Choosing a method of contraception is a personal decision many women face.  The Mirena Hormonal Intra-Uterine Device (IUD) was first introduced in Finland in 1990, and has since become a popular form of birth control in many other countries including the U.S.  While the Mirena IUD is not right for everyone, it can be a highly effective, maintenance free choice for family planning.

The Mirena IUD is a T-shaped plastic device that is inserted into the uterus by a physician.  The insertion may cause discomfort for some patients, but once put in place, the IUD should be undetectable.  A thin string from the base of the IUD will protrude from the cervix, allowing for removal.  Women should check for the string once per month to ensure the device is still in proper position.  The string should not be tugged on because this may result in the accidental removal of the IUD.  

The Mirena is a hormonal IUD in that it slowly releases a small amount of synthetic hormones into the uterus.  Compared to oral or injected birth control, the hormone released locally and is not circulated through the whole body.  Women who do not tolerate other forms of hormonal birth control should check with their doctor to discuss whether they might be able to use the Mirena.  According to the Mayo Clinic, the FDA has approved the use of hormonal IUDs as safe for women who have had at least one child.  Unlike a copper IUD, which lasts ten years, the Mirena is effective for five years, after which it must be replaced.

The Mirena is a highly successful form of birth control.  With a 99.9% effectiveness rating, only an estimated 1 out of 1000 women will get pregnant while using this IUD.  The only more effective forms of contraception are abstinence and vasectomy.  Even tubal ligation only boasts a 99% effectiveness rating, which means 1 in every 100 patients may be come pregnant.  Unlike to these two permanent forms of birth control, the Mirena IUD can be easily removed and fertility resumes almost immediately.  When compared to the difficult reversal process of vasectomies and tubal ligations, the hormonal IUD is a great choice for women who are uncertain whether they want to have more children in the future.

Unlike barrier methods of birth control, a Mirena IUD does not impede the spontaneity of intimacy.  (It is important to realize that the Mirena does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and is best used in long-term monogamous relationships).  There are no pills to remember to take and no doctor’s visits for hormone injections.  Breastfeeding women can also safely use the Mirena.  Because the hormones released are local and not systemic, they will not enter the breast milk or affect milk supply.  Women may also experience reduced menstrual flow once the initial spotting from insertion ends.  This can be a great boon to women who suffer from painful periods.  Because of the numerous benefits of hormonal IUDs, they are a great choice for maintenance free birth control.

According to Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the Mirena, the following circumstances should be discussed with a physician prior to choosing a hormonal IUD.  These conditions may not preclude a patient from using a Mirena, however the physician should be aware if the patient recently had a baby or if is are breastfeeding, has ever had pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), has ever had an ectopic pregnancy, has diabetes, heart disease or a congenital heart condition, or if the patient has problems with blood clotting or high blood pressure.  There are potential side effects when using any IUD.  Some women experience discomfort during insertion.  The IUD may be inadvertently expelled, which can result in accidental pregnancy if not replaced. Some women will miss periods or stop menstruating altogether.  Additionally ovarian cysts, which usually disappear on their own, may occur. In extremely rare cases, uterine perforation may occur during or after insertion.  Heavy bleeding after insertion should be reported to a doctor.  If there are any concerns about the Mirena IUD, a physician should be contacted immediately.

When choosing a form of birth control, it is imperative to research all of the options available to make an educated decision.  The method’s effectiveness and ease of use should be considered, as well as the possible risk factors and side effects.  A desire for future pregnancies and the speed of the returned fertility are significant issues in family planning.  In conclusion, women who have already had at least one child may find that the Mirena IUD is a fantastic fit for their birth control needs.

This article is for information purposes only and is not meant to provide medical advice or recommendations.  A medical doctor will be able to help answer questions about the Mirena IUD.

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In the collaborative study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), the researchers have identified 10 genetic variants in two chromosomal regions associated with age at menarche (the first menstrual period), and 13 genetic variants in four chromosomal regions associated with age at natural menopause.

Menarche and natural menopause are two important physiological events in a woman’s life.

The researchers explained that an early onset of menarche and later menopause are well-established risk factors for the development of breast cancer and endometrial cancer.

On the other hand, early menopause increases risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Previous studies have suggested both menarche and menopause may be partially under genetic control.

And thus, to identify common genetic variants influencing these states, the researchers analysed more than 317,000 gene variants in a total of 17,438 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Women’s Genome Health Study (WGHS) based at BWH.

“At these newly identified loci, fine mapping or sequencing might lead to identification of the causal variants, and thus expand our knowledge of the underlying physiology and biological regulation of these traits. Insights into the genetic factors influencing the timing of menarche and natural menopause might shed light on normal reproductive function and the prevention of the diseases associated with these two traits,” Nature magazine quoted lead author Chunyan He, a doctoral student at HSPH, as saying.

Daniel Chasman, Director of Computational Biology in the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said:

“The collaboration of the WGHS and the NHS represents a great example of how large cohorts with genome-wide data can complement each other. While only one locus reached near genome-wide significance in the NHS alone, the meta-analysis of combined data had much more statistical power and revealed a total of two loci for timing of menarche and four for timing of menopause.”

Chasman, also an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, added: “Of the loci for timing of menopause, three were already strong but not proven candidates in the NHS; these loci reached genome-wide significance in the WGHS alone, supplementing the meta-analysis by a second mode of validation through replication. The remaining locus, for timing of menopause, would not have been identified, even as a candidate, without the joint power of these two cohorts working together.

“Future collaborations will hopefully continue to leverage the combined power of the two cohorts for association studies directed at other clinical characteristics.”

Titled ‘Genome-wide association studies identify loci associated with age at menarche and at natural menopause’, the study has been published online in Nature Genetics.

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Flaxseeds are the richest source of a wondrous bioactive substance known as SLD (secoisolariciresinol diglycoside) that provides the body with a multitude of benefits. In fact, flaxseeds contain 800 times more SLD and related compounds (mammalian lignan precursors) than any other food on earth. Ingesting the equivalent of two heaping tablespoons of ground flaxseed (flaxseed powder) or approximately 40-50 gm of flaxseed is of great value in protecting female reproductive organs, and the male prostate gland from disease processes, keeping cholesterol within a safe range, supporting liver and gallbladder function, improving large bowel health, reversing fibrocystic breast disease, possibly supporting bone density and improving the texture and smoothness of the skin (an effect that almost everyone notices within the first few weeks of use). Here’s how and why flaxseed should be part of your daily wellness plan whether you are a woman or man.

Flaxseed and Breast Health

The SLD in flaxseeds are converted by large bowel bacteria into two estrogen-like substances known as enterolactone and enterodiol.

Enterolactone and enterodiol are classified as phytoestrogens (plant-based estrogens), which means they can bind to estrogen receptors on breast tissue, the endometrium of the uterus and cells on the cervix, and tone down the over stimulation of the body’s more potent estrogens to these tissues. This is important because over stimulation of these tissues by the body’s estrogens (or hormone replacement therapy or the birth control pill) is linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, endometrial cancer and cancer of the cervix.
The phytoestrogens derived from flaxseed are so effective at protecting a woman’s reproductive tissues from estrogen over stimulation that a recently published Toronto-based hospital study demonstrated that flaxseed supplementation greatly improved symptoms in women who suffered from cyclical mastalgia.
Other studies have demonstrated that flaxseed supplementation can normalize estrogen production and reduce the build up of more cancer permissive estrogens (decrease synthesis of 16-alpha hydroxyestrone). Furthermore, flaxseed ingestion has been shown to directly slow down the breast cell division rate (antiproliferative), which is a factor in the prevention of breast cancer development. All indicators suggest that every adult woman (by age 16) should capitalize upon the benefits of flaxseed as it impacts the lifelong health of reproductive tissues.

Flaxseed and Prostate Health

The phytoestrogens derived from flaxseed helps to preserve prostate health in various ways. These phytoestrogens (enterolactone and enterodiol) block the over production of estrone hormone within fat cells. With weight gain, fat cells become larger and tend to manufacture more estrone hormone, which encourages prostate cells to synthesize more dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT, in turn, stimulates rapid cell division of prostate cells leading to prostate enlargement. DHT also promotes the growth of any existing prostate cancer cells. By age 50, 15 to 30 percent of men already have some cancer cells present within the prostate gland. Keeping DHT levels in check is considered to be an important step in preventing those cancer cells from dividing and spreading en masse throughout the prostate gland and metastasizing to other parts of the body. Thus, the ingestion of flaxseed on a daily basis provides important bioactive agents that indirectly slow the rate of prostate cell division, reducing the chances of prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia) and hindering the promotion of cancer development. These same phytoestrogens also bind to receptors on the prostate gland helping to block the influence of other hormones, which may stimulate rapid prostate cell division. Other herbal compounds such as saw palmetto, pygeum africanum, soy isoflavonoids and beta-sitosterol can also block the build up of DHT and support prostate health. However, the daily ingestion of 50 gm of ground flaxseed each day should be included as a primary anti-aging, disease prevention strategy used by every adult male; as prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and prostate enlargement problems will affect 80 percent of men if they live to old age.

Flaxseed and Cholesterol

Studies reveal that the same amount of flaxseed required to help maintain male and female reproductive tissue health (approximately 40-50 gm ground flaxseed) can also lower blood cholesterol by up to 10 percent in people with high cholesterol levels. More importantly, it lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL-cholesterol) by approximately 15 percent and concentrations of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] by 7 percent. Lp(a) is now recognized as a significant risk factor for heart disease and flaxseed supplementation is the only known dietary intervention that can lower Lp(a) into a safer range if it is elevated. As it turns out, flaxseed contains soluble dietary fiber, which has proven cholesterol-lowering effects. All in all, daily flaxseed supplementation factors into a heart-healthy lifestyle program as well.

Flaxseed and Bowel Function

Flaxseed also contains insoluble dietary fiber, which acts as a bulking agent or roughage in the promotion of more regular bowel movements. Studies indicate that flaxseed supplementation provides a natural and gentle laxation effect, which is associated with relieving constipation, and promoting the health of the large bowel. Most people ingest less than half of the recommended amount of dietary fiber. By providing both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, flaxseed is one of the few natural nutrition products that can help to keep cholesterol levels in check and maintain more optimal bowel function at the same time.

Flaxseed and Liver & Gallbladder Support

The daily ingestion of ground flaxseed has been shown to improve the flow of bile from the liver to the gallbladder, and ultimately into the intestinal tract. This effect helps to reduce the chances of gallstone formation and related gallbladder disease. Essentially, flaxseed supplementation induces a type of liver flushing effect, preventing the stagnation of bile, which can harden into stones if not eliminated in a timely fashion. Flaxseed supplementation also helps to prevent the conversion of bile into cholesterol, further facilitating a cholesterol-lowering effect by this action in the liver.

Flaxseed and Your Skin

Although the mechanism of action remains a mystery, virtually everyone who begins using flaxseed supplementation on a daily basis comments on the improved texture and smoothness of their skin all over their body. This is an effect that is usually noticed within the first month of using flaxseed on a daily basis. For those of us who use it, this is a wonderful additional benefit to its other premiere health-enhancing attributes.

How to Use Flaxseed

You can purchase ground flaxseeds (often marketed as flaxseed powder) or you can grind whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder on a daily basis to maximize freshness of the product. Make sure your flaxseeds or powder are from organic sources.

Studies reveal that ingesting 40-50 gm of ground flaxseed per day provides the health-promoting benefits reviewed in this article.

This is the equivalent of two heaping tablespoons of ground flaxseed (flaxseed powder).

It can be mixed into a protein shake or fruit juice (e.g., orange juice). Many people sprinkle it on to their cereal or mix it into a bowl of low-fat yogurt. It can also be baked into low-fat muffins or flax-bread. The important thing is that you consume at least 25 gm per day, but more ideally 40-50 gm through whatever delivery system works for you. The best news is that it has a nutty, flavorful taste that is very palatable and enjoyable.

Flaxseed is truly one of nature’s gifts that you should incorporate into a proactive, anti-aging, disease prevention lifestyle. I personally recommend that you use it on a daily basis throughout your life.

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Unwanted hair in women is the product of a group of hormones known as androgens. These are the hormones that give men their “manly” characteristics such as a deep voice, muscle mass, and, sometimes, hair on the chest. The best known androgen is testosterone. Women also produce a certain amount of androgens, although usually not as much as men. If too much androgen is produced by a woman or if her body is unusually sensitive to the effects of androgens, it can cause dark hair to grow on places it wouldn’t normally grow, a condition known as hirsutism.

Unwanted hair in women is not always a sign of a medical problem. Sometimes there’s a genetic basis for excessive body hair. Some medications can also cause hirsutism, including steroid based medications, as well as certain anti-seizure and anti-hypertensive medications. Your doctor should be able to tell you if the medications you’re on may be contributing to the problem.

More serious causes of unwanted hair in women can be related to certain types of tumors including brain tumors and tumors of the ovaries as well as an underactive thyroid gland. A condition known as Cushing’s syndrome, where the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol, can cause hirsutism. One of the most common medical reasons for hirsutism is polycystic ovary disease where the ovaries develop multiple cysts and produce excessive amounts of androgen. If you have polycystic ovary disease you usually have other symptoms such as irregular periods, infertility, excess abdominal fat, acne, and high blood pressure. All of these conditions can be diagnosed by your doctor with the help of blood tests.

If you have unwanted hair is there anything you can do about it? If there’s an underlying medical condition causing the problem, the first priority is to treat it. Once the excess androgen levels are reduced, the unwanted hair should decrease. In some cases, birth control pills may be used to control androgen levels although the pill can have side effects and shouldn’t be used in all situations. In other cases, weight loss can reduce androgen levels and help the problem. Otherwise, the best solution is to remove the excess hair using various hair removal methods such as plucking or waxing. More expensive options include electrolysis or laser hair removal.

The first priority is to make sure your unwanted hair isn’t due to a correctable medical condition. Don’t assume that your symptoms are a result of “age”. See a doctor knowledgeable about the problem of unwanted hair in women for a full physical and blood tests.

See also:

Whiteheads – A Change in Diet is Required

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A urinary tract infection (UTI), and particularly one that recurs, can be the bane of a woman’s life. The symptoms are often acutely painful, and if your infection is one that recurs only a short while after you’ve managed to clear it up, it can also be frustratingly annoying! There are no home remedies that will effectively treat a UTI; only a course of antibiotics from your doctor will do that. However, there are a number of simple steps a woman can take to help prevent infection recurring.

Urinary tract infection usually occurs when bacteria enter the opening of the urethra and then multiply in the urinary tract. Women are more prone to UTI because we have shorter urethras and therefore it’s easier for bacteria to enter. Some symptoms of UTI are back pain, blood in the urine, pain on urination, and an inability to urinate despite a persistent urge.

In order to help prevent bacteria from entering the urethra, it’s important to keep scrupulously clean and to wipe from front to back. Emptying the bladder after sex will also help flush out any bacteria that might have managed to enter the urethra during intercourse. Studies have shown that women who use a diaphragm or whose partners use a condom with spermicidal lubricant are more at risk of developing a UTI than those women who use other forms of birth control.

Cranberry juice has taken on almost legendary status where the prevention of UTI is concerned, and not without good reason. Eighty-five percent of UTIs are caused as a result of E. coli bacteria. Cranberry juice produces hippuric acid in the urine which acidifies the urine and inhibits the adherence of E. coli cells to the lining of the bladder, thereby reducing the risk of infection. Look for 100 percent cranberry juice which is usually sold in health shops; the regular cranberry juice sold in supermarkets isn’t concentrated enough and contains a lot of sugar. Cranberry juice won’t clear up a UTI but it’s a good preventative measure if you suffer from repeated attacks.

Drinking water will also help flush out any impurities in the bladder so keep up your water intake at all times—before, during, and after a UTI.

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Even if you are a breast feeding mother there is no guarantee that you are not probable to get an unexpected pregnancy. However, if you want to make it simple, here are few ways to prevent pregnancy after child birth.

4 Birth Control Options For New Mothers

1. Go for something that can be less burdensome to your sexual life. However, it can be quite tough to have enough energy and desire in sexual activity, particularly in post partum period. So, go for a birth control option that can be less difficult for you.
2. If you are breast feeding mother, don’t use combination of birth control pills, monthly shots and also vaginal rings. Take necessary suggestions from your health care provider and prefer better option to prevent unexpected pregnancy.
3. If you are planning to not have children after pregnancy, you can look permanent birth control choices like male sterilization such as vasectomy or female sterilization that involves tying of tubes.
4. When you are planning for children very soon after child birth, don’t use hormonal methods for birth control like using pills or shot, rather you can prefer other birth control options like female condoms, IUD device , etc.

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