FIVE TESTS YOU MUST DO AS A WOMAN

1. Know your breasts: regular breast self examination and knowing how your breasts look and feel will help you stay alert to sudden unfamiliar changes.

2. Cervical Screening Tests: If you are 21 years and above, sexually active or have Been in the past, factor this into your schedule ( there are multiple ways to do this: self-test, Pap smear, HPV DNA sampling etc)

3. Know your genotype, blood group, and rhesus status: all these help you when dating or choosing a life partner

#healthcheck
#HPV

PREPARING YOUR BODY FOR PREGNANCY

Start taking folic acid at least 3 months before trying for a baby.

If you are on any medication, see your doctor to be sure it is safe in pregnancy or change it to a safer option.

Stop consuming herbs and concoction.

Image from google If you drink alcohol or smoke, stop to avoid the possible negative effect on your baby. This applies for both the man and the woman.

If you haven't carried out some basic tests, do them before pregnancy especially those that can affect your baby.
@aproko_doctor
@DrZobo

WHAT NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT STIs/STDs

Sexually transmitted infections/diseases are more common than you think.

1. There are many sexually transmitted diseases
2. Condoms do not protect against all types of STIS/STDS
3. Some may not show obvious symptoms 

@aproko_doctor 4. Some cause irreversible damage within a very short time.

5. Some can lead to complications that may manifest 15 to 30 years later 

6. Some have uncommon symptoms like behavioural changes, headache, fleshy growths abnormal bleeding between period etc.

'Doctor, the scan says our baby is not normal'

This is one of the most disheartening experiences for any intending parent

What to do if SCAN shows the baby has abnormalities
1.Take a deep breath

2.Take result to tertiary hospitals

3. Seek 2nd/3rd opinion
@aproko_doctor 4. Ask them to use pictures to explain better and show you it looks in real life.(google it)

5. Ask what can be done in pregnancy/immediately after birth and if it is compatible with life.

6. Both partners should try ask questions within their families, it may be inherited.

Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week(August 1-7 2020)

Theme "Support breast feeding for a healthier planet”

The focus this year is on skilled breastfeeding counselling as a critical support to effective breastfeeding
@aproko_doctor
Let's recap on the goodness of breastmilk Benefits of breast feeding 

It has the optimal nutrition for baby, easily digested & helps babies gain the right amount of weight

Has antibodies that helps baby fight infections & reduce risk of diarrhea, ear &respiratory diseases

Lowers risk of baby having asthma/ allergies

WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE JOURNEY 

At birth- confirm she is a female with normal outer organs, hopefully she is the desired gender

Birth-Puberty; check for proper growth; if breasts/menses arrives too early or too late, fear, threat & panic

Teens; menstrual pain, heavy menses, fear of unwanted pregnancy, STIs, ectopic, forced marriage 

20s- Pressure to marry & make babies, delay to do so; family meeting & another set of panic

30s- Raising babies or pressure from 20s transmitted forward if still single or yet to make babies 
Know your breast well

PREPARING FOR FIBROID SURGERY
Some women with fibroid have no other choice; they MUST have surgery to improve their quality of life, relief their symptoms, or achieve fertility.
Here are some few tips if you are preparing for Fibroid removal surgery( Myomectomy)

A THREAD 1. Seek a 2nd/3rd opinion(it is your body & health)
2. Ensure you are talking to a Gynaecologist
3. Ask about all forms of surgeries available & discuss which is best for YOU
4. Do all relevant tests before surgery as recommended
5. Get blood donors ready before surgery

LIFESPAN OF PREGNANCY

Pregnancy is meant to last for 280 days which is 40 weeks in humans

Some babies can still survive two additional weeks.

After 42 weeks, the placenta starts aging rapidly & the water that provides food for them also starts drying up.
#Notobabyscam
RT So what has the baby been feeding on for 8 years?

Then how come baby isn't getting older in those 8 years?

We all know how an 8 year old looks, can that be in a woman's tummy?

Can the owners of this babies do agree to a DNA test?
#noforbabyscam
RT

Smoking Away the Babies

Cigarette contains many harmful chemicals that can affect fertility in both men & women negatively

In men
Can reduce sperm count
Can affect ability of sperm to move Cause abnormal sperm with damaged DNA
Can reduce volume of semen
#fertilityfriday In women
Can induce earlier menopause by 1- 4 years
Can affect ability of tubes to carry eggs
Can prevent fertilization & implantation of pregnancy

IVF
Women who smoke require higher dose of drugs to stimulate ovulation

IVF success rate may be 30% less than in non smokers.

FIBROIDS & FERTILITY

Fibroid can affect fertility by affecting your sexual health, by it's location or from it's treatment

Fibroid in Sexual health 

Irregular/prolonged bleeding can interfere with sexual intercourse.
It makes it hard to estimate fertile window
#ATHREAD Painful sex from fibroids can reduce sexual frequency

Recurrent blood loss can cause anaemia which can make the woman tire easily & sickly 

Going to hospital for pain, blood transfusion, heavy bleeding, stress etc can lead to loss of libido in both partners
@aproko_doctor

FIBROIDS
July is Fibroid Awareness Month

Few facts
They are abnormal growths of the muscles of the womb

The exact cause is unknown

They are not cancers 

They are common, in 50-70% of women

Less than half of women with fibroids have symptoms

Can be huge
@aproko_doctor For women with symptoms, it can be stressful & sometimes devastating

Symptoms 
Heavy menses; some use adult diapers,some sit on bowls just to bleed into it, some need to be transfused with blood after each period
Painful menses so severe some can't move/ work
@DrJohnAfam

CARE AFTER REPAIR OF PERINEAL TEAR
Please refer back to Tweet from 15/06/2020

Episiotomy; A surgical incision made at the vagina entrance to allow the delivery of the baby
Repair of episiotomy is Episiorrhaphy

Care Tips
DO’S
Complete your antibiotics/multivitamins/pain relief Sitz Bath; Please use LUKEWARM water, mix with salt, fully dissolved/disinfectant & sit in for 20-30 minutes.
NO HOT WATER, it can burn you & breakdown the stitches. It helps the pain, healing & the hemorrhoids

Change pad 2 to 4 hourly, keep the place dry 

#Covid_19

MYTH 1
Is Sickle cell disease (SCD) a spiritual attack and are they Abiku/Ogbanje?
#WorldSickleCellDay #SickleCellAwareness #SickleCellMythsandFacts
#WorldSickleCellDaywithNaijaObgynDoctor MYTH 2
Is it true that individuals with Sickle cell disease don't live past the age of 21 years?
#WorldSickleCellDay #SickleCellAwareness #SickleCellMythsandFacts
#WorldSickleCellDaywithNaijaObgynDoctor

FERTILITY FRIDAY
Doctor! My husband's sperm always flows after sex

I have lost count of times that women have said this

A lot of women who are trying to get pregnant also assume this is the cause of their delay.

This is a MYTH with many names
@aproko_doctor
#aThread FACTS.
The ejaculates is called semen

Sperm makes up only 5-10% of semen, others include fluid, vitamins, proteins etc. So most of what is flowing out is not sperm

The vagina has only one entrance, anything that goes in must surely come out including semen.

FERTILITY FRIDAY
Doctor! My husband's sperm always flows after sex

I have lost count of times that women have said this

A lot of women who are trying to get pregnant also assume this is the cause of their delay.

This is a MYTH with many names
@aproko_doctor
#aThread FACTS.
The ejaculates is called semen

Sperm makes up only 5-10% of semen, others include fluid, vitamins, proteins etc. So most of what is flowing out is not sperm

The vagina has only one entrance, anything that goes in must surely come out including semen.

Q & A WEDNESDAY
Q1
Good day doc
I have not seen my period in 5 months and I am not pregnant what could be the cause?
I am 43 years old

A1
Thanks for reaching out
 Many things can cause your period to become irregular. Did you start any hormonal medications or contraceptive? Also before a woman becomes menopausal, her period may become more irregular and far apart until it finally stops showing up. 

You will benefit from seeing a specialist to evaluate you and address your concerns

Yours in good health 
Naija Obgyn Doctor

VAGINAL INFECTIONS

Is it smelly, itchy, burning?
Is the discharge much?
Do you have painful urination?

These are some questions asked when a woman has a vaginal infection

It can happen when the vagina is not as acidic as it should be, allowing bad organisms to grow. It can be caused by sexually transmitted infections

Conditions where immunity is low like pregnancy, uncontrolled diabetes,HIV infection etc.can make it more common

You can also change the acidity of your vagina by DOUCHING

This puts you at risk of infection
@aproko_doctor

As I sat at my desk
I saw a couple come into consulting room arguing & shouting at each other.

Even when they sat down, they were still fuming.

The most obvious thing was that the woman was heavily pregnant.

I found out she was just coming for antenatal for the 1st time Married for over 10 years with 5 kids already

Silly woman he said, 'are you suppose to get pregnant,? I didn't get myself pregnant you did.

Mr.O turned to me, I don't want more children Dr, I told her to get rid of it, I have both girls & boys

We finally got to SCAN

Q1
How should the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer be taken?
Does it cover for life?

A1
HPV vaccine schedule
At 9 -15 years, two doses at 0 months & 6months

At above 15 years, three doses, at 0 month, 1 months & 6 months

It is a once in a life vaccination Q2
Good evening Doc

I had a miscarriage last month, can I try again this month ?

A2
Good evening
Thanks for reaching out
I'm sorry for your loss

I'd advise allow your body to recover & try again 3 months after

Please join the Rainbow Blooms with link in bio

Every 23rd May, Obstetric fistula takes centre stage

This condition is one of the most serious and tragic injuries that can occur during childbirth.

It is a hole between the vagina & bladder/ rectum which causes them to leak urine or faeces.

ATHREAD
A case I saw once She came into the gynae emergency, screaming at the top of her lungs, she had been pushing for 2 days.

She was dehydrated heart was beating fast,feverish, vagina was HOT, swollen with with foul odour smeared and dripping down her thighs.

My heart was thumping even before .

Maternal Mental Health Month

All of us are connected to Mothers; ours, sisters, spouses, aunties, friends

Are you affecting their mental health negatively?

You may be doing this by;

1. Asking consistently about when they plan to have kids when they have delay.

A THREAD 2. Not listening to their struggles &playing the 'l had it worse than that so what?'

3. Ignoring their pregnancy struggles; medical, psychosocial & emotional

4. Isolating & not supporting them

5. Mocking body changes in pregnancy; weight gain, skin changes
@aproko_doctor