My body

Fibroids (AKA Leiomyoma) is a common problem that affects many woman, but negative impacts black women in a disproportionately compared to others. It tends to run in families and can cause a litany of issues including: heavy bleeding, pressure, fullness, urge to pee or poop, pain with sex, infertility, back pain, severe menstrual cramping or leg pain. Prompt diagnosis offer the hope of early intervention and treatment.

Heavy Menstrual bleeding goes by many names depending if heavy rapid flow, prolonged days of bleeding or both. This problem affects many women and can lead to anemia, lost days at work, school or your life. Knowing more about this condition can help you determine how serious it is and how to treat it.

Hyperplasia is an overgrowth of the lining of the uterus. It is a precursor to Endometrial cancer and comes in various stages. It is typically seen after age 45 but starting to see it in women who are obese or with PCOS. Depending on your stage in life and plans, hysterectomy is not the only choice and could be treated medically.

Metrorrhagia is a term for prolonged bleeding. The bleeding may not be heavy just exceeds the typical norm of 7 days. This can represent some underlying pathology such as cervical stenosis or bleeding disorder.

Miscarriage is an unfortunate loss of an early pregnancy. It is a common and unfortunate outcome to being pregnant but may or may not be associated with underlying issues. It is a sad sudden abrupt stop to the promise of your family. With appropriate time to heal and support, you can heal from this loss.

What is this terrifying and hard to detect disease? How does it happen and more importantly how can it be prevented?

Ovarian cysts are a common condition in women during the childbearing years. They result when a cyst forms on the ovary. An ovarian cyst may or may not cause symptoms. The majority of ovarian cysts go away without treatment. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to remove large or ongoing cysts.

Pelvic congestion syndrome is a condition in which the veins in the pelvis become stretched, widened, and congested with blood, similar to varicose veins in the legs. It occurs when the valves that control blood flow to the heart leak, allowing the blood to flow backward and pool in the pelvic veins. The organs affected are the uterus, ovaries and vulva. This condition can be treated successfully with hysterectomy but could be treated with other minor surgical procedures without compromising your fertility.

Pelvic inflammatory disease or PID is an infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes and/or ovaries caused by migration of bacteria usually acquired from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), particularly gonorrhea and chlamydia. It can lead to infertility,ectopic pregnancy,chronic pelvic pain or other serious consequences. PID is common among sexually active women; an estimated one million American women and teens experience an episode of PID each year. It causes infertility in about 100,000 women annually, as well as a significant percentage of ectopic pregnancies as a result of damage to the lining of the tube.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) includes a variety of symptoms that many women commonly experience in the days before their period begins. Common symptoms include headache, abdominal pain, digestion problems, sleep difficulties, mood changes, and thought processing difficulties. PMS is a real medical condition, and the symptoms are most often treatable. Treatments may include lifestyle changes and medication.

Polycystic ovary syndorme is a common type of hormone disorder. It causes enlarged ovaries that contain numerous cysts. Polycystic ovary disease may also lead to infertility, excess hair growth, and heavy, irregular, or absent periods. It not treated appropriately, it can also increase risk of getting diabetes mellitus or endometrial cancer. It disproportionately affects women of color more than other women. Treatments include medications and weight reduction.

Uterine polyps are small, benign protrusions of tissue that grow on the uterine lining ( endometrium). They are overgrowths of the same kind of cells as the lining itself and may appear as finger-like projections or little mushrooms. As they grow, they become fragile and bleed, and as such, they are a common cause of abnormal uterine bleeding, between cycles or after sex. These polyps are easily treated with minor surgery.