Blog Archive
Mid-life and Menopause Heart Disease and Why Sex Matters? February is the American Heart Association's GO RED FOR WOMENannual campaign focused on raising awareness of heart disease as the No. 1 killer of women. This gender-based campaign has led to a significant reduction in rates of death among women....
What to do if your bladder bothers you?An initial assessment should start with urine testing and culture. If this is normal, then a bladder diary or record of what you drink is important. This diary should include amounts and types of liquids (water, caffeine, juice, etc.) and how often you...
You would think that our large brain is most responsible for our evolutionary superiority, but maybe it is our bladders that are responsible for the survival of the fittest. The evolutionary development of our bladder allowed for the storage of a waste product (urine) at low pressure and then allowed...
Annual Exams Matter! Preventing Ovarian & Uterine CancerLast month I reviewed how regular annual exams are important for optimizing gynecologic health and the role of pap smears in preventing cervical cancer. This month I will review the new paradigm around preventing ovarian cancer and how removing a woman’s fallopian tubes...
Annual Exams MattersA gynecologic colleague told about an 80-year-old patient who stopped coming for her annual exam because she was told she did not need a pap smear. At her last annual exam 5 years ago, she had been prescribed a topical steroid for a chronic skin disorder that causes...
The North American Menopause Society (menopause.org) recently published an updated 2017 position statement on the risk/benefit use of hormone therapy (HT). In my last article, I reviewed hormones effects on hot flashes, bone health, genitourinary health, sexual function, sleep, skin and hair. If you missed this article visit my website...
The North American Menopause Society (menopause.org) just published their updated 2017 position statement on the use of hormone replacement therapy. The new recommendation encourages providers to have a conversation with their menopausal patients that is individualized for a specific woman’s needs instead of the 2012 recommendation that when prescribing hormones...
Pregnancy Matters: Weight GainBy Theresa Gipps MDA woman’s health during pregnancy is important for her and her baby’s health long after her pregnancy ends. Last time we reviewed guidelines for exercising safely during and after pregnancy. Exercise and diet are key factors in a woman’s weight gain during her pregnancy. About...
In last month’s Menopause Matters column, there was a typo on my part that should have said 30 thousand (not million) women worldwide have undergone MonaLisa Touch.What is MonaLisa Touch?MonaLisa Touch was the first FDA approved CO2 laser (2015) specifically designed for use in the vagina. The laser energy stimulates...
Pregnancy Matters: Exercise By Theresa Gipps MD You probably know a mother’s health during pregnancy plays an important role in her baby’s health. But did you know it is also important for her health in future pregnancies, and long after baby is born?Weight, weight gain during pregnancy, and exercise are common topics...
Menopause Matters upcoming columns will review what happens to lower genitourinary tissues like the vagina and bladder when a woman’s circulating estrogen goes away. In prior column’s I reviewed the time frames for the menopausal transition and defined menopause as starting 12 months after a woman’s final menstrual period (FMP)....
Osteoporosis (definition): Disorder characterized by low bone mass and micro architectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to enhanced bone fragility and a consequent increase in fracture risk.The last several columns looked at Vitamin D’s role in bone health, morbidity and mortality associated with fracture and risk reduction strategies by looking...
Summer is just about over and I hope you found time away to be outside, exposed to sun with those who help your being. The last Menopause Matters addressed sunlight’s role in synthesizing vitamin D and its important role in bone health. Since then, I have attended a two-day UC...
Prior columns defined Vitamin D’s role in osteoporosis and why you should care about your bone health. This column reviews risk factors that may predispose you to hip fracture and offers recommendations to reduce that risk.Some risk factors in women are not modifiable: menopause, thin stature, age and genetics (mom...
Summer is just around the corner and the time of the year we spend with family & friends at backyard BBQ’s, pool parties, and the beach. A great time to renew friendships and get away, but too much of a good thing may be harmful, like sunlight. Your PCP and...
Last month’s column ended with a reference to 2012 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). The intent of that statement was to clarify the benefit-risk ratio of estrogen therapy (ET) vs. estrogen-progestogen therapy (EPT) of menopause-related symptoms and disease prevention. NAMS acknowledged that no single...
Menopause is an obvious marker of ovarian aging. Chronological age is a poor predictor of when menopause occurs, and women vary widely in their menopausal transition. Last month I mentioned that the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) defines menopause as 12 months after the final menstrual period (FNP). In 2011...
Menopause Matters… this new columns intention is to give you, the reader, factual information about changes in health and wellness after a woman’s FMP (final menstrual period). I want to share factual scientific information endorsed by the North American Menopause Society-NAMS (menopause.org), which is the professional medical society devoted exclusively...
PREGNANCY MATTERS Vaccines while pregnantBy Theresa Gipps MD After growing up in Walnut Creek and completing my Ob/Gyn residency at UCSF-Fresno, I joined Dr Leach’s practice in 2015. To complement Dr. Leach’s column ‘Menopause Matters’ I plan to review common questions I hear from pregnant women, and other aspects of women’s...