“I know nothing about orthopaedics or gynaecology, anything else is okay.” I said to K. He nodded and I took up his offer to work in Sitla, a village in Kumaon . Neither of us asked nor could answer the obvious question – what if I did get a patient of othopaedics or gynaecology. I… [ Continue Reading ]
Rini had an arranged marriage just two months ago. Even before she could get to know her husband, she realised she was pregnant. And everyone she met had a little bit of advice for her. One of her friends told her intercourse could cause abortion in early pregnancy. So, every time her husband came close… [ Continue Reading ]
Have you developed some dark patches on your cheeks? Don’t worry. Pigmentation is a very common symptom in pregnancy, though noone knows what causes it. But the patches usually fade away after childbirth. The skin on the abdomen and breasts stretches as the uterus grows in size. So does the skin on the arms and… [ Continue Reading ]
Pregnancy hormones bring about changes to almost every part of your body, both externally and internally. Uterus An average uterus measures seven centimetres in length, five centimetres in width and is over two centimetres thick. At full term, it can measure as much as 38 centimetres in length, 25 centimetres in width and 20 centimetres… [ Continue Reading ]
A few weeks before delivery, the baby’s head settles lower in the pelvis, and so the uterus or womb seems to slip downwards and forwards and the shape of the abdomen changes. This may cause a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen. You may want to pass urine more often. There may also be… [ Continue Reading ]
The normal period of pregnancy is 280 days (40 weeks) from the first day of the last menstrual period. Throughout pregnancy, the growing fetus is entirely dependent on its mother. The mother’s diet, her general state of health and the amount of physical work she does — all have their effect on the child. Therefore,… [ Continue Reading ]
Shoma is a computer professional and is doing very well in her career. She spends a lot of time in the office crouched in front of her terminal. Recently, she has developed lower backache that is bothering her a lot. Backache is a common problem during pregnancy. It is caused by certain pregnancy hormones which… [ Continue Reading ]
Women often complain of breathlessness during the last trimester, though some women experience it throughout their entire terms. It is caused by the enlarging uterus which pushes the abdominal content upwards underneath the ribs. The uterus pushes the diaphragm into the chest which in turn constricts respiratory movement of the chest. When you exhale, your… [ Continue Reading ]
Maya cannot forget her first pregnancy. She was young and careless. She preferred to go shopping than go for her regular checkup. She hated staying at home when her husband was away at work. But all this took its toll on her baby. In her ninth month, she realised that her baby was not moving…. [ Continue Reading ]
It’s been a long day for Anu. As she relaxes with her evening coffee, she feels a jab of pain close to her anus. A trip to the gynaecologist the next day confirms her fears. It is piles. Piles, which look like soft purple lumps protruding through the anal ring, are actually swollen veins. They… [ Continue Reading ]
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