disorders affect the organs in the abdominal and pelvic areas.  These effect the proper functioning of reproductive system some of them include polycystic ovarian syndrome, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, uterine fibroids.  These require immediate medical attention as delaying may cause serious health issues including infertility; some may also lead to cancer.  The signs and symptoms may occur during puberty, in reproductive age, in pre-menopausal women.

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• Endometriosis
• Uterine fibroids
• Urinary incontinence
• Pelvic pain

Urogenital disorders:

Urogenital disorders effect the urinary system as well as reproductive system.  These decrease the fertility in both men and women.  Few are confined to women few are confined to men while few are common in both.

• Bladder Cancer
• Cystocele
• Hematuria
• Impotence
• Prostate cancer

Assisted Reproductive treatment

Assisted Reproductive treatment is also termed as Reproductive medicine.  Assisted Reproductive treatment refers to treatment during infertility or when the uterus is unable to bear the child or in conditions like PCOS, or due to auto immune disease.  These refer to bearing pregnancy when the success rate is quite less in case of natural pregnancies

• Ovulation Induction
• Artificial Insemination
• In-vitro Fertilization
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
• Surrogacy

Artificial insemination

Artificial Insemination is a process of deliberately injecting semen into the vagina.  The Semen is collected from the partner of from the sperm bank which is generally frozen.  This is allowed to liquefy and then inserted in to vagina using a syringe.  This technique is used to achieve pregnancy in case of hetero sexual couples whose body rejects the sperms as foreign bodies of the partner, or condition like endometriosis or thickening of the cervix.

• Intracervical insemination
• Intrauterine insemination
• Intrauterine tuboperitoneal insemination
• Intratubal insemination

In-Vitro Fertilization

In-Vitro Fertilization is process in which the active egg from the parent is collected by stimulating ovulation or from egg donor, active sperm is collected and the fertilization is done externally.  The fertilized egg is then implanted into the uterus of the parent.  Egg donor and Sperm donor can be used in this case where the male is infertile or has very low sperm count or in the case where the female is unable to produce egg.  The cost involved is very high.

Reproductive Cancers

Chances of women suffering with cancer are high than compared to men. One of the cause of cervical cancer is multiple full term pregnancies. Uterine cancer the symptoms in this case would be much similar to pregnancy treated by complete removal of the tumor.  While in men the common cancer seen are testicular cancer, prostate cancer.  All these effect the reproductive ability sometimes may turn infertile

• Cervical cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Uterine cancer
• Vaginal cancer
• Vulvar cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Prostate cancer

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually Transmitted Diseases are transmitted generally through sexual contact.  These are caused by bacteria((gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia), Parasites (trichomoniasis), Viruses (human papillomavirus, genital herpes, HIV) .  General term preferred by doctors is Sexually transmitted infections than that of sexually transmitted diseases. Some of these can be treated with proper treatment while some of these can be life threating like HIV.

• Having unprotected sex
• Having sexual contact with multiple partners
• Having a history of STIs
• Abusing alcohol or using recreational drugs
• Injecting drugs
• Pregnancy (From mother to child)

Women Health Nursing

Nursing should Students are selected and trained for treating female patients and their babies.  This includes both prenatal care and postnatal care.  They are specially trained in gender specific aliments like uterine fibroids, endometriosis, cervical cancer, rett syndrome, vaginitis and pre-term labor.

• Obstetrics/Gynecology Nurse
• Labor and Delivery Nurse
• Labor and Delivery Nurse
• Lactation Consultant
• Certified Nurse Midwife

Effects of Obesity on Women’s Health and Pregnancy

Obesity harms the fertility by disturbing the normal ovulation.  It takes longer time for women of higher BMI to become pregnant.  Chances of IVF success are also quite low.  Obesity also affects the baby and has a higher risk of fetal macrosomia and childhood obesity.

• Miscarriage
• Gestational Diabetes
• Cardiac Dysfunction
• Sleep apnea
• Difficult vaginal delivery