27 April, 2013

Fibroids and infertility: is there a relationship?

Fibroids are very common in women as around 35% women suffer from them. For the uninitiated, Fibroids are overgrowths of tissue in the uterus or womb.

They are a non-cancerous tumor that develops in the womb and you can see their growth from the muscle of the uterine wall. As many as 5 out of 8 women suffer with uterine fibroids but without showing any symptoms. The number of fibroids and its sizes decide whether the woman will suffer from any pain of discomfort. The submucosal fibroids are the ones most likely to cause heavy bleeding.

They are overgrowths of tissue in the uterus with symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding, pain during intercourse, pressure in lower abdomen or an increase in the duration of the bleeding. Although their cause is unknown, they can block the sperm from reaching the egg and thus this can be major cause of infertility, if other factors are ruled out.

According to Livestrong, "Studies have shown that the fibroids most likely to cause infertility are the submucosal fibroids, which are located inside or near the innermost layer of the uterus. Also called the endometrium or the uterine cavity, this layer is the site for embryo implantation and the place where the baby grows for the entire pregnancy. So it makes sense that fibroids in this location could interfere with fertility and pregnancy, and most fertility doctors will recommend that these types of fibroids be removed before you try to conceive."

When women conceive with fibroids in the uterus then she might go through abortion and other complications during delivery. Complications depends upon the size and location of the fibroid, there removal gives you a better chance to conceive, and if you planning to go through a removal procedure then get it done by an expert gynecologist.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

27.04.2013

Women becoming taller as fertility rates decline

As womenlivelonger and have fewer children, they are becoming taller and slimmer, a new study has shown.

The study of people living in rural Gambia has revealed that the modern-day "demographic transition" towards living longer and having fewer children may lead women to be taller and slimmer, too.

"This is a reminder that declines in mortality rates do not necessarily mean that evolution stops, but that it changes," said Ian Rickard of Durham University in the United Kingdom.

Rickard and Alexandre Courtiol of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Germany found that changes in mortality and fertility rates in Gambia, likely related to improvements in medical care since a clinic opened there in 1974, have changed the way that natural selection acts on body size.

For their studies, Rickard, Courtiol, and their colleagues used data collected over a 55-year period (1956) by the UK Medical Research Council on thousands of women from two rural villages in the West Kiang district of Gambia.

Over the time period in question, those communities experienced significant demographic shifts—from high mortality and fertility rates to rapidly declining ones. The researchers also had thorough data on the height and weight of the women.

Their analysis showed that the demographic transition influenced directional selection on women''s height and body mass index (BMI). Selection initially favored short women with high BMI values but shifted over time to favor tall women with low BMI values.

The researchers said that it''s not entirely clear why selection has shifted from shorter and stouter women to taller and thinner ones. It''s partly because selection began acting less on mortality and more on fertility over time. But other environmental changes were shown to play an important role, too.

"Although we cannot tell directly, it may be due to health care improvements changing which women were more or less likely to reproduce," Courtiol said.

The findings in Gambia may have relevance around the globe.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

27.04.2013

It is better to have a few good friends than many indifferent ones

GEORGE WASHINGTON