WOMEN’S HEALTH: Preventive care

8th March, International women’s day

Women’s health is an example of population health, where health is defined by WHO as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely absence of disease or infirmity.

Women have unique health issues including Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), period problems, Infertility, Pregnancy, Menopause and other issues related to breast, ovaries and cervix.

The biggest threats to women’s health are often preventable.

• Services for pregnant or who may become pregnant:

• Contraception counseling
• Anemia screening
• Breast feeding support and counseling
• HIV and Hepatitis B screening
• Gestational Diabetes screening

• Other preventive services for women:

• Breast cancer screening, every 1 -2 years for women at the age more than 40yr.
• Cervical cancer screening, for women 21 -65 yr. age, pap smear (every 3 yr) or HPV testing with Pap smear (every 5 yr).

What you can do to maintain your health?

• Eat healthy, to prevent or treat some conditions like heart disease, stroke and diabetes
• Get regular exercises, try to be active for 30-60 min, about 5 times a week.  Remember, any amount of exercise is better than none.
• Lose weight, if you are over weight
• Protect your skin, choose a broad spectrum sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. It should be atleast SPF 15.
• Practice safe sex
• Don’t smoke or use tobacco, sooner you quit, the better.
• Limit how much alcohol you drink. Women should have no more than one drink a day.

Things to consider

In addition to factors listed above, you should make time for whole body health. Visit your doctor for regular health checkup. This includes your physician as well as your gynecologist. Preventive care can detect the disease or prevent illness before they start.

You need to make time for your breast health, atleast to do monthly self examination.

Women should get routine pap test and adolescent girls should get HPV Vaccination at the age of 11-12 yr. to prevent cervical cancer.

Questions to ask your doctor

• How many calories should I eat and how often should I exercise to maintain my current weight?
• Should I have yearly physical examination?
• When should I start getting screening fort certain cancers and conditions?
• When should I get a mammogram?

Dr. Vandana Binwal, Sr. Consultant, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Swastik Hospital and Research Centre, jaipur.