#womens-issues

[unitedintentions]

Whole Healing: A Conversation About Womens Health

[kappoandtherev-blog]

KaTR Klassics: Anne of Green Gables (Chapter One)

[healthmagazine-1677-yahoopa-blog]

Nobody Really Knows The Long-Term Effects Of Tampon Use, It Turns Out

So what does it mean for those who use them….long-term? (Photo: iStock/Getty Images Plus)

American women spend over $2 billion a year on feminine hygiene products—which makes sense, when you consider that there are roughly 67 million women of reproductive age living in the U.S. And since at least half of those women use tampons, it would also make a whole lot of sense for tampons and other related products to be independently tested—as in, not just by the manufacturers who have a vested interest. But the crazy truth is that the FDA has been approving products that are only privately tested (like tampons) or not tested at all (see: powders, douches, and vaginal wipes), which means that women are literally inserting products into their bodies without anyone knowing for sure if those products have potentially harmful long-term effects.

That’s why Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney is reintroducing the Robin Danielson Feminine Hygiene Product Safety Act, a bill that would require the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—which funds more than $30 billion in medical research every year—to independently investigate whether or not chemicals found in many feminine hygiene products pose risks to women. Those potential risks include gynecological cancers, as well as infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, toxic shock syndrome (TSS), endometriosis, bacterial and yeast infections, and immune system deficiencies. The bill, named for a 44-year-old woman who died from TSS in 1998, also calls on the FDA to to publicly disclose any potentially hazardous chemicals found in feminine hygiene products.

Related: 10 Makeup Tips Every Woman Should Know

As Maloney wrote in an op-ed for The Guardian:

This lack of data on cumulative tampon use, feminine hygiene product toxicity, and the chemicals present in all such products is not at all surprising. Women’s health has been perennially under-represented and overlooked when it comes to clinical research and studies. Until the 1980s, women were largely left out of medical research—which meant that almost no health data was collected on women—and most medical trials only included male subjects. Even when scientists studied diseases that largely impacted women (such as breast cancer), women were left out of research.

The NIH does not comment on pending legislation, but it’s true that the organization did not require women and minorities to be represented in clinical research until 1993. What’s more, the NIH only starting asking researchers to consider sex in pre-clinical research (where cells and animals are tested) in October of last year. The change came under the direction of Janine Clayton, M.D., the NIH associate director for research on women’s health and director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health, who recognized the need for women to be fairly represented in the early stages of research—not just in the clinical phase, where drugs and treatments are tested on humans. In an interview from June 2014, Clayton said, “You absolutely have to think of sex. Sex is a fundamental variable in biological research, in biomedical research and it really must be considered from the very start…. Right now, that’s not happening uniformly, so we’re kind of treating this unisex person. Nobody is a unisex person, each of us is male or female, and we need to have information that’s relevant to each of us.”

While some products are avoidable—the vagina naturally cleans itself with mucus, so feminine wipes and “cleansers” are highly unnecessary and just prey on some women’s insecurities that their lady parts are somehow smelly or dirty—tampons and sanitary napkins are a real need. And yet Congress has shut down Mahoney’s bill nine times since she first introduced it in 1997, when it was called the Tampon Safety and Research Act. As a result, women’s health organizations have looked into the safety of feminine hygiene products themselves. Alexandra Scranton, director of science and research for Women’s Voices for the Earth, which published its own report on the issue, stated in an article published on the NIH website: “People have been shocked, saying things like ‘I’ve never really thought about [the vagina] being an important internal link to your body. Although it is well known that the vaginal ecosystem is more sensitive and more absorbent than typical skin, there is surprisingly little research out there on feminine care products.”

Related: 6 Things Men Never Notice During Sex

The FDA has released information that there are “trace amounts” of dioxins in tampons, and asserts on its website that “state-of-the art testing of tampons and tampon materials that can detect even trace amounts of dioxin has shown that dioxin levels are at or below the detectable limit. No risk to health would be expected from these trace amounts.” That may be true for one tampon, but what about decades of use? Philip Tierno, a microbiologist at New York University and TSS researcher, told RH Reality Check: “There is no research taking place on things like dioxin except at the hands of the manufacturers [during the FDA’s pre-market approval requirements], which is like the fox taking care of the henhouse. They aren’t looking at long-term effects. We need data to be able to glean information that can serve as the basis for predicting what can occur.”

“American women deserve the ability to make informed decisions when buying feminine hygiene products,” said Maloney in a released statement. “Given the sheer number of women who use these products it’s time we have definitive answers on their potential risks to women. Although the FDA requires tampon manufacturers to monitor dioxin levels, we still don’t know enough about the health risks of other chemical contaminants contained in these products. The Robin Danielson Feminine Hygiene Product Safety Act would enable research and a better understanding of additives in these products so that women can live healthy lives.”

By Caitlin Moscatello

More from Glamour:

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What Men Really Think About Your Underwear

The 8 Best Oral Sex Moves You’re Not Trying

10 Things He’s Thinking When You’re Naked

[khalid3h]

Ditch the terrible feeling of going to the gynecologist

For most women, the annual visits to the gynecologist are a feared event . In fact , some women neglect their health to keep this appointment . Although the gynecologist is the favorite, it is imperative that women take care of themselves and examinations planning as recommended. In addition , women should learn to feel comfortable talking about their personal health with her gynecologist. Having to deal with this responsibility can not be nice, but can certainly be overcome. As with everything in life, the more you do, the more comfortable it gets. If you make it a habit to visit her gynecologist , as needed , and you can talk openly about their health , which seems less of a daunting task. Not to mention, your body will thank preventive care , which is so important for overall health in the long term. Invest in your health car Taking care of your body needs time, effort and even a good amount of money , but it is worth it. That is why it is essential to get the most out of each visit to the doctor as you can , because you are investing in your own health. One of the most important things you can do to make that happen is to find a gynecologist who you trust and feel comfortable . Once you have selected a gynecologist who is right for you , consider the following questions in mind . These are just some examples of the kinds of questions you might ask , and should feel completely comfortable asking during your visit : • How often do you really need to make an appointment ?• What is the best form of birth control ?• How long does it take before the birth control becomes effective?• What are the best vitamins for a woman's health ?• How can I maximize my chances of getting pregnant ?• What does it mean if I do not get my period every month?• Should I be concerned about the number of sexual partners you've had ?• What does it mean if I notice a smell?• Do you recommend douching , and if so , how often ?• What type of discharge should be cause for concern ? Most of these questions are not easy discussions, but your gynecologist is the only person who can respond with knowledge. In addition, your gynecologist is a qualified professional who is not only able to answer these questions, but also prepared for . Do not hesitate to talk to your health during your appointment , and you never have to worry that your question is stupid. One of the worst things you can do when you have a question or concern about your health is to use the Internet . It is a common practice, because it is convenient and anonymous , but will not give a valid answer . Instead , use the telephone number of your gynecologist. Even if he or she can not answer your question right away, you can leave a message, or nurse can help. Again, the key is to get to a point where you feel comfortable with your gynecologist horrible feeling , it's just a thing of the past.

Ditch the terrible feeling of going to the gynecologist Womens-Issues, Ditch the terrible feeling via Million best of http://ift.tt/1kRCRN9

[dominicnash45-blog]

An operation that is very different than the usual medical abortion is a partial birth abortion.

[claregoggin]

Women's Health Feature

THE GREATEST GIFT: EGG DONATION & FEMALE INFERTILITY Women’s Health & Fitness December 2005 Clare Goggin One of Janet Owen’s twins cried and she couldn’t stay on the phone too long because she had to take care of him. Like any mother, Janet prioritizes her children above everything else. But she also went through a lot more to have those children than most mothers do. “I got the family I always wanted,” Janet explains. “And it doesn’t really matter how I got here.” After giving birth to one child by in-vitro fertilization, Janet found that she could no longer conceive with her own eggs. A number of failed in-vitro fertilization procedures tipped her off that, to have a second child, she and her husband would have to go a new route: egg donation. Dr. Guy E. Ringler of California Fertility Partners treats infertility in Los Angeles, CA. He explains that egg donation is a type of in-vitro fertilization that uses eggs borrowed from another woman. “[Egg donation] enables them to have a child with a relatively high success rate.” The process involves a procedure to extract a number of eggs from a fertile woman and, after fertilizing them, transplanting them into a potential mother who cannot conceive on her own. Receiving a donor egg allows an infertile woman the opportunity to give birth when they might not normally have the chance. Pamela Madsen, the director of the American Infertility Association in New York, says “They get to experience pregnancy. They get to nourish their baby.” This experience was one that Melinda Millsaps had wanted most of her life. She became a neonatal nurse because she loved children and waited to find her “Prince Charming”. When he did not ride into her life on a white horse, Melinda decided to take matters into her own hands. And after being refused treatment at one clinic because she is single, she traveled to find a clinic that would treat her. “I went to go see a reproductive endocrinologist in Jacksonville,” Melinda says. “He told me ‘you’re so old you need to get started, today’.” No one had told Melinda that her fertility peaked at age 27 until it was too late. “I was working. I was told I had up until [age] 45,” says Melinda. During Melinda’s first treatment cycle, she got into a very serious car accident. As she was being flown to a hospital in Orlando, she only spoke to ask for her fertility drugs. She wouldn’t let doctors operate on her until someone brought her the drugs. Unfortunately, her cycle was postponed for six months because she fractured her pelvis. Regardless, Melinda carried on with her struggle to have a child, she found donor after donor but could not conceive. “I’ve been praying for it everyday.” Annie donated her eggs to three different families, none of whom she ever met. She had just moved to New York City and was looking for a job when she discovered that she could be paid for giving other women the opportunity to have children. The need to pay her rent gave her the idea. Annie says, “I remembered seeing ads in college newspapers . . . I looked forward to getting paid but liked being able to help families.” The Reproductive Medical Associates of New Jersey paired Annie with a prospective family, explained the procedures to her in detail and gave her someone to go to with all the questions that popped into her head. “In the beginning, I was a little nervous. I ended up feeling very comfortable about it,” says Annie. Stuart Miller, the CEO of Fertility Futures International, a full-service egg donation firm located in Los Angeles, CA, says that most women donating are very dynamic people earning college degrees or succeeding in other areas of life. “None of our donors are doing this just because of money,” says Miller. Both parties receive a great deal from each other. A donor receives money but more than that. “[The process] gives donors the opportunity to learn about the reproductive cycle,” Dr. Ringler explains, “It’s an interesting and enlightening process.” Annie gave up her time for each donation. She went through a regiment of fertility drugs to encourage her body to produce enough eggs for a donation. Dr. Ringler explains that donors must produce more eggs than a usual cycle during the donation process. “Protocol is pretty standard,” he says. The protocol consists of daily injections that the donor learns to give herself. She goes through a ten to twelve day regiment of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist which synchronizes her cycle with the recipient’s and follicle-stimulating hormone called gonadotropin. While taking these medications, which did not have noticeable side effects for her, Annie visited her doctor on a regular basis. She visited the clinic every other day in the beginning and every day toward the end. Even if it did only start as a way for her to pay her rent, Annie was very at ease with the procedure. She continued on with her life as normal, moving in with a friend and starting work with a temp agency. She spent her spare time exploring New York City. The morning of the procedure, Annie was still very comfortable. “I wore sweats,” she explained and when her driver came to pick her up, she made him stop for breakfast. Charitable women like Annie donate eggs to women like Melinda and Janet everyday. Many women who choose this procedure look for a donor with similar qualities to themselves. When Janet looked for a donor, she just wanted someone who had proven fertility, children of her own or a successful donation in the past, and who seemed to be doing it for the right reasons: to help other women. Melinda was just as easy-going about her search. “I was more interested in her having no serious addiction in her family history.” Donors, such as Annie, go through a rigorous selection process before they can be paired with a recipient family. Annie had to give information on her family medical history, explain her philosophy of life and speak to a psychiatrist who asked her, among other questions, whether she had told her parents and other questions about her family. Annie admitted, “It made me a little homesick.” Even though Melinda, after several donation procedures, never conceived by egg donation she still has faith in donors. “I really bonded to my donor from last time.” Both Janet and Melinda went through similar medication regiments to prepare their bodies to be pregnant. A recipient’s body needs to “mimic a perfect ovulatory cycle,” according to Dr. Ringler. The recipient takes a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist along with the donor to synchronize their cycles then she must go through a hormone replacement. Dr. Ringler explains, “Giving her hormones supports the pregnancy until the placenta can take over.” Aside from medication, both recipient and donor are prepared mentally as well. Janet and Melinda both spoke to therapists before and after their procedures. Janet knows that the emotional end of the procedure is far more demanding than the physical. A potential mother has to first deal with the fact that she cannot give birth to children genetically linked to her. “It’s like going through the seven stages of dying,” says Janet. Pamela Madsen comments, “It can isolate you from your family like the lost joy of Christmas.” But Madsen insists that if a couple works through these problems before the decision is made, they will be fine. Janet is living proof of this. She says of her and her husband, “We’ve become stronger as a result.” After her first donation, Annie felt so good about her experience she went on to donate twice more. “One couple gave me a thank you card. That made me feel good.” Janet only needed one donation to conceive. “We knew we had a great donor and we had unbelievable embryos.” Janet’s doctor transplanted two embryos and she had two babies. Janet never met her donor but she is very grateful to her. “Thank God I couldn’t have my own,” she comments, “They are the greatest kids.” Melinda received eggs from two donors. Neither process worked. During one procedure, Melinda managed to get pregnant. Not long afterwards, she went for a check up. “There was no heart beat,” She explained. She had lost the baby. But Melinda, still hopeful kept on. “We know I can get pregnant, now,” she said right before trying another cycle which ultimately failed. After six years of trying various methods and a third failed attempt at egg donation, Melinda finally adopted a bouncing baby boy. “I am finally off the 24 day cycle of hope and despair,” she says. “It doesn't seem real, yet. But I bet it will some morning at 3:00 AM when we are both crying for no apparent reason.”