HPV Vaccine

There has been a lot of interest amongst the doctors as well as Indian Urban women off late regarding HPV vaccine,particularily after recent media campaign by Glaxo and Merck(The pharmaceutical giants behind these vaccines).And any new product causes a lot of speculation.Often one is left wondering as to what is fact and what is a myth?
It is a good product and seems to hold a lot of promise.Ideally females who haven't yet initiated sexual activity are the one who will get maximum benefit out of it but still it can be given to sexually active women as it prevents reinfection with HPV to which almost 80% of the women would be exposed at some point in their life.90% of times body clears itself these infection with its own immunity.There are no major side effects but fainting has been reported after it's administration.3 doses of the vaccine are needed.As of now we don't know whether a booster dose would be needed or not.It should be avoided during pregnancy.It does't prevent 100% cases of cervical cancer,thus associated Pap smear or cervical smear is needed at 3 yearly interval.

Don't Salnder your doctor

Well after a long long day at OT ,I reached my OPD dead tired.There walked in a female 34 years old 'SP'(trying to maintain patient's confidentiality) Who wished to terminate her pregnancy.I advised her an Ultrasound to rule out ectopic pregnancy(pregnancy outside the womb) because it can be a deadly condition.
Now this female doesn't want to get that done for whatever reason,says its her choice and I have to do her termination of pregnancy as she has made a Rs500 invoice.
Now she sits and understands the pros and cons of both medical and surgical termination of pregnancy.Takes well over 25 minutes of my time.Says she wishes to get her money back as she is indecisive about the Ultrasound as my website never said I will ask for an ultrasound.And she leaves my OPD THREATENING ME THAT SHE IS 'MEDIA' AND WILL WRITE BAD THINGS ABOUT ME ONLINE AS TESTIMONIALS.WILL DESTROY
ME:( .I am not afraid of any online bad testimonials but it hurts when people(thankfully there aren't many) who try to act smart,harm themselves and believe that by paying 500 bucks have purchased a doctor and her ethics.

Webcast on PCOS

I found this webcast quite informative and would like to share with myonline friends.

http://www.rcog.org.uk/consumers-forum-public-lecture-living-with-pcos-webcast

Post Natal Blues

Now you’ve finally met your baby face-to-face, you’re likely to feel great. Many new mums even say they’re on a high for the first 24 hours after the event. But some come down to earth with a bump. About 10 per cent of new mothers get some form of postnatal depression (PND) and if you include mild forms of depression, up to one mum in six is affected. PND peaks in the first few weeks after birth but it can start any time – even six or more months later when most people assume you’re taking motherhood in your stride.

Feeling low
Most new mums feel low and tearful about the third day after delivery, roughly when milk production starts. This is the so-called “baby blues” and is probably due to fluctuating hormone levels. These symptoms only last three days at most.
PND is more severe, starts later and lasts much longer. If left untreated, it can take a huge toll on your health and how you relate to your baby.
For a condition this common, it’s strange that no one is certain about the cause. Some think hormones are the key, but research has not proved this. Besides, PND affects fathers too.
Factors that increase the risk include:
• Previous history of depression
• Unsupportive partner
• Premature or sickly baby
• Recent stresses (eg death in family)
Does PND recur?
Mums who’ve had depression often worry that it may recur if they have another baby. There is a small chance it might but it’s hard to put a figure on the risk. If you get pregnant again, try not to worry but do get help sooner rather than later. Make sure your doctor and midwife both know about your previous history. With extra support during the pregnancy and afterwards, it’s more likely you’ll prevent a recurrence, enabling you to enjoy life as a new mum.
What to look out for
Someone with PND may feel low, exhausted, irritable and unable to cope with life. Despite being tired, they may be unable to sleep. Losing interest in sex is typical of new motherhood but with PND it’s more persistent.
A depressed mum may lose interest in food or eat for comfort. Anxiety, guilt and feeling useless are common. She may feel she can’t look after her baby properly and become obsessed with the baby’s health or her own. Some mums fear they may harm their baby, though very few ever do. If you suffer from PND you feel unable to enjoy things – although there may be enough good days to convince you there’s nothing wrong beyond a lack of parenting skills. But PND isn’t anyone’s fault and you can’t just pull yourself out of it at will.