POI, or primary ovarian insufficiency, can be defined as a gynecologic condition that develops when a woman's ovaries fail earlier than they should. The ovaries are small glands on either side of the uterus, and they are responsible for producing and releasing eggs during ovulation. The ovaries also produce hormones that play crucial roles in [...]
Women typically have menstrual cycles every 28 (anywhere between 21 and 35 days), and their periods usually last four to seven days. Several things may cause an irregular menstrual cycle, like certain shifts in hormone levels, specific medications, health conditions, stress, and more. On that note, most experts will consider a period regular, even if [...]
Pelvic organ prolapse, or POP, is a condition in which the muscles, tissue, and ligaments that support the organs of the pelvis (the pelvic floor) are too weak to support and hold your organs in place properly. Essentially, the muscles of the pelvic floor work like a strong sling supporting the organs such as the [...]
Vaginas can be vastly different, coming in different sizes and shapes, and all of them are considered normal. The muscles of the vagina are often described as muscles acting like a rubber band, stretching out when required and returning to their original shape quickly. However, vaginal laxity or vaginal looseness may occur, in which the [...]
Vaginal discharge is a regular and normal part of the menstrual cycle, and in most cases, women shouldn’t be concerned if the color and consistency of the discharge change slightly throughout the month. Still, certain types of discharge may indicate underlying medical conditions that need to be addressed. As a matter of fact, many women [...]
When experts need to define vaginal dryness, they will often say that it’s more of a painful symptom than an actual disease. Still, it can profoundly affect a person’s quality of life because it can cause discomfort and even pain during exercising, urination, sitting, and intercourse (also known as dyspareunia). Fortunately, the problems of vaginal [...]
STIs or STDs, also referred to as sexually transmitted infections and diseases, are conditions people get from unprotected sex. STDs can be transmitted via any kind of sexual activity involving the vagina, anus, penis, or mouth. STIs are serious medical issues that will require treatment. There are also certain STDs that can't be cured, like [...]
Typically, we can define safe sex as sexual contact between two people that protect each participant against unplanned pregnancy and STIs or sexually transmitted infections. Safe sex does not involve body fluid exchange (think semen, vaginal fluids, and blood) between the partners who are having intercourse. In essence, this would be it. Still, to give [...]
Generally speaking, infertility refers to a condition in which a woman cannot get pregnant (or is limited/impaired in some particular way) and give birth to a child. In the case of heterosexual couples, infertility is usually diagnosed after one year of planning and trying to get pregnant. In other cases, infertility may be diagnosed even [...]
Early menopause or premature menopause refers to a condition where a woman goes through the processes associated with menopause at a younger age than usually expected. Menopause, as you may know, refers to a stage in a woman’s life when her menstrual cycles end. Natural menopause sets in somewhere around 50 when a woman has [...]