Tag Archives: hormones

Birth control and breastfeeding

The first ovulation after childbirth comes in a different period in very woman. There is no general rule when will ovulation happen but it is a well known fact that breastfeeding plays an important role in this process. If the mother is breastfeeding her baby, the first menstrual cycle should occur in around six months. Otherwise, ovulation usually occurs between four and six weeks after childbirth. But, the fact is that the menstrual cycle occurs just two weeks after ovulation so chances are that you can be fertile right after childbirth without being aware of that fact.

Those who believe that breastfeeding is a safe method of preventing pregnancy are not playing safe. It is a well known fact that during breastfeeding, the mother’s brain secretes a hormone called prolactin which is responsible for milk production. The bigger the amount of this hormone in the system the later you can expect ovulation. However, even a small break between breastfeeding that last more than 5 hours may be just enough to reduce the level of prolactin and the ovulation process can begin. This is why even mothers who are breastfeeding should start thinking about birth control.

In these cases, birth control pills are not recommended because the estrogen that they contain can stop the production of milk. Furthermore, these hormones can be transferred to the child through the milk. The high amount of estrogen that is usually found in these pills can cause negative effects in the child’s development. After childbirth, natural birth control methods are not that effective. The menstrual cycle after childbirth should stabilize after a while.

Between the 6th and 8th week after childbirth you can use an intrauterine device. This is the period when the uterus gets back to its natural form. Besides that you should wait for the vaginal discharge to stop in order to avoid infections. The biggest advantage of using intrauterine devices is the fact that the woman shouldn’t worry about pregnancy in the next 5 years. Of course, side effects are always present and things such as injuries during insertion, losing the IUDs and changing its position are possible. Some women can also experience bleeding. There are certain IUDs that can decrease the intensity and duration of bleeding during the menstrual cycle.

So-called mini pills and three-month injections don’t contain estrogen (they only contain gestagen) and they are another good birth control option during breastfeeding period. These pills don’t stop milk production and flow which makes them perfect for breastfeeding mums. The hormones can reach the baby’s body through the milk but experts claim that the hormones used in these pills are harmless. The only disadvantage of these pills is that they need to be consumed every day at the same time. The three-month injections are better because they are used once in three months. But, they contain more gestagen.

Finally, you can always try the traditional barrier methods like using condoms or a diaphragm. These methods are perfectly safe for breastfeeding mothers.

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How Not to Get Pregnant: Hysterectomy as a Birth Control Method

How Not to Get Pregnant: Radical and Total Hysterectomy

Hysterectomy is an abdominal surgery; a doctor removes your entire uterus, or, if you have a subtotal hysterectomy, only part of your womb. It is one of the very rare how not to get pregnant methods that are absolutely 100% safe. At least, radical hysterectomy and total hysterectomy are safe, unlike subtotal hysterectomy. Both radical and total hysterectomy means that you have your womb removed, so a fetus will not have a place to grow in your body. It is a how not to get pregnant method that will last for the rest of your life. It is irreversible. There is one option of having a child without having a womb: in case your doctor has left your ovaries intact, you can produce an egg and a surrogate mother can bear your biological child. For medical and legal reasons, this alternative is not very feasible, so think twice before you decide to get this abdominal surgery. First of all, consider the possible disadvantages. Gynecologists usually do not recommend hysterectomy as a how not to get pregnant method – they perform this kind of abdominal surgery to cure serious conditions or, at least, problems like excessive bleeding.

Hysterectomy as a how not to get pregnant method is quite rare and unusual. It is a major abdominal surgery that has its risks.

On the other hand, women who have had hysterectomy are less likely to suffer from ovarian cancer, even if their ovaries were spared.

Types of Hysterectomy

Your uterus can be removed through your vagina or through your abdomen, and there exist laparoscopy-assisted hysterectomy.

If you undergo radical hysterectomy, your doctor will remove your ovaries, too. Many doctors are reluctant to remove them. Ovaries produce hormones that contribute to bone density and your general health and well-being in your old age. If you do not have your ovaries anymore, you might be prone to osteoporosis, fragile bones in old age. You can suffer other unpleasant hormonal changes, from migraines to fatigue or dizziness, and you can reach menopause much earlier. You can undergo hormone therapy to cease these symptoms.

Total hysterectomy means that a doctor removes your entire uterus but leaves your ovaries intact. Your ovaries still can produce hormones, which is beneficial for your sexual health.

Subtotal hysterectomy means that only a part of your uterus will be removed. One still can conceive a child after a subtotal hysterectomy.

Once you get your womb removed, you will not have your period anymore. There can be some bleeding, however, it will be considerably lighter and more convenient than your period.

Possible Disadvantages

Doctors avoid this abdominal surgery, they say it is not a how not to get pregnant method. There are a couple of disadvantages of this abdominal surgery. Some of the patients who have undergone a hysterectomy reported that they had pelvic pain afterward. There is a higher risk of urinary incontinency and vaginal prolapse many years after the surgery. It means that when you have your womb removed, you might not have these unpleasant symptoms right after the surgery, but you might have problems ten or twenty years later. After a hysterectomy, some patients have health issues like adhesions (forming of fibrous bands between tissues) and bowel obstruction.

 

How Mental Health Affects Sexual Health

There is a relation between mental and sexual health! Yes… this is true and good sex does not mean you have to be physically sound. Your brain also plays a vital role in the quality of sexual intercourse you have with your partner. The fact is you should not be just physically fit but you should also focus on the mental aspects at play when it comes to positive sexual health.

Most people only focus on the physical nature of sex. They spend most of their time being physically fit. There are also some people that look for enhancements to make them physically appealing and perform better during sex. There are very few men and women that understand that mental health also plays a crucial role when it comes to having sex.

How mental health plays havoc on sexual health:

The following are some of the ways in which mental health affects sex-

1.  If you are not feeling well mentally or are stressed, anxious or depressed, you will lack the appropriate chemistry in your body that is a necessity for healthy sexual performance.  People who are mentally unhealthy will have an imbalance of hormones and chemicals in their body and this result in poor sexual health.

2. If you are anxious or over-stressed, you will not be able to relax during sexual intercourse. This leads to problems like low libido and issues like erectile dysfunction even when you are physically agile and fit. For a good sex life, you should have a relaxed and peaceful mind.

3. A healthy brain can creatively fantasize and come up with ideas. This helps you to anticipate sexual pleasures while having sex. When you have poor mental health you fail to fantasize on these scenes and this leaves your sex life dull.

4. There are some people who resort to drugs when they suffer from poor mental health for treating the problem. Most of these drugs help you to sleep or used for the treatment of depression. These drugs often have side effects and they negatively affect the sexual health of people. In most cases partners also suffer and this leads to rifts in the relationship.

5. It is important for you to engage the things you like doing. This will make you mentally happy and less prone to anxiety and depression. You should try to keep yourself happy so that you boost mental health and boost sexual health. Relationships are strengthened and you effectively can bring back the spark in your sex life with success.

When you are suffering from poor mental health, it is very important for you to seek medical aid and counsel. A positive sexual life gives you happiness and the bond you share with your partner also is enhanced. There are treatments available for poor mental health and doctors may prescribe a reduce dose of medicines, patient counseling and relaxation techniques that involve meditation and breathing. In this manner people are to improve their sexual health with success.