Acidophilus milk is a slightly fermented milk product containing the bacterial species Lactobacillus acidophilus, the same species responsible for fermenting milk to make yogurt. In fact, acidophilus milk is essentially drinkable yogurt and shares...
Cervical cancer rates in the United States have dropped since the development of the Papanicolaou test, but in 2010, over 12,000 new diagnoses were made, states the National Cancer Institute. Treatments are available, but many treatments can...
As your due date grows nigh, you may find yourself looking for signs that your baby is ready to be born. Your doctor may notice physiological changes in your body that indicate that labor could start at any time. However, if you've kept in tune...
Having irregular bleeding between your regular periods can be frightening. There are a range of causes for irregular vaginal bleeding, some of which are perfectly normal and some of which are potentially deadly. If you've been experiencing...
A pap smear is a test to detect changes in the cells of your cervix. The National Cancer Institute estimates that about 55 million pap smears are done annually in the United States. Of those, about 3.5 million or 6 percent, are abnormal and...
Loop electrosurgical excision procedure, or LEEP, is used to remove abnormal cells from a woman's cervix. The cervix contains several layers of thin tissue made up of cells that may grow abnormally. Abnormal cervical cells are removed to prevent...
Pap tests, done every three years as a preventative measure in women 21 years old or younger, depending on when they became sexually active, diagnose early cancers or cellular changes that might become cancerous. Cells scraped from the cervix's...
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) because the bacteria that causes the infection transfers from person to person through sexual contact. The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis infects the urethra and cervix in females. This common...
The most common sexually transmitted disease reported in the United States usually has no symptoms. In 2006, there were 1,030,911 chlamydial infections reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the CDC, it is a...
The Pap smear, named for its creator, Dr. George Papanicolaou, is a medical screening test health care providers use to check for changes in the cervix that indicate cancer, precancerous conditions or infection. The cervix is the lower part of the...
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) states that Chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the...
Normally, pregnant women stop having menstrual periods, but vaginal bleeding may still occur during pregnancy. Although the bleeding can be worrisome, it is most common for women during the first trimester, the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Up to...
The cervix is the opening of the uterus and is located in the upper end of the vagina. Cervical dysplasia is a medical condition that occurs when the cells of the cervix change. This abnormal change typically stems from an infection to the cervix....
Breaking water, also called amniorrhexis or rupture of membranes, is a normal part of labor and giving birth. The "water" is actually amniotic fluid, a straw-colored liquid with a faint odor that may be confused with urine. During...
Women undergo a Pap test, also referred to as a Pap smear, to check for cancer and other abnormalities in the cervix. Infections and inflammation also can be detected in the lower portion of the uterus through a Pap test. According to the National...
Although it can be scary to see vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, it is more common than many women think. While bleeding during pregnancy can indicate a serious medical problem or complication with the pregnancy, this is not always the case....
When a patient has herpes, he can have one of two strains of the virus: type 1 or type 2. Not everyone who becomes exposed to a herpes simplex virus will exhibit symptoms. MedlinePlus points out that 30 to 90 percent of people develop type 1, or...
HPV, or human papillomavirus, is a sexually transmitted disease that can infect a woman's cervix. However, only a few strains of HPV can result in damage to the cervix, through cervical cancer and cervical warts. While the damage to the cervix can...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "chlamydia is known as a 'silent' disease because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no symptoms." Statistics are different according to the...
Pap tests are an important part of a woman's routine health exam and have greatly reduced the number of cases of cervical cancer. The Pap test or Pap smear looks for cell changes on the cervix that might become cancer. An irregular Pap test means...
The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the causative agent at the root of malignant conditions such as cervical and anal cancers. The virus is also known to cause the growth of warts in the genital area, as a result of sexual transmission, as well as...
Bancha tea is a Japanese green tea that provides antioxidant benefits due to its polyphenols. Antioxidants help reduce damage caused by cell-damaging free radicals in your body.It can be consumed alone, or steeped along with ginger and umbeoshi...
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major medical issue, not just for personal care but for the public at large. STDs range from annoying and painful infections to life-threatening illnesses. Getting tested for STDs can be daunting, but the...
Throughout their child bearing years, many women will experience spotting or bleeding in between menstrual periods. Vaginal bleeding that occurs between periods or after menopause sometimes may be due to cancer or precancer and should be evaluated...
Postmenopausal bleeding can be alarming. Menopause means the end of menstruation, so bleeding after menopause is not normal. There are many possible causes for postmenopausal bleeding. Some causes are harmless, while others may be serious. Vaginal...
Herpes is a virus affecting different areas of the body, depending on the type of virus. The three types of herpes are herpes simplex type one, herpes simplex type two and herpes zoster. All types are incurable, but they may live dormant in the...
Human parasites live in or on our bodies and take their nourishment from us. By definition, parasites cannot live on their own--they use us as their hosts. A variety of insects, worms and single-celled organisms cause parasitic infections.
Feminine odor, or vaginal odor, is an abnormally strong or unpleasant smell that occurs as a symptom of several different vaginal disorders, including bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis and pelvic inflammatory disorder. With information and...
Many women experience spotting or bleeding, sometimes called metorrhagia, or dysfunctional uterine bleeding, between menstrual periods. Metorrhagia can have benign causes or can signal a serious problem. Bleeding between periods can be caused by...
A Chlamydia infection is a common sexually transmitted disease affecting the genitals and eyes. Learn more about Chlamydia in this obstetrics video.
Gonorrhea is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world, often presenting discharges, urethritis, and cervicitis. Learn more about gonorrhea, including symptoms and treatments, in this obstetrics video.
Vaginitis is a general inflammation of the vaginal mucous membranes and is a common problem. Get expert tips and advice on preventing, diagnosing, and treating vaginitis in this video.
