Paige: Extra chromosome, extra special Nov 5, 2009
My obstetrician said my cervix wasnt ready but the next morning, after an internal examination, I started getting period-like pains. By the early hours of October 19, Paiges due date, I was in labour so off to the hospital we went. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Sport)
Doctors Overprescribing the Pap Test Nov 4, 2009
Many overprescribe the screen, telling researchers that they would recommend it to virgins (most cervical cancers arise from a sexually transmitted virus), women with inoperable cancers and even women who have had their cervix surgically removed ... More than 44 percent of physicians recommended the Pap test every one to three years for a woman who had previously had her cervix removed for benign reasons. (MEDLINEplus)
Pill use 'may cut risk of cancer' Nov 1, 2009
Any increased risk of breast and cervix cancer linked to pill use appears to be cancelled out by long-term protection from other cancers. However, the British Medical Journal study found using the pill for more than eight years was associated with an increased overall risk of cancer. (Yahoo News -- Birth Control)
Essure for Female Sterilization Oct 28, 2009
Because the fallopian tubes are accessed through the natural opening of the cervix, there are no incisions involved with hysteroscopic sterilization. This dramatically reduces the risk of bleeding and infection and means there is no need for and the risks associated with it. (Suite101.com)
Preemie worry: Induced labor rules tightened Oct 27, 2009
After Magee began strict enforcement requiring that a mother's cervix be nearly ready for natural labor, and limiting the beds available for elective inductions too-early inductions dropped to 4 percent by 2007 and are "effectively zero" today, Fisch says. Overall, elective inductions dropped 30 percent. (Honolulu Advertiser)
The Panda Can Get Pregnant But I Can't Oct 24, 2009
I try not to think about what he is doing down there and instead focus on wiggling my toes, which is somehow supposed to relax the muscles around my cervix. Once the loaded catheter is nestled where it should be, the doctor does something that makes me realize that medical technology hasnt advanced as far as one might think. (Slate)
Summary for Patients Oct 20, 2009
Cervical cancer is cancer of the cervix (the lower part of the uterus or womb) ... To perform a Pap smear, doctors use a swab during an internal examination of the vagina to take a sample of cells from the cervix to look at under a microscope. (Annals of Internal Medicine)
September set aside for gynecologic cancer education Oct 17, 2009
"HPV can infect cells of the cervix and cause them to be abnormal... if untreated, it can progress and if given enough time can turn into cancer.". The vaccine, he said, helps reduce incidents of dysplasia, reducing the risk of cervical cancer. (McKinney Courier-Gazette, TX)
Cancer funding snub under fire Oct 16, 2009
This can determine whether cell changes are likely to be cancer without the need for colposcopy - an invasive direct microscope viewing of the cervix. The committee - whose advice must be accepted by the Health Minister, Nicola Roxon, to become official policy - said both tests were useful, but too expensive for public funding. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
regina c faulkner Oct 14, 2009
Schoenian describes ringwomb as a failure of the cervix to dilate sufficiently to allow delivery of lambs. "Unfortunately, little is known about the cause of ringwomb and how to prevent it," she says. (Agri-View, WI)
Scientists identify common HPV genotypes in northern India, encourage vaccination Oct 11, 2009
Patro and colleagues examined 106 women with invasive cervical cancer, 524 women with an unhealthy cervix and a community-based population of women who underwent HPV testing ... Of those who presented with an unhealthy cervix, 15. (EurekAlert!)
Skepticism About Pill Scare Stories Oct 9, 2009
Those of you that have the anatomy knowledge that I expect in a 12 year old will realize that this is because men don't have a cervix and therefore are unable to develop cervical cancer. There are some (mostly gay) men that have requested the vaccine to reduce their tiny odds of getting penile cancer (which is what HPV does to men) and their slightly greater odds of anal cancer (which is what HPV does to men that have receptive anal sex), but these are fairly rare complications, especially... (Slate)
Namibia: Illegal Abortions Common Despite Risks Oct 8, 2009
"You can't just sell to anyone because you don't know who is a police officer or not. It's quite a risky business but what can we do? We need the extra money and at the same time we are providing a service to our fellow desperate women need. "It's not like we are killing babies, I only sell Cytotec tablets to those whose pregnancy is less than three months to minimise the risk of fatal complications," she says. According to Merja she buys a packet of Cytotec tablets containing 56 pills for the... (allAfrica.com)
Jackson Hospital reaches robotic milestone Oct 7, 2009
Christopher R. Duggar, MD, of Central Alabama OB-Gyn Associates and chief of staff at Jackson Hospital, performed the 100th procedure, which entailed removal of the cervix. He says he's also anticipating another first using the robotic system - removal of fibroids. (WSJA.com, AL)
1 million premature babies die each year, report finds Oct 5, 2009
For example, researchers have been studying the hormone progesterone, which might help women who are at high risk of early delivery because of a shortened cervix, Fisk says. Women would probably take progesterone for several weeks or months. (USA Today)
Doco stirs theory of cancer link to viruses Oct 4, 2009
These include: liver cancer, triggered by hepatitis B and C; cancers of the anus, genitals and cervix, triggered by human papillomavirus; Burkitt's lymphoma, triggered by Epstein-Barr virus; and stomach cancer, triggered by the bacterium helicobacter pylori. But a minority of scientists argue this percentage is far higher. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Kenya: Affordable New Weapon Against Cervical Cancer Oct 3, 2009
Dr Omotto concurs, adding that increasingly younger women in early twenties are being diagnosed with cancer of the cervix. "It is a reality on the ground that cases of cervical cancer are on the increase and this is mainly due to increased risk factors. What we have noticed is that HIV positive women tend to develop cervical cancer, "Omotto says. (allAfrica.com)
Cervical Cancer Strikes Poor Women Hardest Oct 3, 2009
When a person is infected with HPV, the virus over time modifies the cells of the cervix and this could lead to cancer if left untreated. An HPV infection is diagnosed through a pap smear, a medical procedure during which cells are scraped from the outer layer of the cervix, and examined under a microscope for changes. (allAfrica.com)
Vaccination And Testing For The Human Papilloma Virus Could Eradicate Cervical Cancer Sep 26, 2009
"It's important to say up front that the HPV is responsible for all cervix cancer," said Prof Cuzick. "If you can eradicate the virus, the cancer will not appear. So the current vaccine holds the promise of eradicating about 70-75% of cervical cancers (caused by HPV types 16 and 18), and there appears to be some additional cross protection amongst types that are closely related to 16 or 18, in particular 31, 45 and a little bit of 33. There are new vaccines being planned that will vaccinate... (Science Daily)
Pill use 'may cut risk of cancer' Sep 25, 2009
Any increased risk of breast and cervix cancer linked to pill use appears to be cancelled out by long-term protection from other cancers. However, the British Medical Journal study found using the pill for more than eight years was associated with an increased overall risk of cancer. (Yahoo News -- Birth Control)
Specialists want carcinoma out of diagnosis Sep 25, 2009
But the issue is similar to cervical cancer, where abnormal cells form on the surface of the cervix before eventually invading. What doctors now call a precancerous condition and classify with various levels of severity they once termed cervical carcinoma in situ. (MSNBC -- Health)
Cervical cancer vaccinations for all girls (Update) Sep 25, 2009
KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry will provide annual human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination against cervical cancer or cancer of the cervix to an estimated 300,000 13-year-old girls in Malaysia beginning next year. Its Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said RM150mil would be spent annually. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
For Hispanics, a Unique Cancer Profile Emerges Sep 17, 2009
TUESDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Hispanics in the United States are less likely to die from cancer than non-Hispanic whites, but they have higher rates of cancers linked to infections, including stomach, liver and cervix malignancies, a new report says. At first glance, Hispanics' lower death rate from cancer seems to be good news, but one explanation is that the Hispanic population skews younger than the general U.S. population. (MEDLINEplus)
Hispanics less likely than whites to develop cancer: report Sep 16, 2009
Though the report found lower cancer incidence rates generally in Hispanics, it also found Hispanics have higher rates of several cancers, including cancers of stomach, Cervix, liver, gallbladder and acute lymphocytic leukemia. For many cancer types, Hispanics are far more likely than whites to be diagnosed in a later stage of the disease, when the cancer is likely to be less treatable, according to the report. (Xinhuanet, China)
American Cancer Society report describes unique cancer profile of Hispanic/Latino Americans Sep 15, 2009
However, Hispanics have higher rates of several cancers related to infections (stomach, liver, and cervix) and are more likely to have cancer detected at a later stage ... have higher rates of cancers of the stomach, cervix, liver, and gallbladder, and of acute lymphocytic leukemia. (EurekAlert!)
Women need health care reform, stat! Sep 15, 2009
I found a large growth on her cervix that was almost certainly cancer, yet I could not do a biopsy or otherwise continue her treatment because she could not pay for it. Maureen had no insurance and little money. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
* Taiwan News Quick Take Sep 9, 2009
Sixty-seven of the women had positive pap smears, which detect premalignant or malignant cells in the cervix. The 1. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Sex after childbirth Sep 8, 2009
Do your pelvic floor exercises During childbirth both the cervix and vagina stretch. The cervix narrows and firms up again after seven days but the vagina needs pelvic floor exercises to tighten the muscle. (India Times, India)
HPV Vaccine Could Prevent Some Forms Of Breast Cancer, Australian Research Suggests Sep 5, 2009
Using genetic probes, researchers at the University of New South Wales tested cancerous breast cells and found several strains of HPVs known to have a high risk of initiating cancer of the cervix. HPV has a causal role in 90-95 per cent of cervical cancers. (Science Daily)
The lab blunder that stole a woman's fertility Sep 5, 2009
On February 18, a doctor at Monash Medical Centre's Moorabbin campus advised her to have a radical hysterectomy - a major operation that removes the uterus, the upper part of the vagina and the soft tissue around the cervix. They said they needed to do a hysterectomy and that after that they would see whether I needed chemotherapy, radiotherapy or anything like that,'' the woman said. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Human Breast Cancer Hit For Six: Key Role For Six1 In Tumor Development And Metastasis Sep 1, 2009
Finally, the authors suggest that Six1 expression is probably central to tumor development in other forms of cancer as it correlated with adverse outcomes in numerous other cancers, including cancers of the brain, cervix, prostate, colon, kidney, and liver. In an accompanying commentary, Derek Radisky, at the Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, discusses how the two papers compliment each other to provide new detailed understanding of the mechanisms by which Six1 promotes tumor development and... (Science Daily)
Varian Medical Systems Adds RapidArc(R) and Image Guidance to New Low Energy Treatment Platform for Radiation Therapy in International Cancer Clinics Aug 31, 2009
The system is ideally equipped for treating cancers of the head and neck, breast, cervix and prostate, which make up the majority of cases in most areas of the world. It will be exhibited for the first time at the 10th Biennial ESTRO Conference on Physics and Radiation Technology taking place here this week. (PR Newswire)
Health Tip: When Labor May Be Induced Aug 28, 2009
Labor may be induced -- causing the woman's cervix to open in preparation for a vaginal birth -- if the health of the mother or baby is threatened, the ACOG says. Here are some possible reasons for labor induction. (MEDLINEplus)
Brief ultrasound would prevent deaths in labour Aug 26, 2009
One in 2500 women, and up to one in 300 who conceive using IVF, develop vasa previa, in which the babys unprotected blood vessels cross the cervix and either rupture or are compressed ... " The president of the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine, Professor Ron Benzie, said it was not accepted protocol for all women to be scanned for vasa previa but ''a case could could made for it''. He said some hospitals in Sydney, such as Nepean, always checked for low-lying vessels when a... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Virus Blamed for Half of Penile Cancers Aug 26, 2009
Merck Gardasil and GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix are both used widely to immunize girls against HPV infection, which can lead to cancer of the cervix. Penile cancer is much rarer, accounting for less than 1 percent of adult male cancers in Europe and North America, although the incidence can be as high as 10 percent in parts of Africa and Asia. (MEDLINEplus)
'Bends' treatment in cancer trial Aug 25, 2009
Pelvic cancers include those of the cervix, the ovaries, the prostate, the testicles, the bowel, the bladder and the womb. We hope to answer once and for all whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy will improve their quality of life. (BBC News -- Health)
Health Tip: What Are Risk Factors for Preterm Labor? Aug 25, 2009
Having an abnormality of the cervix or uterus. Having had an infection during pregnancy. (MEDLINEplus)
Less than 50 percent of women with abnormal paps receive follow-up care: study Aug 20, 2009
According to the study, less than 50 per cent of women who had a Pap test that showed a low-grade abnormality had the appropriate follow-up care within the recommended time frame, including either a repeat test or colposcopy (a medical procedure that examines a woman's cervix and vagina). This is usually the group at greatest risk of eventually developing cervical cancer and therefore in greatest need of appropriate care. (EurekAlert!)
Is the HPV Vaccine Safe? Aug 19, 2009
(CBS) When Barbara Archiello's doctor recommended a vaccine to prevent cancer of the cervix, she jumped at the chance. "I think it's just a great thing for women to have," Archiello said. (CBS News)
HPV shot found safe; benefits questioned Aug 19, 2009
Women and sexually active girls still need to get regular Pap tests to find abnormal cells in the cervix that may lead to cancer. The vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV, and if a girl has already been infected with HPV prior to receiving the vaccine, it won't help her. (CNN)
Study disputes myth about induced labor Aug 18, 2009
Labor can be induced by a variety of medical processes, including drugs or devices used to manually dilate the cervix. Doctors will induce labor if it's safer for the mother or fetus to deliver the baby sooner rather than later. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)- a Si... Aug 16, 2009
Weakening of muscles over time result in bladder, uterus, or cervix prolapse. Thinning de-estrogen-ized vaginal tissue makes the area sensitive to invaders and tender. (Suite101.com)
If Baby Is Breech, Technology Might Help Aug 11, 2009
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, it can be difficult to guide the baby's head out of the mother's body last because the baby's body might not have stretched the cervix sufficiently. And a prolapsed cord -- when the umbilical cord slips into the birth canal before the baby, stopping the flow of blood to the baby -- is another increased risk in vaginal deliveries of breech babies. (MEDLINEplus)
Fit to be a mother Aug 11, 2009
Before starting a regimen, women need to be evaluated for a shortened cervix and previa - a condition in which the placenta is positioned too low. Both conditions could cause preterm labor and exercise should be avoided. (The Clarion-Ledger)
FOXSexpert: 13 Fast Facts About Sex Aug 7, 2009
And as luck would have it, one area of the brain that "switches off is the part that controls fear and anxiety. 2. Opt for chocolate. 00004000 Research out of the U.K. found that this sweet treat causes a more intense and longer lasting buzz than kissing, doubling one s heart rate. 3. Before reaching for that Viagra Consider that ejaculation and orgasm don t require erection. According to "The Science of Orgasm," a penis can be totally flaccid, but a male can still experience emission and... (Fox News)
Fragile lives Aug 6, 2009
Dr Tubman said: "There are so many factors contributing to a premature birth - infection, the mother's waters breaking early, weakness in the cervix and lots of unknown factors as well.". While it rarely happens in Northern Ireland, twins and triplets may have to be separated and treated in different hospitals depending on what intensive care cots are available. (BBC News -- Health)
Breast cancer cases surge as cervical dips Aug 6, 2009
ICMR director general and secretary of the department of health research Dr V M Katoch told TOI, ``The decline in cases of cancer cervix has been seen across all cancer registries. Factors like late age of marriage and fewer children could be responsible for the decline. (India Times, India)
Immune Systems of AIDS Patients More Prone to HPV Cancers Aug 4, 2009
It was known that people with AIDS had a greater risk for HPV-associated cancers of the anus, cervix, penis, vagina, vulva and oropharynx. However, the extent to which AIDS-related weakening of the immune system played a role wasn't clear, the researchers pointed out. (MEDLINEplus)
Ovarian Cancer Tests 'Woefully Ineffective' According To Researchers Aug 4, 2009
"This doesn't make me feel gloomy at all," said Brown, who is now studying whether it might be possible to detect ovarian cancer-specific markers in fluids sampled from the vagina or cervix. Such an approach may avoid the extreme dilution that interferes with detection of such a marker in blood samples. (Science Daily)
Teens May Not Benefit from Pap Tests Jul 30, 2009
The study, in fact, was undertaken because many British experts believed that a pap test followed by aggressive treatment of moderate cancerous changes in the cervix did more harm than good in women younger than 25 ... The first found no difference in outcomes when young women whose Pap smears showed abnormal cells were either told to come back later for another test or were assigned to have colposcopy, a detailed examination of the cervix to detect precancerous cells. (MEDLINEplus)
The Best Birth Control Jul 30, 2009
The reason for recommending IUD's for women that have had children is that the opening of the cervix has been breached and the insertion is easier, described as a "slight pinch." For me, though, it was like my body was being ripped in two. A horrible experience. (Slate)
Study Links Abortion and Preemies Jul 27, 2009
Though it's still not clear why that's so, doctors theorize that the cervix may be weakened by miscarriage or abortion, increasing the risk of preterm birth later on. Or, it could be that uterine adhesions or infections from the terminated pregnancy slow the growth of the fetus in subsequent pregnancies. (Time.com)
Test May Predict Moms Who Will Deliver Prematurely Jul 23, 2009
Doctors now use imperfect clinical measures, such as cervix length, to predict when a birth will occur ... The other test, which included measuring the cervix, was 85 percent accurate. (MEDLINEplus)
Mira Sorvino gives birth Jul 15, 2009
Mira suffered from placenta previa a medical condition where the placenta becomes attached to the uterine wall near or covering the cervix and had to spend time in hospital before the birth. She was put on total bed rest, but also suffered a difficult labour where she lost a lot of blood. (iAfrica.com)
After a Hysterectomy Jul 14, 2009
Cervical Dysplasia Considered to be a precancerous condition, cervical dysplasia is simply the appearance of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix. Though the appearance of the cells themselves aren t the cause of health problems, if left untreated, it can eventually develop into cervical cancer. (Suite101.com)
Oral abortion pill safest Jul 9, 2009
"When medical abortion was first introduced, there was little concern about the risk of infection, because there is no use of instruments in the cervix or uterus unless the procedure fails. However, it is clear that serious infections do occur," the researchers wrote. In contrast, in Europe, where the treatment had been used far longer and the vaginal administration of misoprostol was less common, there were no deaths. (India Times, India)
'Normal' cells far from cancer give nanosignals of trouble Jul 8, 2009
Like a pap smear of the cervix, a simple brushing of cells is all that is needed to get the specimen required for testing. Using PWS, the researchers made another important discovery: the abnormalities found in the nanoarchitecture of the colon cells are the same abnormalities as those found in the pancreas and lung, illustrating commonality across three very different organs. (EurekAlert!)
MRI accurately depicts deep endometriosis Jul 7, 2009
Deep endometriosis infiltrates areas of the cervix, vagina and/or the colon, and, less frequently, the bladder and ureter. Superficial endometriosis can be treated with laparoscopy, but deep endometriosis sometimes requires complete surgical excision of the lesions. (EurekAlert!)
Pregnancy timeline Jul 5, 2009
s cervix prepares for the birth by softening. Week 41. (BBC News -- Health)
Margaret A. Bengs: Dust off that moral compass, Californians Jul 3, 2009
Chlamydia and gonorrhea, if untreated, can lead to infertility, abnormal pregnancy and dangerous infections in the newborn; HPV infections can lead to cancers of the cervix and anus; and hepatitis B can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis. Unrestricted teen sex harms not only the adolescents but their children. (Sacramento Bee -- Opinion)
What Is Sex? Americans Can't Agree Jul 2, 2009
SExual intercourse being insertion of a pen1z into a vaginnnnna, and moved around over various g spots until an "O" or several is achieved--culminating with sperm being deposited somewhere in the vicinity of the cervix. It is also hard for many to think of anal sex as real sex. (CBS News -- Health)
Fawcetts death spotlights a rare cancer Jul 2, 2009
Its designed to protect against four types of HPV associated with cancers of the cervix, anus and upper throat. Piro, Fawcetts doctor, said Gardasil is an important but underused defense against cancer, and strongly endorsed increased vaccinations. (MSNBC -- Health)
Complications early in pregnancy or in previous pregnancies adversely affect existing or subsequent pregnancies Jun 29, 2009
Recurrent miscarriages (three or more miscarriages) increased the risk in a subsequent pregnancy of all of these conditions; in addition, it increased the risk of placenta praevia (where the placenta partially or completely blocks the cervix) six-fold and congenital malformations nearly two-fold. If a previous pregnancy had to be terminated for any reason, this increased the risk of premature rupture of the membrane, premature and very premature delivery in subsequent pregnancies. (EurekAlert!)
Paving Way For Treatments To Delay Early Multiple Births Jun 26, 2009
ScienceDaily (June 25, 2009) A treatment that prevents premature births in single pregnancies may be ineffective in women expecting more than one child, a study has shown. The study, led by a University of Edinburgh researcher, suggests an underlying difference between the way in which premature births occur in women with single and multiple pregnancies. (Science Daily)
Can potent medication be excreted in semen? Jun 25, 2009
Can it be harmful to my cervix. Next question. (CNN -- Health)
