Womens Health - Information for women of all ages
Womens health issues range from pregnancy to menopause, heart disease to arthritis, depression to breast cancer. Womens health concerns are many, and it is important that you get all the information you can about your specific concerns to ensure you stay healthy.
A Womens health issue for a woman of child-bearing age is pregnancy. It is important to receive prenatal care throughout all months of your pregnancy once you have discovered you are pregnant. Womens health is especially important during this time to ensure that you deliver a healthy baby while staying healthy yourself. Talk to your doctor about any questions or concerns you have throughout your pregnancy.
Cancer, and preventing cancer, is a womens health concern for many women. One of the most important things a woman can do is have a yearly pap test done. All women over the age of 21 should have a pap test. Those who are under the age of 21 and have been sexually active should also have a yearly test. A pap test can detect the earliest signs of cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers in women. If caught early, the chance of curing cervical cancer is very high. Pap tests also detect abnormal cells that can turn into cancer cells. Getting regular Pap tests is the best thing you can do to prevent cervical cancer.
Another concern regarding womens health is breast cancer. Women in their 40’s and older should have mammograms every one to two years. Women who are younger than 40 and have risk factors for breast cancer should have mammograms sooner. Mammograms can often show a breast lump before it can be felt and are the best tool doctors have to find breast cancer early. Your doctor will also do clinical breast exams. These exams are usually done at the time or your yearly exam and pap test. Your doctor will check your breasts for lumps and any other abnormalities. You can also do self breast exams at home. Check your breasts monthly for any abnormalities, and be sure to contact your doctor right away if you notice anything unusual.
Depression is another womens health concern that affects many people today. Depression can run in families, can be caused by painful and difficult events in a woman’s life, or be caused by some illnesses or medications someone is taking for certain conditions. Common signs of depression include:
- Feelings of sadness or anxiousness
- Feeling tired, having no energy
- Excessive crying
- Feeling worthless or hopeless
- Problems sleeping
- Eating too much or too little
- Problems concentrating and making decisions
- Having pain or other physical problems that do not go away
- Having no interest in life
- Thinking about suicide or death
Depression is a serious womens health concern because it is often overlooked or passed off as something else. If you feel you have depression, talk to your doctor to find out what treatments are recommended. Treatments could be medication, counseling, or participation in a support group.
These are just a few of the womens health concerns that women face today. Womens health is important because it affects a woman’s entire family. Do all you can to ensure that you stay healthy; whatever age or stage of life you are in.