Gynacology Medicine & Health Pages
By Dr. Gifford Jones
What a shame that headlines never tell women the whole story! But they don’t, and this invariably causes worry and results in poor medical treatment. For several weeks female patients have been asking me what they should do about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This concern has been triggered by newspaper headlines linking HRT to complications. But the news is not as shocking as it appears to be. And unfortunately, many women are making the wrong decision about HRT.
The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) reported that the long-term risks of HRT, such as the increased risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease, outweighed the benefits, the decreased risk of hip fractures and colon cancer.
Bill C-13 Treats Infertile Couples Treated Like CriminalsBy Dr. Gifford Jones
Benjamin Franklin once remarked, “A ship under sail and a big-bellied woman are the handsomest two things that can be seen.” Today there are not many ships under sail and fewer and fewer big-bellied women in this country. So with a sinking birth rate what is the least expensive solution to keep our country afloat?
During the Infertility and Andrology Society meeting held at Murray Bay, Quebec, Dr. Arthur Leader Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Ottawa told me that our decreasing fertility rate is a crisis for the infertile couple, but also, more ominously, for the economic future of our country.
A New Method To Treat InfertilityBy Dr. Gifford Jones
What causes the first crisis in a marriage? Sometimes it’s finance or in-laws. But for many it’s the failure to become a mother. Now a “Puregon Pen” is available, one of the latest techniques, helps women to ovulate, increasing the chance of pregnancy.
For some couples having a baby is as easy as turning on a light switch. But for 15 percent of the population the switch doesn’t turn on.
Eat Swamp Dogwood For Morning Sickness?By Dr. Gifford Jones
How would you feel if you were suffering from the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) but your doctor said you must grin and bear it? Because there wasn’t any safe drug available to fight this condition. And later you discover he was wrong. You’d have every right to be annoyed. Particularly if your illness had forced a termination of the pregnancy.
Mild forms of NVP adversely affect the quality of life for the patient and her family. But severe cases known as hyperemesis gravidarum can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance which can be life-threatening.
What Women Should Know About The Pill In 2002By Dr. Gifford Jones
Does the pill cause breast cancer some ask? Others ask if it increases the risk of ovarian and uterine malignancy. Women wonder if they can change the timing of their period for an important event. The birth control pill has now been available for over 40 years. Yet year after year letters show that many women are still confused and worried about oral contraceptives (OC’s). What’s fact and what’s fiction.
Fact — Forget age 35 as a deadline for the pill. Many women still believe it’s necessary to stop OC’s at this age. This is no longer true. Today’s pill dosage is a shadow of its former self. We now know that low dose pills in healthy non-smoking women can be used up to menopause and for a few years beyond it. This is a great advantage for women who worry about being a mother and a grandmother. Or for those women who develop irregular or heavier periods at this time. The pill can help to regulate inconsistent or irregular cycles.
Ovarian Cancer, Scaring Women Half-To-DeathBy Dr. Gifford Jones
It’s been said that, “A little knowledge is an dangerous thing.” A report from the Mayo Clinic shows that this is particularly true when the subject is ovarian cancer. And it illustrates how easy it is to both inform women and worry them at the same time.
Mayo researchers have claimed recently that there are early symptoms of ovarian cancer. To prove this they reviewed the symptoms of 107 women, aged 38 to 96, in the two years prior to being diagnosed with this disease. The most common complaints were crampy abdominal pain, increased frequency, urgency or leakage of urine. And they urged women with these symptoms to seek medical attention.
A New Treatment For Genital WartsBy Dr. Gifford Jones
What’s the best way to make love these days? I tell patients of all ages to make love like the porcupine, very, very carefully. If they don’t, they may join the millions of people who contact what’s called the “Human Papilloma Virus” (HPV), which causes genital warts. Now there’s a new treatment to eradicate these troublesome warts.
There are over a 100 viral types that can infect the human body. For instance, HPV type 1 causes the common hand warts. Type 6 and 11 cause genital warts. And type 16 is associated with cervical cancer.
The Lethal Nature of Postpartum HemorrhageBy Dr. Gifford Jones
I’ll never forget a scene that happened years ago. I was a young doctor studying to be a surgeon at a university hospital. One evening utter pandemonium erupted in the obstetrical area. Professors of obstetrics and hematology rushed to the bedside of a young woman following the delivery of her baby.
She had experienced normal labour with no reason to suspect trouble was looming. But something suddenly went wrong. Following delivery, bleeding from the uterus would not stop, and despite the combined experience of renowned professors and the superior facilities of this university hospital, she died a few hours later. Today some women still succumb to this tragedy.
Suppose This Woman Had Been My Mother!By Dr. Gifford Jones
It’s an ideal way to write a column. I’m attending a medical conference while cruising the Caribbean sea. But don’t think I’m goofing off. I’m spending long days listening to a variety of international speakers. But as a former ship’s surgeon I also love being at sea.
Chocolates And Sex, The Wrong Gift For Valentine’s DayBy Dr. Gifford Jones
“What did your husband give you for Valentine’s Day?” I jokingly asked a 55 year old patient. She replied, “He brought home the usual gift, chocolates, but that won’t solve my pain with sex. Nor can my own doctor, as he never talks about sexual matters.” This is a scenario I often hear in my office and it’s time to break the hush that surrounds this problem.
Gas And Cesarean Operations At Record HighsBy Dr. Gifford Jones
Not only is the price of gas rocketing to high levels. A recent report by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) says that 26.3 percent of women now have babies delivered by Cesarean section. There are many different opinions of why this has happened in both Canada and the U.S. But William Shakespeare had the ultimate explanation.
The Possible Hazards of Pill SubstitutionBy Dr. Gifford Jones
A 22 year old student stated, “I’ve been on the birth control pill (BCP) for several years. Now my pharmacist wants to give me a generic BCP rather than my regular one. What should I know about these other pills?” It’s a good question, and parents should also be concerned about substitution.
The Ultrasound QuestionBy Dr. Gifford Jones
“Will repeated ultrasound examinations harm my baby?” This is a question readers often ask. It’s a timely question, since millions of obstetrical diagnostic exams are done every year in North America. As well, many expectant families want to record the historic moment of delivery by obtaining a high-resolution, 3-D video of it. How safe are these procedures?
Single Injection Treats Osteoporosis For One YearBy Dr. Gifford Jones
There’s a major problem with human behaviour. Unlike elephants, humans have a great propensity to forget. In fact, they often forget to do the simplest of tasks such as taking medication on a regular basis. This pitfall can have dangerous consequences. Now, due to advanced technology, it’s possible to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis (brittle bones) with just a single injection every year. And that’s pretty hard to forget!
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