Most Recent Blog Posts

• Whooping Cough: Protect Your N Whooping Cough: Protect Your Newborn, Vaccinate Your Family

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    This week I saw one of my pregnant mothers for one of her prenatal appointments. Her mother and the father of the baby, who all live together, accompanied her. We reviewed some things to get ready at home for the baby, one of which was getting the household members vaccinated against whooping cough. Most women planning to become pregnant or who become pregnant are thinking about their diet, vitamins, juggling their many doctor’s appointments, and getting things ready at home for a baby. They are not thinking about whooping cough. But they should be.

    What is whooping cough?

    A bacteria called pertussis causes whooping cough. The infection results in intense fits of coughing that can be so bad that it is hard to eat, drink or breathe for weeks. It is spread from exposure to infected persons through droplets in the air from coughing and sneezing, and is highly contagious. In babies, it is particularly serious, and 90% of pertussis-associated deaths have been among babies less than one year old.

    Protect Your Loved Ones: Vaccinate with Tdap

    Half of infants who contract whooping cough are infected by their own parents. This is preventable with a booster vaccine known as Tdap. The booster is recommended if it has been more than two years since your last tetanus shot (known at Td, usually given every ten years). You only need one Tdap vaccine in your lifetime. Ideally, you should get vaccinated with Tdap, a combined tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine, preconceptionally. The next best thing is to get it just after you deliver, either before discharge from the hospital, or as soon as possible after discharge in your doctor’s office. It is equally important for partners, family members and caregivers of your newborn to be vaccinated with Tdap.

    So talk to your OB/GYN prior to giving birth about vaccination before being discharges from the hospital, or as soon as possible after discharge. Then, request that all those in contact with your baby attain a Tdap vaccination to protect your infant until the time he or she is fully vaccinated. If you are not yet pregnant but planning to start or add to your family, talk to your OB/GYN about getting vaccinated before pregnancy.

    For more information, here are the recommendations of the ACIP for the Prevention of Pertussis, Tetanus, and Diphtheria Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Their Infants:

    http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5704a1.htm   

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 6 days ago
  • Views: 103
  • Not yet rated

• Sweet Sleep: Simple Ideas for Sweet Sleep: Simple Ideas for a Better Night's Rest

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    A patient asked me if drinking a glass of wine at night to help her sleep was okay. I replied, "Once in a while, yes." Alcohol has a sedative effect on the body, and drinking a small amount of alcohol to help you sleep will initially improve your sleep.  However, using alcohol to help you get to sleep regularly will backfire in the long run. You'll quickly develop tolerance to the effects of alcohol, and need more and more to get to sleep. These higher amounts of alcohol can result in sleep disturbances and poor sleep quality, and leave you feeling even more tired the next day. Alcohol in moderation for socializing and relaxation is fine, but using it as a drug for sleep can lead to a host of other problems.

    A better approach to sleeping well is holistic. Here is a checklist of items to try, to see what helps you:

    Setting:

    A bedroom that is conducive to sleep is cool, dark and quiet. Put up blackout shades or heavy curtains over your windows and be sure to close them at night. Invest in a good mattress, comfortable pillows, and extra blankets. Keep a low fan going or a bedside noise generator to make white noise (or other comforting sounds such as water running or birds chirping). If your home is in a noisy area, get some comfortable earplugs.

    Natural remedies:

    There is scientific data that aromatherapy with lavender fragrance can help with insomnia. This is inexpensive and does not have side effects. Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in the pineal gland in the brain that helps regulate body rhythms and sleep. There is a fairly large body of scientific data that melatonin supplements help sleep, and in particular that it helps to prevent jet lag when crossing time zones. 

    Yoga/mediation:

    Yoga/meditation can be used to help sleep, but it needs to be gentle yoga or stretching, not vigorous power yoga, which could instead keep you awake. Try easy yoga stretches in bed followed by meditation.

    Routine:

    Get into a bedtime routine. Go to bed at the same time daily, regardless if it is a work day or day off. Your biological clock will get into synchrony this way. Avoid napping. Use your bed only for sleep or sex. Read or listen to soft music.

    Caffeine:

    The link between caffeine and poor sleep is very clear: caffeine can affect sleep for those who are sensitive to the stimulating effects of it.  Most of us are well aware of how much and what time of day that we can drink our coffee -- or other caffeinated beverages -- to minimize its effect on our sleep, but this does vary a great deal from one person to another.

    Still having trouble? See your doctor. There are many treatments available, depending upon the underlying cause of your sleep problem.

  • Blog post
  • 4 weeks ago
  • Views: 158

• Face Facts: Popping Pimples 10 Face Facts: Popping Pimples 101

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    “Never pop!” is the advice you’ll hear from your friends,  most of your doctors (except me), and your mother. Under the right circumstances, however, popping is okay . The right pimple to pop is one that is almost ready to pop on its own that can be released with very gentle pressure. But please, please, don’t beat up on your face. If you pop too much, you will make a the problem worse and do more harm than good.

    What are the rules? The key to productive popping is to choose the right zits to zap. Only pop zits that are close to the surface of your skin and have come to a raised head. You’ll know a zit is poppable because you can see the white pus lurking just under the surface of your skin. Wash the area and then use a clean washcloth to press gently (gently!) on each side of the zit. Don’t use your bare hands to apply pressure; this can traumatize your skin. The oily contents should squeeze out pretty easily. Wipe this off gently and apply an antibiotic ointment from the drugstore (such as Neosporin or Bacitracin) to prevent more bacteria growth.

    If a zit doesn’t pop easily, it probably isn’t ready to be popped. You can try the next step, gently and carefully, which may draw the pimple to the surface so it becomes poppable in a few days. Take a warm, wet washcloth. Press lightly on the zit to bring it to a head. Hold the cloth on the spot for a few minutes, and repeat this warm compress a couple of times a day to coax the oily material to the skin surface. Don’t use hot water or you’ll burn your skin and end up with more bright red blemishes than you started with.

    Remember, less is better when it comes to popping zits. (Don’t do any of this the day of the prom. Your skin needs a few days to recover!)

    A few more emergency pimple popping tips:

    1. Wash your face with a washcloth to remove all lotion and makeup.
    2. Steam your face before you pop zits. Steam will open your pores and soften your skin surface. Sit in front of a bowl of hot water with your skin near the water--but not touching it! Make a tent over your head with a towel to trap the steam. Some people take a hot shower to do this, but many will just get irritated skin this way.
    3. Wash your hands thoroughly to prevent infecting the pimple with bacteria from your hands.
    4. Sterilize a needle or pin by holding it in a flame or wiping it with alcohol so you don’t introduce bacteria with the procedure.
    5. Prick the surface (and only the surface) of the pimple with the needle.
    6. Using a washcloth or gauze, apply gentle pressure to the sides of the pimple to coax out the pus. Do not press hard!
    7. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area.

     

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 2 months ago
  • Views: 237
  • Not yet rated

• Yogurt Wont Help Vaginal Yeast Yogurt Wont Help Vaginal Yeast

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    One of the most common myths I hear about in gynecology is the natural remedy of yogurt for curing or preventing yeast vaginitis. The fact is, there is no good scientific evidence that proves that yogurt will cure or prevent vaginal yeast infections.

    Vaginal health 101
    A healthy vagina has a pH balance that is slightly acidic, with a small to moderate amount of discharge that ranges from clear to white, and from thin to thick. The color and consistency of your discharge depends upon hormone levels that vary throughout your monthly cycle. A normal vagina contains many different kinds of bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms living together in this small ecosystem. Lactobacillus is a good guy bacteria found in your vagina and is very important. It's the peacekeeper among all the many microorganisms down there. These good bacteria produce acid, and this acidic environment keeps harmful bacteria and yeast from overgrowing.

    Risk factors for yeast vaginitis
    To keep the lactobacillus happy, don't douche, and don't use "feminine hygiene" sprays. These practices, along with antibiotic therapy, spermicide use, birth control pills, pregnancy, diabetes, tight clothing and frequent sexual intercourse are all factors that increase the risk for development of yeast infections.

    Yogurt and yeast
    So where does yogurt come in? Some types of yogurt, those with "active cultures" contain the bacteria lactobacillus, the same one that is the peacekeeper of the vagina. So the thinking is that if you eat this, or use it inside your vagina, you can inject some of these good guy bacteria back into the system naturally. Unfortunately, this does not appear to work in well-designed studies done of this technique.

    Yeast vaginitis symptoms
    Vaginitis is not a life-and-death emergency, but the intense itching and burning south of the border can make it feel like one. The usual symptoms of yeast vaginitis are a white "cottage cheesy" discharge, as well as vaginal itching or burning. (I don't know why we always use food to describe vaginal discharge.) Sometimes women notice burning during urination or dryness or pain with intercourse.

    Proven treatments for yeast vaginitis
    Treatment for yeast infections is best done with antifungal medication. If this is your first yeast infection, go to your health care provider to be sure yeast vaginitis is the right diagnosis. Once you've had a yeast infection, you can be pretty confident you know the symptoms yourself, so it's okay to treat yourself in the future, using over-the-counter medication. If you have lots of yeast infections, it's a good idea to see your doctor, because you may have a resistant strain that requires a prescription antifungal or longer-than-usual treatment.

    How do you use the treatments? You put them in your vagina. The usual form is a tablet, cream, or other form of suppository that goes into your vagina at bedtime (when you're horizontal, so it has a chance to work before oozing out) for a period of days. Antifungal creams that are available over the counter include butoconazole (Femstat 3), clotrimazole (Lotrimin), miconazole (Monistat), and terconazole (Terazol 3). A one-tablet oral treatment for yeast vaginitis is fluconazole (Diflucan), which can be convenient in order to avoid the messy creams but is available only with a prescription since your doctor needs to be sure it is a good option for you. If symptoms do not go away with treatment, make an appointment for further evaluation. During pregnancy, confirm your diagnosis before using any treatment. Your doctor will typically ask you to use creams instead of pills, because creams are less likely to get into your bloodstream--and into your baby.

    No partner treatment necessary

    We used to treat male sex partners at the same time. Now we know that yeast vaginitis is not sexually contagious, but rather an overgrowth of normal microorganisms. So your partner does not need to be treated, and you can't catch yeast from each other.

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 369

• Something’s fishy – bacterial Something’s fishy – bacterial vaginosis

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is not really an infection. Vaginitis is an inflammation in which the walls are irritated and more white blood cells and discharge are produced.  It results from an overgrowth of normal bacteria that are supposed to inhabit the genital tract. In fact, many different bacteria and yeast normally populate it. They usually coexist peacefully and keep each other in check, but if they are knocked off balance, one may overpower the others. This leads to a decrease in the number of lactobacillus (one of the normal bacteria that lives there, keeping the peace), an increase other bacteria, and the unpleasant symptoms of fishy odor, discharge, and irritation. Most women will have at least one episode of vaginitis during their lives. Bacterial vaginosis is the most common vaginitis I see.

    Who gets it?

    BV is not sexually transmitted, but it usually is found in sexually active women, so it could be the sexual activity that brings it on. The infection sometimes begins after sex with a new partner, which alters the ecosystem balance in the genital tract. Commonly, it is brought on by douching, which can alter the natural levels of the different bacterial and allow one type to overgrow.

    Symptoms

    BV is usually signaled by a thin yellow, gray, or greenish, frothy discharge that is accompanied by a fishy odor and  irritation. The odor is often noticeable after intercourse. Your doctor makes the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis by testing your discharge. One test is done by looking at the discharge on a slide under the microscope to help distinguish bacterial vaginosis from other types of vaginitis—yeast vaginitis or sexually transmitted types.

    Treatment

    Bacterial vaginosis is treated with a prescription antibiotic—in the form of either prescription cream or oral antibiotics (metronidazole cream or oral tablets, or clindamycin cream). It usually resolves completely without complications after treatment. No special follow-up is necessary if the symptoms disappear. Your partner does not need to be treated, because the infection is not transmitted sexually. For unknown reasons, some women get recurrent BV. Usually, this can be handled by longer courses of antibiotics. 

    
    

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 196
  • Not yet rated

• HPV Vaccine HPV Vaccine

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

     

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 159
  • Not yet rated

• No Period on Birth Control Pil No Period on Birth Control Pill? No Problem!

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Many women on the new low dose birth control pills don't get their period, and this is no problem. Birth control pills today are low dose, containing 30-35 micrograms of estrogen, and some are ultra low dose (20 micrograms of estrogen). This low dose of estrogen keeps the lining of the uterus very thin, so that periods on the birth control pill are typically very light, or even absent in some women. The lining of the uterus (the endometrium) barely builds up at all, since estrogen is what causes it to grow. Often, the longer you are on the pill, the lighter and more pain-free your period gets. This is a nice benefit of taking the pill, in addition to the birth control action.

    How to Skip Your Period on the Pill

    Some women want to take a birth control pill to stop their period from time to time, for example if you have a wedding, vacation, or athletic event. You can stop your period by taking the birth control pill continuously, skipping the placebo pills at the end of the month, and immediately starting a new pack. The period you have on the pill is what is called a withdrawal bleed. The lining sloughs off when you start taking the placebo (dummy) pills at the end of the month. If you skip these, you wont get a period. This is perfectly safe to do. Some women prefer to do this year round, so they never get a period. This, too, is just fine. Studies show that women who take continuous birth control pills have less pain, so if you are suffering from painful periods, this method might help you more than cyclical birth control pills that result in a monthly period.

    It Might Cost You Money

    You may want to skip the dummy pills every month, so that you never get a period. The problem with doing this is many insurance companies won't fill your birth control pack every three weeks, but may only pay for a new pack every four weeks. One way around this is to have your doctor write on the prescription, "skip placebos and start a new pack every three weeks." Another option is to use one of the newer pills that contains fewer (or no) placebos, or dummy pills. Some of these newer pills are designed to have no periods, or very few periods, because they contain fewer, or no, placebo pills. These pills are generally higher cost for you each month, since they are often what are called third-tier drugs, requiring you to pay a higher insurance co-pay. Check with your insurance company to see if you are better off with one of these, or with paying out of pocket for any extra pill pack so you can skip your period when you don't want it.

    A Few Brands That Results in Fewer, or No, Periods

    Seasonale - periods four times a year

    Seasonique - periods four times a year

    Lybrel - no regular periods

     

  • Blog post
  • 3 months ago
  • Views: 791
  • Not yet rated

• Try the New and Improved Femal Try the New and Improved Female Condom

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    

    Recently, several women's health organizations have been promoting the new and improved female condom.  This prompted me to start asking my patients if they've used it, and surprisingly, very few have even heard of it, let alone tried it. So I figured this column is a good place for me to add my voice to the promoters of the female condom. After all, the female condom is the only women-initiated birth control method that prevents both unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

    What is the female condom?

    Like the male condom, the female condom is a tube that's closed on one end and open on the other. The sleeve-like device is inserted into a woman prior to sex, where it is held in place with a ring similar to the one on a diaphragm. Another ring stays outside, where it lies against the labia. The female condom can be inserted just before sex or up to 45 minutes prior. The female condom is 79 to 95 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, about the same as the male condom. It's available over the counter.

    How do I use a female Condom?

    To use a female condom, squeeze the inner ring between your fingers and insert it like a tampon. Push the inner ring in as far as it can go. Let the outer ring hang about an inch outside your body. Guide the penis through the outer ring. Right after ejaculation, squeeze and twist the outer ring and pull the pouch out gently. Like the male condom, it should be thrown away. Never use it again. Do not use the male and female condom at the same time! The friction makes both condoms more likely to break. The instructions are right on the package.

    The new version of the female condom, FC2

    In March 2009, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new version - the FC2 - that has some advantages over the original. It's much less expensive-about 82 cents each. It's also made of a new material that many women seem to prefer over the older version. The original female condoms were made from a polyurethane material. The new material, which is more latex-like, is softer, quieter, and warms up to body temperature more quickly. Most women note that it feels more "natural."
    
    The female condom has been surprisingly slow to catch on since it was released to the market 15 years ago. However, I think with this new version, new price, and these educational campaigns, more women are going to be comfortable with this method because they control it, and it carries the dual benefit of preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Try it, and let's hear from you about your experience.

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 366
  • Not yet rated

• Have Genital Herpes? You're No Have Genital Herpes? You're Not Alone.

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Herpes is once again in the news, and the news is a bit discouraging. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) release this week noted that one in six Americans between the ages of 14 and 49 have genital herpes, and close to one in two black women are infected. Even more frightening, nearly four out of five people who have genital herpes have not been diagnosed and may not know they have the infection.

    Genital herpes is an infection caused by a sexually transmitted virus. It most commonly infects the genitals, but it can occur in many areas. I've also seen it on bottoms and backs. It is usually spread by someone who has infectious herpes sore, but it can be spread even when the virus is dormant and no lesion is present because the virus can still be shedding. Herpes is a strange virus. It actually lives in the nerve endings, close to where the infection first started. Future outbreaks will always be in this same area, whenever the virus gets reactivated. There is no cure for herpes, and stress, illness, or sunlight can cause an outbreak. Some people have only a few outbreaks in their lifetime. Others have them as often as every month.

    When herpes outbreaks are on the mouth, we call it oral herpes, and this form is usually caused by herpes simplex I. You can get it from normal contact with family and friends, such as kissing or close skin-to-skin touching. It's not genital herpes and it's not sexually transmitted. It can, however, be spread to the genitals.

    Does It Matter If It Is Herpes Type I or Type II?

    Not really. We don't normally do tests to check if it is Herpes 1 or 2, because we know by the location, especially if it's recurrent. While it's technically possible for a Type 2 sore to infect the lips, it won't thrive there and recur. It thrives and recurs in the genitals. And a Type 1 case is possible in the genitals, especially transmitted by oral sex, but it won't generally thrive there either, so there tend to be fewer outbreaks if you do get Type I genitally. Types 1 and 2 are a lot alike at the DNA level but are still different viruses that do best in their own locations. They both are very contagious.

    How Herpes Is Spread

    Herpes is transmitted from direct contact with someone who has a sore, which is also called a lesion. Someone who has dormant herpes with no open sores can also transmit it. This is called asymptomatic shedding. For example, you know that your partner has herpes, so you avoid having sex when he has a lesion. But suddenly you develop a herpes sore in your genitals after having sex with him when he did not have a herpes lesion. This is possible, because a person can be shedding virus in the absence of a lesion about 10 percent of the time. Many women know before they are about to have a herpes outbreak because they get a little tingling feeling in the area where they typically get their outbreak. Remember, too, that you don't need to have intercourse to catch herpes, because touching a lesion, such as the penis touching the outside of your labia, can transmit the virus.

    Myths

    Don't fall for the myth. Herpes cannot be caught from dry surfaces like toilet bowls.

    Treatments

    There are medications that suppress the virus, but there is no cure today. The suppressive medications, which must be taken daily, can reduce and even eliminate herpes outbreaks and asymptomatic viral shedding. That can greatly reduce anxiety about having and spreading genital herpes, and most women find they have few, if any, side effects. There is also a vaccine in the works that shows promise, but it is still some years away.

    Health Issues and Herpes

    Herpes sores are uncomfortable, even painful, and people feel embarrassed about having them. But in a healthy person with a normally functioning immune system, they aren't dangerous. Herpes doesn't cause fertility problems or affect your general health. One important health issue to be aware of is this: if you have a genital herpes outbreak when you are going to deliver a baby, you should have a cesarean delivery instead of a normal delivery. A newborn baby can contract a herpes infection from an infected birth canal. Because a newborn does not yet have a fully functioning immune system, infection can have serious consequences. Luckily, a cesarean delivery can prevent this from happening. Medication can also be used in pregnancy to suppress outbreaks at the time of delivery. One other vitally important health issue is that a herpes sore can make you more susceptible to HIV. People with genital herpes are two to three times more likely to catch HIV.

    Condoms Decrease But Don't Entirely Prevent Herpes from Spreading

    Using condoms can prevent sexual transmission of herpes, as long as the condom entirely covers the sore. Your best defense is to use condoms every time you have sex--that's every time, until you are in a committed, monogamous relationship in which you've both been cleared of STIs by tests.

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 524
  • Not yet rated

• Will taking the birth control Will taking the birth control pill affect my fertility?

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    I have many patients who take the birth control pill for years, and I have been surprised to learn that many of these women believe that using the birth control pill for extended periods of time negatively affects their fertility. Let me put this to rest. No, the birth control pill will NOT decrease your fertility. It is well known that aging decreases fertility, but the birth control pill does not amplify this age-related decline in fertility.   Your ability to get pregnant after ten years on the pill is identical to your ability to get pregnant at the same age if you had never taken the pill. The pill stops ovulation, but as soon as you stop taking it, ovulation generally resumes in a couple of weeks.

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 474
  • Not yet rated

• The Hole Story: Body Piercing The Hole Story: Body Piercing & Safety

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    As a gynecolgist, I see all kinds of piercings, which have become very common in places beyond the earlobes. These days, I find jewelry in the tongue, lips, upper ear, nipples, belly button, and genitals. Piercings are generally harmless, but there are a few medical facts to know.

    Occasionally I see scarring, especially in those who are genetically predisposed to overgrown scars called keloids. Rarely, I see piercing-related infections, which usually clear up on their own with cleansing, but sometimes require removal of the piercing. The most common issue I see is allergic reactions. Most good-quality jewelry is made of gold or silver, and allergic reactions are uncommon. However, to keep prices lower, nickel is often mixed into jewelrey, and nickel is a common cause of allergy. You'll notice redness, swelling, and tenderness in the area, which usually disappears within a day or two if you remove the jewelry.

    Some warnings:

    1. Genital piercings can damage condoms. Take the jewelry out before sex, especially if yours has any sharp edges.

    2. Tongue piecrcings can damage your teeth. I'd try to avoid these, since your teeth have a long and important road to travel over a lifetime, and a banging piece of metal is a bad idea.

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
  • Views: 555
  • Not yet rated

• Is It Safe to Never Have Your Is It Safe to Never Have Your Period?

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Who would want to stop her period? Ask any woman -- particularly an athlete or one with heavy or painful periods -- and I bet she would say she'd prefer to skip it. While some women embrace their "time of the month," others would rather live without it. 

    IS IT OKAY TO STOP YOUR PERIOD FOR A LONG TIME?

    The short answer is yes. Menstruation is the result of ovulation. When an egg drops down and is unfertilized, the lining of the uterus is shed, causing a period. Traditionally it was thought that most women should have regular periods to get rid of the build up of the lining of the uterus. But now we know that with the birth control pill there is little to no build up. While there continues to be some controversy about halting menstruation indefinitely, common view among experts now is that women do not need to have their periods and can safely stop them.

    WHAT ARE THE NEW DRUGS TO GET RID OF PERIODS?

    In the past, doctors prescribed traditional birth control pills to stop periods -- but in a different way. Instead of taking three weeks of hormones and one week of dummy pills, patients were told to skip that last week and instead start the next set of hormones. Unfortunately, because more pill packs were needed to continue hormone use, insurance didn't cover the total cost. Now there are birth control pills that are FDA approved to minimize the number of periods a woman has. Seasonique (initially called Seasonale when government approved in 2003) is designed to give women one period every three months. By receiving FDA approval, the drug changed the way many women (and some physicians) think -- it legitimized the idea that women didn’t need to have a period every month. The result was more and more women asking for this. Another pill, called Lybrel, is first birth control pill to suppress menstrual periods for a full year. These two newer pills have the advantage of being covered by most insurance companies. In addition to birth control pills, some IUDs (Mirena) in some women will stop periods, or make them extremely light.

    WHO ISN’T RIGHT FOR THESE NEW MEDICATIONS?

    All birth control pills have side effects and potentially serious risks. Those risks include blood clots, stroke and heart attack. Smoking increases the risks, especially in women over 35. Women should also note that there can also be bleeding and spotting between periods. IUDs that stop periods don’t have these same risks as the hormone levels are much, much lower. Remember: Talk to your doctor about what is right for you.

     

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
  • Views: 699
  • Not yet rated

• You're Not a Teenager Anymore You're Not a Teenager Anymore - But You Have Acne

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Do you ever notice that your skin tends to break out right before and during your period? Your hormone levels rise and fall during your menstrual cycle, and your skin is very sensitive to these changes. The name of the game is change, and
    your skin seems to react to it – adolescence, pregnancy, and even perimenopause can be times when your skin gets worse.

    How does it work? We all have both female and male hormones in our bodies. The female hormones, especially estrogen, tend to prevent acne; male hormones, such as testosterone and androstenedione, stimulate the oil glands in your skin, which can lead to breakouts. When your estrogen levels are high, this powerful female hormone acts in two ways to reduce or prevent acne. It neutralizes male hormone activity. It helps your body to produce a substance that will bind with the
    male hormones and slow them down. The 'free' testosterone that hasn’t been bound by this protein is the active form and is what causes acne or makes it worse. So the more estrogen that is around, the less male hormone activity there is to act on your skin.

    To minimize acne, gently wash your face only twice per day, morning and evening. Too much washing can irritate your skin. Ideally, use only your hands and a gentle cleanser to avoid irritating your skin. Use a washcloth to remove make up or lotions, but use it gently. Washing itself does not clear breakouts since dirt does not cause acne, so there is absolutely no need to scrub. There are many over-the-counter and prescription treatments for acne.

    Did you know that birth control pills are another good option for acne treatment?! They are well proven for treating acne in women ages 15 or older. Studies show that 9 out of 10 women who take birth control pills show significant improvements in
    their skin. Some formulations of the birth control pill are better than others for acne control, but all types help to some degree.

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 264
  • Not yet rated

• Fewer Pap Tests for Young Wome Fewer Pap Tests for Young Women

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Pap smears can detect precancerous changes in the cervix many years before cervical cancer develops. We are now adjusting pap screening guidelines so you don’t need them every year. Recent scientific data supports decreasing pap tests from one year down to every two years in young women.  And now you don’t need to start until you turn 21. Previously, experts recommended women get their first Pap either within three years of first sexual intercourse, or by age 21, and then to continue them once a year in the 20's.

    The extremely common sexually transmitted virus called HPV, human papillomavirus, causes cervical cancer. We’ve learned that HPV in young women usually goes away, since the body fights it quite well. Even when it does not go away, most women don’t have any lasting trouble, and if they do, the changes are very slow to develop. This makes cervical caner an ideal cancer to screen for in its precancerous stages, since it has a long precancerous phase that can be treated by very simple means. Some cancers, like ovarian, don’t have a long pre-cancerous phase, and that makes them difficult to detect early. Luckily, cervical cancer is not one of these.

    In medicine, we are constantly studying the best way to find cancers early, and these recommendations are based upon the latest scientific evidence. Don’t interpret this new recommendation as a way to save health care dollars frivolously at the expense of women’s health. The whole point is to spend preventive health care dollars wisely, and new data is constantly being examined with this in mind. This is a step forward, not backward.

  • Blog post
  • 8 months ago
  • Views: 251
  • Not yet rated

• Why is the line to the ladies' Why is the line to the ladies' room always the longest?

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    You race to the ladies' room, desperate. The line snakes down the hall. Sigh. Our bodies have a few design flaws.

    Your bladder is where urine is stored. It can hold about a pint (16 ounces, or 480 ml) of urine. Some people have a bladder that could stretch out and hold as much as a quart or a liter. But the need to pee comes well before the bladder is full. The desire to pee (called the micturition reflex) can start as soon as you’ve got half a cup (120 ml) in there. Your bladder is located right above your urethra, which is the little tube you pee through, and it’s a short, straight line to the toilet. Men have a much longer urethra. 

    If you are well hydrated, your pee should be clear to light yellow. Your first pee in the morning may be a little more concentrated and darker, but you should see it lighten during the day. Before you panic when you see or smell something unusual in the toilet, remember that many vitamin supplements, foods (especially asparagus), and medicines can change the color and odor of your pee.

    Why is the line to the ladies’ room always the longest?

    Bladder control problems are more common in women than men. This is related to different anatomy, loss of hormones after menopause, and childbirth, to name only a few. Some women leak urine when they laugh, sneeze, or exercise (called
    stress incontinence), while others have a hard time holding their urine when the urge to pee arises (called urge incontinence or overactive bladder). But no one needs to live with incontinence. 

    Today, your doctor can provide help. Come prepared with a voiding diary – a list of the number and times of day that you pee, including the number of times you get up at night. A complete evaluation starts with this story, and may also include tests to determine if you are completely emptying your bladder, as well as bladder pressure changes while voiding. Some problems can be treated with scheduled voiding, others with medication, and still others with surgery. In addition, some innovative new treatments include Botox and implantable nerve simulators for overactive bladder. Most surgeries today are minimally invasive techniques that don’t even require a hospital stay. Don’t suffer in silence or let your bladder control problem prevent you from living a full life. See your doctor today.

  • Blog post
  • 8 months ago
  • Views: 213
  • Not yet rated

• Incisionless Sterilization Gai Incisionless Sterilization Gaining Popularity

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    My patient (we’ll call her Barbara), who has three children, came to see me asking about a more permanent form of birth control. She’d been on the pill for several years and wanted something more permanent.  She was reluctant to have a surgical procedure, beause the recovery would be difficult with manaing three children and her business. Her husband has health issues, and a vasectomy was not an option for him. 
    
    I suggested she try the newest technique, hysteroscopic sterilization. It’s a great advancement for women, because it’s the first incisionless method. It was FDA approved in 2002, and is gaining popularity. Hysteroscopic sterilization works by placing tiny coils within the fallopian tubes. The coils cause scarring in the tubes, which blocks them.  And, unlike other forms of female sterilization, this procedure does not require any incisions or general anesthesia.

    During the procedure, a doctor uses a camera attached to a narrow instrument (called a hysteroscope) that is inserted through the v***** opening into the uterus to access the tubes. With the help of the camera, the physician threads the coils into the tubes. Over time, scar tissue forms around the implants and effectively blocks the fallopian tubes.

    For the first three months after insertion, you must use another method of birth control to allow adequate time for the scarring process. After three months, you return for a follow-up visit where dye is injected into the uterus and an X-ray is taken to make sure that the coils are appropriately placed and the tubes are blocked. If both tubes have become successfully blocked, you can stop using back-up birth control.

    The overall success rate for this procedure is very high; the chance of becoming pregnant after having the procedure is about 1% or less. The greatest failure rates occur among women who do not use alternative birth control during the three months after the procedure.The benefit is that there are no incisions, and for some women, the procedure can be done right in the doctor’s office, so it’s much easier for the patient. Like any procedure, there are inherent risks such as a failed-procedure and infection, but these risks are rare.  Because it’s considered permanent, you need to be absolutely certain you will not want to get pregnant in the future.

    Barbara underwent her procedure and X-ray follow up, and is very happy with her decision.

  • Blog post
  • 9 months ago
  • Views: 182
  • Not yet rated

• Breast Self-Examination: The C Breast Self-Examination: The Controversy

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    There will be times in your health care when science and experience tells you conflicting things. The br**st self-exam is a big one. For years, I’ve shown women how to examine themselves. Until recently, self-exam was thought to be a good way for women to examine themselves for early signs of cancer.

    Then came a 2002 study in Shanghai that showed no difference in overall deaths from cancer between women who did self-exams and women who did not. Also, the self-examiners would find benign lumps that would then have to be looked at with a biopsy, which can be stressful.

    Since then, I have stopped pushing the monthly self-exam. “Wait a minute,” said a patient I saw last week, “My sister found her cancer as she was doing a self-exam in the shower.”

    And there’s the controversy. I know from experience, not science, that many women find their own lumps. Statistically there may be no difference in the death rate, but for many individual women finding the lump is life saving.

    What do you do? My recommendation is that you get to know your br**st as a first step. Examine them after your period when they are least lumpy. The shower is agood place to check them. Check them from time to time on a schedule that is
    easy to remember--the first day of each season, for example, or monthly if you prefer. Become familiar with your br**sts. If you come across something that doesn’t feel right, have your doctor check it out.

    
    

  • Blog post
  • 10 months ago
  • Views: 185
  • Not yet rated

• Is that my biological clock ti Is that my biological clock ticking? Make it stop!

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    It’s the ultimate career woman’s dream: work now; conceive later. Can this be possible? There are advanced technologies that can help you have a baby when nature doesn’t work out. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a method of assisted reproductive technology that involves combining an egg with sperm in a laboratory dish. If the egg is fertilized and begins cell division,
    the resulting embryo is transferred to the woman’s uterus where it will, if all goes well, implant in the uterine lining and develop into a baby. IVF may be performed in conjunction with medications that stimulate the ovaries to produce
    multiple eggs, to increase the chances of successful fertilization and implantation. If more embryos are produced than are needed, the extra ones can be frozen for future use.

    Assisted reproductive technologies such as IVF have given older women some hope of pregnancy when nature has quit and gone home, but even this runs up against the physiological limitation of aging eggs. No one understands exactly what happens to eggs after several decades of waiting in the body. When you are twenty, 90 percent of your eggs are normal. By the time you are forty, 90 percent of your eggs are abnormal.  

    Is it possible to prevent eggs from aging, to keep them frozen in time until you are ready to use them? By freezing eggs instead of embryos, a woman eliminates the need to have a partner before taking action. And once frozen, an egg can
    theoretically last forever. Has technology advanced enough to allow this? Promising research is going on now, but we are not yet ready to offer this option routinely to all women.

    The trouble is that eggs are more difficult to freeze than sperm or embryos. Because they are comparatively large single cells filled with water, eggs are particularly vulnerable to the formation of ice crystals. Researchers have tinkered with the formula for decades, with some successes, but none consistent.

    Very recently, though, Italian scientists have perfected a slow-freezing method that takes the temperature of the egg down a couple of degrees a second, and they’ve developed a new recipe for a cryoprotectant solution (liquid to protect eggs during freezing) that includes just the right amount of nutrients. With their techniques, they’ve averaged a 17-percent pregnancy rate from frozen eggs. This is actually close to the success rate with frozen embryos, a much more
    mainstream practice.

    Egg freezing is an expensive bet--and far from a guarantee. It’s usually better, if possible, to meet your partner sooner than later, and find a way to balance work and family together.

  • Blog post
  • 10 months ago
  • Views: 228
  • Not yet rated

• Home Pregnancy Tests 101: A Pr Home Pregnancy Tests 101: A Primer

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Your period is late. Are you pregnant? Today, you can find out in the privacy of your own home with highly sensitive and accurate urine pregnancy tests. Home pregnancy tests measure the presence of a telltale hormone in your urine called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This hormone, produced by cells from the placenta, first gets into your bloodstream when the fertilized egg implants in your uterus, about six days after fertilization.  By fourteen days after fertilization,
    around the time you would expect your period, some home pregnancy tests may be able to detect the hormone in your urine and give you a positive result. Some can even detect it a few days before this time. 

    Read the directions carefully because they’ll vary with different brands. Some require you to urinate in a cup and then, using a supplied dropper, place a small sample in a testing well. Others let you pee directly onto a stick. The tests also vary in how they display results. Some show pink or blue lines on the test strip; others reveal a red plus or minus sign in a window. Most have a control indicator (often a second line or symbol) that’s supposed to indicate whether the test is valid. If the control indicator doesn’t show up properly, the test may be faulty.

    If the test shows a negative result, wait another few days or a week and try again if you still haven’t gotten your period. If you ovulated later in your cycle than you thought, you may have taken the test too early to get a positive result. For best results, try taking the test first thing in the morning, when your urine is most concentrated.

    Pregnancy Tests Are Not Always Perfect

    Whatever you do, don’t assume that one negative result means you’re not pregnant. If you don’t get your period as expected, remember that you still might be pregnant. Using first morning urine is a good way to make sure the hCG in your urine is concentrated, making it easier for the pregnancy test to return a positive result if you are pregnant. If you want to test in the middle of the day, you can limit fluid intake for several hours to make sure your urine is not diluted.

    False Positives

    If the test says you’re pregnant, but you’re not, this is called a false positive. Sometimes the test is just wrong. Sometimes, though, you get an early positive result and then get your period soon after; you may have had what’s called a chemical pregnancy. That means a fertilized egg implanted in your uterus and developed just enough to start producing HCG but then stopped developing for some reason. This happens with about 30 to 50 percent of all fertilized eggs because they’re abnormal or otherwise incapable of developing into and surviving as an embryo. If this is the case, you’ll go on
    to get your period (though it may be a little heavier and a few days later than usual).

    Today's technology allows you to take charge of your fertility and be an equal partner. But don't make the mistake of going at it alone. Let your health care provider know your plans, so that together you can maximize your chances of a healthy outcome.

  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
  • Views: 154
  • Not yet rated

• Summer Pubic Hair Care Tips fr Summer Pubic Hair Care Tips from a Gynecologist

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:
    Summer brings warm weather, bathing suits, and beach days. For women, this means pubic hair shaving and waxing. With all this shaving and waxing comes a few health issues. The most common one is folliculitis.
    
    Folliculitis is an infection in the hair follicle. Understanding the anatomy of the hair follicle will help you understand the problem of folliculitis and how to treat and prevent it. At the base of every hair follicle lies an oil gland. When the opening to the hair follicle gets blocked, usually from dead skin or coarse hair, the gland keeps producing oil, and this traps a small collection of oil. The pressure from this fluid collection can cause discomfort. When bacteria get trapped inside, the fluid collection can get infected and turn into a collection of pus. This can be very painful.
    
    The treatment of folliculitis is getting the pus collection to drain. This can be accomplished with very simple measures. Place a warm washcloth and gently press over the top of the area. The idea is to get it to drain, not to beat yourself up. Don’t get too aggressive with pressing or rubbing the area or you’ll end up very sore.  Sometimes you can get multiple hair follicles involved and end up with many little bumps in your pubic area. 
    
    Don’t confuse folliculitis with Herpes. Usually Herpes is a single small bump with a tiny white dot on top, and it usually comes out in the same area every time there is a recurrent outbreak, and is not just confined to the area in which you shave or are waxed.
    
    Preventing folliculitis is a matter of preventing the clogging of the hair follicle with dead skin. A good way to prevent clogging is by using a loufa sponge to exfoliate the dead skin from the area every time you shower. A loufa sponge is a natural sponge that is a bit rough. Use it in the shaved area, especially in the skin folds in your groin where natural friction makes things worse, and try to unroof the dead skin from the area. Do this every time you shower. It can prevent the dead skin and hair from clogging the opening of the hair follicle.
    
    
    
  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
  • Views: 517
  • Not yet rated