Women's Health
First Class Treatment for Women in All Stages of Life
Whether it's your first annual exam, your first pregnancy, or your first signs of menopause, we want your initial visit to the OBGYN Group of Eastern Connecticut to be the first of many. That's why we take special care to give you first-class treatment, every time.
Annual Exams and Preventive Medicine
Preventive care is key to your overall health and well being. Annual gynecological exams allow a health care provider to assess normal development of reproductive organs and to screen for certain health problems. It provides an opportunity for a woman to talk with her clinician about sexual or reproductive concerns or to discuss her general health care.
As long as breast and cervical cancer continue to threaten women's health care, it is extremely important that all women have an annual gynecologic exam. Early detection is every women's best defense against cancer. By scheduling an annual gynecological exam and an annual mammogram (age appropriate), women take a proactive stand for their health. Not only does an annual exam help maintain a healthy lifestyle, it also provides comfort and reassurance and establishes a basis to compare future test results. Women of varying ages also have specific nutritional needs. Your clinician can discuss bone health, the importance of calcium and iron, and make recommendations related to your diet, weight management, and nutritional intake.
Abnormal Bleeding
Abnormal bleeding can have many causes including pregnancy, miscarriage , ectopic pregnancy, adenomyosis ,the usage of certain contraceptive methods, cervical and uterine infection, uterine fibroids or polyps, clotting disorders and endometrial hyperplasia as well as uterine and cervical cancer and polycystic ovary syndrome.
There are numerous treatments available for abnormal uterine bleeding. Typically the treatment elected depends on many factors including the cause of bleeding after evaluation, the age and health history of the patient and plans for future childbearing. Many women can often be treated with medication. Others might need surgery.
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Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths of the uterus that typically appear during childbearing years. Also called leiomyomas or myomas, these develop from the smooth muscular wall of the uterus. A single cell divides repeatedly eventually creating a firm rubbery mass that is distinct from the nearby tissue. They are extremely common. In fact, as many as three out of four women will have uterine fibroid sometime during their lives. Many are unaware because they often cause no symptoms.
The exact cause of uterine fibroids is unknown but it is believed to be a combination of genetic factors and hormones. There appears to be a familial predisposition to form fibroids. Women of races are much more likely to have fibroids. We offer medical therapy for control of menstrual abnormalities, medical therapy for treatment of fibroids, and surgical removal of fibroids with or without preservation of the uterus for future childbearing.
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Pelvic Prolapse
Pelvic Prolapse is the weakening of the ligaments and muscles that support the pelvic organs. This condition can worsen over time and may require intervention. Treatment depends on how bothersome you perceive the symptoms. The goal of treatment should be your quality of life.
If the prolapse is not causing discomfort or interfering with the things that a woman enjoys doing, it may not require treatment. One exception to this rule occurs with severe prolapse, which can block the flow of urine and cause recurrent urinary tract infections or even kidney damage. This is an infrequent situation which can be checked at the time of a physical exam. Since the symptoms associated with prolapse often progress very gradually, the adaptive changes in physical or social activities may go unnoticed until they are extreme.
Just because you have been diagnosed with prolapsed , does not mean you need to undergo treatment. Treatment depends on how bothersome you perceive the symptoms. The goal of treatment should be your quality of life.
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Pelvic Exams and Pap Tests
A Pap test is a preventive measure that can detect abnormal cellular changes, precancerous, or cancerous cervical cells. The recommended Pap test schedule is based on your age and on things that increase your risk. For most women, it is best to have a Pap test every 1 to 3 years. Talk to one of our providers about when to have your first Pap test and how often you should have it. A Pap test involves obtaining cells from the cervix for examination. The sample is then sent to a lab for examination under a microscope. If the results of your Pap test are abnormal, your doctor may repeat your Pap test and conduct additional tests.
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Incontinence and Bladder Related Care
Urinary incontinence may be defined as any involuntary or abnormal urine loss. This is typically characterized by lower urinary tract symptoms, which include both storage and voiding problems. Urge urinary incontinence is defined as involuntary urine leakage associated with urgency. Stress urinary incontinence is defined as involuntary urine leakage associated with specific activities. Mixed urinary incontinence includes features of both.
A complete review of your history is necessary for the development of an appropriate treatment plan. Urodynamic assessments include a variety of measures that evaluate urine flow. These assessments provide an extensive description of lower urinary tract function and are helpful in determining the appropriate management strategy.
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Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination
Certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus, cause most cases of cervical cancer. Today, a vaccine is available to prevent infection against the two types of HPV that are responsible for the majority of cervical cancer cases and the two types of HPV that are responsible for the majority of genital wart cases. For young women, ages 9 - 26, The OBGYN Group of Eastern Connecticut offers the HPV vaccination to protect against the common virus that may cause cervical cancer.
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Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Premenstrual syndrome, known as PMS, is a medical condition that affects many women of childbearing age. PMS causes physical and psychological symptoms just before the menstrual period.
To help establish a premenstrual pattern, your doctor may have you record your symptoms on a calendar or in a diary for at least two menstrual cycles. Track the day that you first notice PMS symptoms, as well as the day they disappear. Mark the days your period starts and ends as well.
Learning how to cope with the problems in your life also may relieve the stress and irritability you feel before your period. A healthy diet free of excess caffeine, salt, and sugar may provide relief from symptoms. Regular exercise helps reduce fatigue, depressed mood and painful cramping. Over-the-counter pain relievers may help relieve headache, backache, cramps and breast tenderness.
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Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing
A Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) is an infection passed from one person to another person through sexual contact. An infection is when a bacteria, virus, or parasite enters and grows in or on your body. STIs are also called sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs.
Some STIs can be cured and some STIs cannot be cured. For those STIs that cannot be cured, medicines can manage symptoms. Most STDs affect both men and women, but in many cases the health problems they cause can be more severe for women. If a pregnant woman has an STD, it can cause serious health problems for the baby. Many STIs have only mild symptoms or no signs or symptoms at all and often get overlooked. Tests can provide accurate information so that you can be treated for the correct infection.
Many infections in the reproductive tract are sexually transmitted, however not all. Other common infections can be due to an overgrowth of the normally present bacteria or yeast in the vagina. Since yeast and bacteria are normally present and well-balanced in the vagina, infection occurs when something in a woman's system upsets this normal balance.
Presenting all symptoms is helpful in determining the source of infection, but often tests will be performed to make a diagnosis.
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Colposcopy
Colposcopy is a procedure performed in some cases when a Pap test is read as abnormal. A colposcopy allows your provider to examine an illuminated, magnified view of the cervix and the surrounding tissues of the vagina and vulva. Many premalignant lesions and malignant lesions in these areas have discernible characteristics that can be detected through this examination. It is performed by using a colposcope, which enhances the view of the areas, allowing the provider to visually distinguish normal from abnormal appearing tissue and take directed biopsies for further pathological examination. The main goal of colposcopy is to prevent cervical cancer by detecting precancerous lesions early and treating them.
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Request An Appointment
Our dedicated staff is eager to assist you! If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call our office at (860) 646-1157 or use our online form.