ترجمة: تسنيم عبدالله لو بقيتي في الأربعينات، وكنتي مأجلة الخلفة لظروف شغلك، أو علشان ماكنتيش واثقة من شريك حياتك، أو ببساطة علشان ماكنتيش لسة مستعدة. وفجأة لقيتي إنك بقى عندك أربعين سنة ومش عارفة تقرري تحملي ولا لأ، صحيح إمكانية حصول حمل بتبدأ تتضاءل كل ما تتقدمي في السن وبالذات في الأربعينات بس مش مستحيلة.…

في ستات كتير بيفضلوا الولادة القيصيرية عن الطبيعية، علشان بيخافوا من آلام الولادة الطبيعية الشديدة، ومن المضاعفات اللي ممكن تحصل أثناء الولادة الطبيعية للطفل أو للأم. إيه اللي بيسبب آلام الولادة؟ مرحلة الولادة بتبدأ لما الرحم يحصل فيه تقلصات، المع قُرب الولادة تقلصات بتبدأ تكون متواصلة وشديدة، وممكن تبقى مؤلمة جداً، وفي نفس الوقت فتحة…

 Something going wrong during a pregnancy is every woman’s greatest fear. Even though we all hope that nothing bad happens to us, being informed about the potential problems is the best way to be prepared in case anything does go amiss. As preterm birth is one of the most common issues affecting childbirth, here is…

With so many rumors and anecdotes flying around from women of all generations swearing by different contraceptive methods, it is hard to know what actually works and what doesn’t. But when it comes to trying to not get pregnant, or deciding that you want to conceive, it is important to know the facts. So does…

There are many myths around the use of pills. When seeing a couple for counseling prior to marriage, contraception is usually on the top of the queries. Unfortunately, relatives and friends volunteer to offer information about the pill which are based on old wrong beliefs. Things I commonly hear from patients are that the pill…

The big challenges to your body… Even though unmarried women in that age group may be significantly less stressed and not as busy as married women that belong to the same category, they do have to deal with a variety of challenges that encounter them. These revelations are surprisingly mystifying considering the proposed societal-advancement that…

What are the common signs?   What are preterm labor and preterm birth? If you start having regular contractions that cause your cervix to begin to open before you reach 37 weeks of pregnancy, you’re in preterm labor. (It’s also known as premature labor.). If you deliver your baby before 37 weeks, it’s called a…

If you have put off pregnancy because of work, relationship concerns or because you simply weren’t ready, there’s no denying your odds of getting pregnant are now far lower than just a few years ago. After 45, it’s almost impossible to get pregnant using your own eggs. At the same time, many 40-plus women do get pregnant,…

Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are on the rise especially among the younger age groups. Some earlier reports have shown a higher incidence of STI among women aging between 17 and 24 who are sexually active. The reasons are usually due to deficient sex education thus most of the women at that age are not using…

In this article I will concentrate on the main problems that can face a newly married couple on their honeymoon and how to avoid them. Three main issues will be addressed; honeymoon cystitis, the need for contraception and painful intercourse. A honeymoon is supposed to be pure pleasure- but what happens when the bride starts…

Not every couple intends to start a family early in their marriage. To avoid getting pregnant during your honeymoon (or at any other time), you must use birth control.  A honeymoon is typically a time of joyous and unrestrained lovemaking, when a couple finally has the time and place to be alone together undisturbed, but…

We all know how important a good diet is in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. After all, your baby relies on you for the vitamins, nutrients, and calories he needs throughout his development. A good diet is well-balanced and addresses you and your baby’s specific needs. Ensuring you get enough nutrients during pregnancy is essential for…

There has been a lot of panic recently about the spread of swine flu among pregnant women in Egypt. Most of the reports have confirmed a high mortality rate as compared to non-pregnant women. This has been based on calculating the number of pregnant women dying from swine flu as compared to the total number…

The couple usually feels lost; they seek help and advice from various consultants, all with conflicting recommendations. In Egypt unfortunately there are no specialized clinics for looking after women suffering from recurrent miscarriages. Recurrent miscarriage clinics are available is in many countries, like the United Kingdom. These clinics are usually run by obstetricians who have…

Regular exercise builds bones and muscles, gives you energy, and keeps you healthy. It is just as important when you are pregnant. Exercise during pregnancy can help prepare you for labour and childbirth. Exercising Exercising afterward can help get you back in shape. Regular activity also helps keep you fit during pregnancy and may improve your ability to…

Intrauterine contraceptive device, sterilization and emergency contraception.   I will discuss the intrauterine contraceptive device as there are many myths surrounding its use. I will go through sterilization which is a permanent method of contraception. It is not commonly offered or used in Egypt. But it may be the only method in women where other…

  Caesarean section (CS) rate is going up, most women are delivering by CS, these comments are frequently heard nowadays, but who is really to blame? is it the obstetrician or the patient? Is CS the easier route for delivery? Should we obstetricians be promoting vaginal delivery or should we be pushing more women towards…

How to Get Relief The following information contains tips to help you deal with the most common discomforts of pregnancy. If you have questions about any of these symptoms, please talk to your doctor. Nausea Many women suffer from nausea or vomiting during the early months of pregnancy. This problem often is called “morning sickness,”…

There are many myths related to sex, pregnancy and hygiene, it is not clear where they all originated from but they seem to be passed on from one generation to the other. Sometimes mothers give advice to their daughters, but mothers don’t always know best! Strange enough some health care providers believe some of these…

Amniocentesis is a diagnostic procedure carried out during pregnancy. It is most commonly used to check the baby’s chromosomes for specific disorders, such as Down syndrome known as (Mongol). In this condition the baby has an extra chromosome with a total of 47 instead of the normal 46 chromosomes. Amniocentesis is occasionally performed for other…

Are you going through the menopause? Menopause, or better known as the change of life; is the absence of menstrual periods for 12 months. The diagnosis can only be made in retrospect.  The menopausal transition starts with varying menstrual cycle length and ends with the final menstrual period. Perimenopause means “the time around menopause” and…

What is Down syndrome? The majority of babies are born healthy, but around 1% (1 in a100) are born with severe physical or mental handicap. Downs syndrome is one of the common conditions where the baby is born with an extra chromosome (47 instead of 46). The extra chromosome is number 21 thus the condition…

Having a baby may be the dream of many women; unfortunately, some couples may not be destined to have a baby, or more than one baby. Women who are having difficulties conceiving always have hope that it will happen one day. As a doctor facing a couple with the fact that they can’t try any…

Ectopic means “out of place.” in a normal pregnancy, a fertilized egg travels through a fallopian tube to the uterus. The egg attaches in the uterus and starts to grow. But in an ectopic pregnancy, the fertilized egg attaches (or implants) someplace other than the uterus, most often in the fallopian tube. (This is why…

Women are usually very excited once they know they are pregnant. Missing a period and having a positive pregnancy test could be one of their happiest moments in their lives. Their visit to the obstetrician, getting to see the first signs of pregnancy on the ultrasound machine is a happy event. This is usually shared…

There are many methods of contraception to chose from, some may be suitable for some women but not for others. On the other hand some may be used at a certain stage of woman’s life but not at other times. There are many products available on the market which may cause a great confusion to…

The Myths:  Once you are pregnant you here a lot of myths about what you should and should not avoid. I will mention few of them. The first trimester (3 months) myths: you need complete rest, it is completely forbidden to do any sports as you may miscarry the baby. Obviously you are not allowed…

PMS is common in young and middle-aged women – three in four women have PMS symptoms. It can start up to two weeks before your period and usually goes away when your period starts. Types of PMS PMS can affect your quality of life and relationships. A more severe form of the syndrome is premenstrual…

We are subjected occasionally to embarrassing moments but some women are unfortunate as they suffer from urinary incontinence, which can be very embarrassing and can occur frequently. Urinary incontinence is a problem affecting almost one third of women to a varying extent. It is the involuntary loss of urine, which can happen while laughing, sneezing,…

When one man’s food is another man’s posion The ‘safe period’ method in birth control is a concept used to describe the calendar method of contraception vis-à-vis when a woman is safe to have sexual intercourse during her menstrual cycle without the fear of an unwanted pregnancy. It is particularly popular among ladies who prefer…