Question Time!

I thought this would be good time to do a question and response post. This post is a compilation of some questions I have been asked via e-mail or messages on social media accounts. 

For ease, I thought it would be useful to split questions based on topics. Here it goes:

Contraceptives and the Nigerian woman
Question:I have had very heavy bleeding with the coil, recently I have been given injections to control bleeding as I bleed 26-27 days non stop but this doesn't seem to be helping. What will you reccommend?


Reply:What IUD did you have was it a Copper coil or Mirena coil?? 
The Mirena coil is really good at controlling heavy bleeding so perhaps if what you had was a copper coil, you can try a mirena coil. My concern is the ongoing bleeding, have you had a formal examination or further tests such as an Ultrasound scan and smear tests to make sure that nothing else is going on. Whilst the symptoms might be due to contraception it is important that ongoing bleeding or bleeding that is abnormal for you be thoroughly investigated.

Question: How soon after having a baby can I have contraception?

Reply: This is a great question as sometimes women forget that they can conceive soon after delivery even if they haven't had periods.If you are exclusively breastfeeding and your baby is  less than 6 months old then you might be covered but this method relies on a baby breastfeeding exclusively day and night and the absence of periods. As soon as possible after birth you can use barrier contraception like condoms, Implant, Depot injections and the progesterone only pill. All other options need to be discussed with your health practitioner as they are not suitable for all women.

Much A'do about boobs

Question:How can you tell if a lump is cancerous?

Reply:The aim of this post is to get readers comfortable with examining their breasts so that they know and can correctly identify a lump or any change from what is normal for them. If you find a lump or notice any change from normal,I strongly advise having it formally examined by a qualified medical professional. Most lumps are not cancer but we need to make sure we have all lumps examined formally by a doctor. 

Question: How often should we examine our breasts and what age should we teach our daughters to start?

Reply:I recommend monthly self breast examination preferably at the same time of the month as our breasts go through cyclical changes driven by reproductive hormones. Most people recommend  examination immediately after monthly periods as this is quite  an easy  schedule to follow. I feel that with the age of puberty gradually declining, it is important that girls be taught self breast examinations from junior secondary school so they grow up with it. It is particularly important if they have a family history of breast cancer.

Will I ever become a Mum?

Comment/Question:What is your opinion on IVF? A family friend has just been advised to go for IVF for no reason in my opinion and I feel the fertility center just want to make money off them.

Reply: IVF is a viable treatment for some couples but not the only treatment of infertility.It is highly specialist and quite expensive. However if this treatment has been recommended for them  and they have the means then I will advise that they take it. Whilst I cannot comment on individual cases as I don't know all the details, I would trust that my medical colleagues will only advise IVF based on their assessment and investigations.

I am not Ovulating, will I ever become a Mum?

Question: How can I calculate when I'm ovulating.

Reply:theoretically ovulation usually occurs 10-16 days before your next period so if you have a regular cycle you can work this out. For example if your cycle length is 34 days, ovulation will usually occur between day 18 -24 of your cycle. There is usually also a subtle rise i body temperature after ovulation so you can track this daily. If you can afford it, there are ovulation test kits you can buy. These come with user instructions and they work by measuring hormones in urine. 

Question: When will I know that I am not ovulating.

Reply: If you’ve been trying to conceive with no luck for over a year despite regular sexual intercourse. I would recommend that you seek medical attention so that you can undergo appropriate examinations and tests to determine this.

I have Endometriosis, will I ever become a Mum

Question: Is Endometriosis an inheritable disease?

Reply:Research has shown that first degree relatives of women with Endometriosis have a 7 fold increase in having Endometriosis themselves however there hasn’t been specific genes that have been linked to it.

My tubes are blocked, Will I ever become a mum?

Question: How can we prevent PID

Reply: The importance of safe sexual practices cannot be overemphasised. Always use barrier contraception if unsure of the STI status of your partner and please remember ladies, the only form of contraception that protects against STIs are condoms!

Water infections

Question: Can sperm cause UTI

Reply: Whilst sperm in itself does not cause the UTI, sexual intercourse can aggravate and cause UTI. The urinary meatus (the opening to the outside at the end of the urethra or otherwise known as the "pee hole") is right above the vaginal opening and situated just underneath the clitoris so it is right between the two. Friction from sexual penetration and also germs from your partners private part and the vagina can be driven by friction up into the meatus and into the urethra and into the bladder. Urinating right immediately after sex helps to flush out these bacteria.

Insertable contraceptive devices

Question:I’ve just tried to feel for my coil strings and it feels different,should I be worried?

Reply:After a few months, the coil threads soften so you might not be able to feel them yourself or it might feel different. However a medical practitioner could always check for the threads during an internal examination if you’re not sure you can feel them or you are concerned.

At your Cervix

Question: Can anyone have the HPV vaccine?

Reply:it is reccommend that girls and boys begin getting the vaccine series at age 11 or 12. The vaccine causes a better immune response at this age than during the teenage years.

For the HPV vaccine to work best, it is also important to get it before coming into contact with the virus. That’s why the vaccine is recommended for children before they grow up and become sexually active. The vaccination series can be started as early as age 9.

For those who did not get vaccinated at ages 11-12, or who did not complete the series, the recommendation is that females ages 13-26 and males ages 13-21 be vaccinated. However the vaccine is not as effective at at reducing cancer risk after age 21.

That’s it for this week ladies, thank you to all the readers who agreed to have their questions shared. I hope someone out there has found it useful. Don’t forget to comment, subscribe and share! 

Remember it’s about taking control of our health.