What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis (say: os-te-o-poro-sis) occurs when the inside of the bones become porous and thin from a loss of calcium (see the picture below). This is called losing bone mass. Over time, this weakens the bones and makes…
Menopause
What is menopause? Menopause is the end of menstruation. It is part of a woman’s natural aging process when her ovaries produce lower levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone and when she is no longer able to become pregnant.…
Kegel Exercise
Kegel Exercise Tips What are Kegel exercises? To do Kegel exercises, you just squeeze your pelvic floor muscles. The part of your body including your hip bones is the pelvic area. At the bottom of the pelvis, several layers of…
Lichen Sclerosus
What Is Lichen Sclerosus? Lichen sclerosus is a long-term problem of the skin. It mostly affects the genital and anal areas. Sometimes, lichen sclerosus appears on the upper body, breasts, and upper arms. Who Gets Lichen Sclerosus? Lichen sclerosus appears…
Intrauterine Device(IUD)
Intrauterine Device IUD How it Works The IUD is a T shaped plastic frame surrounded with copper. A string is attached to the bottom which hangs through the cervix and can be checked to make sure it is in place. It…
Pregnancy and STIs
Can pregnant women become infected with STDs? Yes, women who are pregnant can become infected with the same sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as women who are not pregnant. Pregnancy does not provide women or their babies any protection against STDs.…
Pregnancy and smoking
Pregnancy and smoking Smoking in pregnancy results in serious risks for both the woman and the fetus. Cigarette smoking by pregnant girls and women has been shown to increase risks of complications in pregnancy and to cause serious adverse fetal…
Interstitial Cystitis
What is interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS)? Interstitial cystitis*/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS) is one of several conditions that causes bladder pain and a need to urinate frequently and urgently. Some doctors have started using the term bladder pain syndrome (BPS) to describe…
Miscarriage
What is a miscarriage? A miscarriage, sometimes called pregnancy loss, is the loss of pregnancy from natural causes before the 20th week of pregnancy. Most miscarriages occur very early in the pregnancy, often before a woman even knows she is pregnant. What…
Pregnancy and HIV
Pregnancy and HIV Women can give HIV to their babies during pregnancy, while giving birth, or through breastfeeding. But, there are effective ways to prevent the spread of mother-to-infant transmission of HIV: Taking anti-HIV drugs during pregnancy—either a drug called…