Women have unique medical needs that change throughout their lifetime, especially when it comes to reproductive health and wellness. Adriatica Women’s Health offers comprehensive gynecologic care and treatment from board-certified physicians that have a lifetime of experience with women’s special health care requirements.
Here is a list of the most common health concerns among women:
1. Autoimmune illness
Approximately 75 percent of people diagnosed with autoimmune diseases, like lupus, diabetes, or arthritis, are women. An autoimmune disease causes your own immune system to mistakenly attack your body, which can lead to infertility.
2. Breast cancer
About 1 in 8 U.S. women (12 percent) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Breast cancer treatments, like radiation and chemotherapy, can effect a woman’s reproductive system and, as a result, her fertility.
3. Cardiovascular health
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. Both men and women with infertility have an increased risk for developing chronic conditions like heart disease later in life.
4. Fertility issues
Approximately ten percent of American women between the ages of 15 and 44 struggle with getting pregnant and/or staying pregnant. Fertility issues can be caused by a number of underlying reasons, including endometriosis, fibroids and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
5. Mental health
Mental health issues tend to be more common in women due to the possibility of developing postpartum depression and/or depression tied to menstruation. Mental health conditions include anxiety, depression, and bipolar disease.
6. Metabolic syndrome
About 23 percent of U.S. women struggle with metabolic syndrome each year. Metabolic syndrome occurs when a number of conditions present together (e.g., hypertension, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels) and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
7. Menorrhagia
Heavy bleeding, or menorrhagia, affects more than ten million American women each year. Menstrual disorders can be symptoms of infertility due to another cause, like polycystic ovary syndrome and uterine fibroids.
8. Osteoporosis
Approximately one in two women over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is caused by a number of reasons, including a sudden loss of estrogen resulting from menopause.
9. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Roughly five million women in the United States have PCOS, an endocrine disorder that causes enlarged ovaries and small cysts on their outer edges. PCOS leads to a hormone imbalance that can interfere with the growth and release of eggs (ovulation).
10. Uterine fibroids
Between 20 to 80 percent of women develop fibroids by the time they reach age 50. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous and often asymptomatic tumors that grow within the wall of the uterus. While fibroids may impact fertility and a woman’s ability to carry a pregnancy successfully, most women will not experience these issues as a result of fibroids.
For skilled gynecologists in Prosper and McKinney, Texas, call Adriatica Women’s Health at 972-542-8884. Our physicians are more than just experienced, board-certified obstetrician-gynecologists; they’re experienced moms, wives, sisters and aunts with a shared commitment to your unique health care needs.