The Bartholin gland is located on either side of the vaginal opening, on the inner aspect at about 5 and 7 o’clock position. The glands secrete a fluid (mucus) that keeps the vagina moist and helps lubricate the vaginal area during sexual activity. The gland is not visible or palpable unless it is swollen.
Dr Lee Say Fatt
Home Pregnancy Tests
The currently used method to confirm pregnancy depends on the detection of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is present in the blood and urine of a pregnant woman. The hCG hormone is produced by the placenta in increasing amounts within 10 days after fertilization. The home pregnancy test kit detects this hormone in the urine of the pregnant woman.
An absence of a menstrual period in a sexually active female is usually the first reason to do a pregnancy test. Many women may experience some symptoms and signs of pregnancy as early as 5 to 6 weeks after the first day of their last menstrual period, provided she has a regular menstrual cycle. These may include:
Healing a Broken Relationship
Understanding a Relationship
Article contributed by Dr Ong Tien Kwan (Klinik Ong)
Article contributed by Dr Ong Tien Kwan (Klinik Ong)Before we talk about healing a relationship, it is important that we understand what a relationship is, or rather, what makes a good relationship.
- A relationship is a mutual responsibility. A relationship can only happen when there are at least 2 people involved in it. A relationship is like a clap. It can only occur when two hands clapped. One hand alone cannot produce the clap. Therefore, a relationship is a mutual responsibility.
- A relationship is a privilege. It is a privilege because one can always choose not to have a relationship. One always has this freedom of choice. A relationship is not one-sided, coerced, or compelled. One must be free to enter into or walk out of a relationship.
- A relationship must be mutually beneficial. We choose to have a relationship because we see its potential to enrich our lives, to make it better, and to flourish together. Therefore, both sides must benefit from it. Without these mutual benefits, the relationship will eventually fail.
- A relationship is a mirror. We like someone or fall in love with someone because that person mirrors something in us that we like, admire or want. At the same time, we must bear in mind that he or she will also mirror our fears, insecurities, weaknesses, and limitations. This is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, this offers us ample opportunities to recognize, acknowledge and heal our own fears and limitations, that may otherwise go unnoticed, unacknowledged, and therefore unable to be healed. It is here that you can turn a crisis into an opportunity for growth. Use it well.
- In a relationship. honesty is the best policy. At any time, a relationship can go bad, go sour or become broken. This often happens because one or both in the relationship fails to or is unwilling to face his or her own inner fears, and therefore ends up unable to communicate truthfully or effectively with each other. In fact, the most common reaction is one that looks for someone to place the blame on. Most ego understand this but cannot seem to help itself. Unfortunately, this is not only unhelpful but often worsens an already bad situation. It is here that honesty is the best policy. For any relationship to flourish, truth must be the foundation of that relationship. Honesty is needed for truth to be upheld.
Cervical Polyps
A cervical polyp is a benign fleshy growth on the cervix. The cervix is the part of the uterus that is visible during the speculum examination. It is also called the neck of the uterus. Cervical polyp arises from cells, either from the cervical canal (this type is also called an endocervical polyp) or from the outer surface of the cervix.
Dysmenorrhea (period pain / menstrual cramps / menstrual pain)
Dysmenorrhea refers to lower abdominal pain felt during menstruation. It is divided into two broad categories, which are primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea.
- Primary dysmenorrhea refers to the presence of pain during menses without any obvious gynaecological disease that could account for these symptoms. The pain is typically recurrent, crampy pain that starts just before or with the onset of menses and then gradually reduces over the next 24 to 72 hours. It is more often seen in adolescents and young females. Physical examination and an ultrasound scan of the pelvis is usually normal.
- Secondary dysmenorrhea refers to the pain before and/or during menstruation in females with a gynaecological disease that could explain the symptoms. These could be endometriosis, adenomyosis, or uterine fibroids. The cramping pain can be in the lower abdomen, lower back or radiates to the inner thighs. The pain may even persist after menstruation has stopped.
Infertility treatment
Treatment for infertility will depend on the underlying cause. Unfortunately, not all causes can be treated by surgery, medications, or both. Even if the suspected underlying cause of infertility has been treated, not all women will conceive. In about 10% to 15% of infertile couples, the cause is usually not found after a standard clinical and laboratory evaluation. This is term as unexplained infertility. Deciding what to do, if anything, when a fertility evaluation is completed may not be easy. Any treatment for conceiving is actually “maximizing fertility potential” rather than “curing infertility.” There is no guarantee that any of them will result in the successful birth of a baby. Ultimately, if conventional therapies do not achieve the desired pregnancy, then the last resort will be assisted reproductive technology (ART). This refers to procedures such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Infertility investigations
The woman and her partner should be present at the initial evaluation for infertility. The doctor will obtain a full clinical history from the couple and then proceed on to a physical examination. The initial investigations that need to be performed will be based on these assessments. Sometimes, the cause of the infertility may be found at this visit. Further evaluation and clinic visits may be necessary for other couples. It may take several weeks. This is because some of the tests may have to be repeated for verification at different specific times in her menstrual cycle. The initial workup of a man usually can be done faster, because men have no monthly cycles and because there are fewer tests for men.
COMMON INVESTIGATIONS IN FEMALE
Stress and hormonal imbalance in women
Life is full of stress. It is common to everyone. Some people are able to handle stress better than others while many cannot cope with the stress that comes with everyday modern living. Stress can affect the well-being of both one’s physical and mental health. Physical stress occurs when a person does not have enough rest, engaging in exercises to the extreme limit of bodily endurance, has a poor diet, or suffers from illness and disease. Mental stress may arise from worries about matters such as money, jobs, retirement, marriage, or the death of loved ones. Sometimes the stress that arises is subtle, and a person may not even realize she is experiencing it. For example, one may feel tired and overwhelmed after a hard day’s work. This fatigue may be a result of either physical or mental stress or a combination of both. Either way, the body is taxed to some degree.