CERVICAL CANCER

Cervical cancer is primarily caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and is a serious threat to South African women – it’s the cancer most women die of in our country.

HPV is a common virus spread through skin-to-skin contact, body fluids and sexual intercourse. Not using condoms during sexual intercourse, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), multiple sexual partners, early sexual debut, and the use of oral contraceptives all increases risk. Women with HIV also have a higher risk of developing cervical cancer, as do women who are overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle, abuse alcohol, and smoke.

Symptoms include abnormal bleeding between periods, a heavier and longer menstrual period, vaginal discharge, vaginal bleeding or pain during intercourse/after menopause, and needing to urinate often.

With regular pap smear screening, doctors can find cervical cancer and treat it early. Unfortunately, many of the treatments cause infertility, so if you get cervical cancer, ask about treatments that will allow you to get pregnant later.

BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer is common in South African women of all races, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 27 according to the 2019 National Cancer Registry (NCR). Breast cancer is caused by abnormal breast cells that grow out of control and form tumours. If left unchecked, the tumours can spread throughout the body and become fatal.

Almost 99% of breast cancers occur in women, with approximately half of breast cancers developing in women who have no identifiable breast cancer risk factor other than gender (female) and age (over 40 years). Other factors that increase the risk of breast cancer include:

• Obesity
• Alcohol abuse
• A family history of breast cancer
• A history of radiation exposure
• Your reproductive history (e.g. starting menstrual periods at a young age is linked to a small increase in breast cancer, while women who give birth to their first child at age 35 or younger tend to have a lower risk of breast cancer than women who give birth for the first time at an older age and women who never give birth)
• Tobacco use
• Postmenopausal hormone therapy (HRT)

Symptoms can include:

• a breast lump or thickening, often without pain
• change in size, shape or appearance of the breast
• dimpling, redness, pitting or other changes in the skin
• change in nipple appearance or the skin surrounding the nipple (areola)
• abnormal or bloody fluid from the nipple

You should seek help from your healthcare provider if you discover an abnormal breast lump, even if the lump does not hurt. While most breast lumps are not cancer, lumps that are cancerous are more likely to be successfully treated when they are small and have not spread to nearby lymph nodes.

Treatment for breast cancer depends on the subtype of cancer and how much it has spread outside of the breast to lymph nodes (stages II or III) or to other parts of the body (stage IV).

VAGINAL YEAST INFECTIONS

Vaginal yeast infections (candidiasis) are common. They are most often caused by a specific kind of yeast called Candida albicans. The yeast Candida is a naturally occurring microorganism in the vaginal area, and the Lactobacillus bacteria usually keeps its growth in check. But if there’s an imbalance in your system, these bacteria won’t work effectively. This leads to an overgrowth of yeast, which causes the symptoms of vaginal yeast infections.

Factors which can cause a yeast infection include:

• antibiotics, which decrease the amount of Lactobacillus in the vagina
• pregnancy
• uncontrolled diabetes
• a weak immune system
• hormonal imbalance
• stress

If you have a yeast infection, you are likely to experience:

• vaginal itching
• swelling around the vaginal opening
• burning during urination
• pain during penetrative vaginal sex
• soreness
• redness
• a whitish-yellow and clumpy vaginal discharge

Over-the-counter treatment medications may alleviate your symptoms within a few days. In severe cases, prescription medication may be necessary to clear the infection.

POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS)

PCOS happens when a woman’s ovaries or adrenal glands produce more male hormones than normal. PCOS, which is more common in women who are obese, increases your risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. While many women don’t know they have PCOS until they try to conceive, symptoms can include:

• Infertility
• Pelvic pain
• Ovarian cysts
• Irregular periods
• Excess body or facial hair
• Baldness or thinning hair
• Acne, oily skin, or dandruff
• Patches of thickened dark brown or black skin

There is no cure for PCOS, but diet, exercise, and medicines can help control the symptoms. Birth control pills help women have normal periods, reduce male hormone levels, and clear acne. Treatments for infertility caused by PCOS may include medicines, surgery, and in vitro fertilisation (IVF).

ENDOMETRIOSIS

Endometriosis is a disorder which affects the uterus and occurs when the tissue lining the uterus grows in other places outside of the uterus such as in the ovaries, pelvic area, or bowel. This causes extremely painful periods, infertility, and scar formation. However, some women have no symptoms at all and only find out they have endometriosis when they have trouble getting pregnant. Women who struggle with conception are 6 to 8 times more likely to have endometriosis than fertile women. Surgery or in vitro fertilisation can improve the odds of getting (and staying) pregnant.

FIBROIDS

Fibroids are on-cancerous growths in the uterus that can cause heavy bleeding and discomfort. They can also increase your risk for complications during your pregnancy and delivery. Their cause still not known, but they seem to affect overweight women the most.

PELVIC FLOOR PROLAPSE

Your pelvic floor muscles provide important support for various organs, like your bladder, rectum, vagina, uterus and urethra. When these muscles become overstretched and weak, these muscles fall. Pelvic Floor Prolapse is mostly common in women that have given birth or undergone some surgery. In the early stage, treatment is provided in the form of dietary changes and specific strengthening exercises. Should the condition become worse, surgery may be required.

OVARIAN CYSTS

Ovarian cysts are sacs, usually filled with fluid, in an ovary or on its surface. Although some cysts may disappear on their own, they can cause complications if they don’t. When they become twisted or burst open (rupture), they can cause pelvic pain, bloating, and pressure in your abdomen. You need immediate medical help if the pain becomes severe, is accompanied by fever, light-headedness, and/or vomiting.

MENSTRUATION DISORDERS

Menstrual cycle disorders are normally caused by hormonal imbalance. Surgery, medicines and diet changes can help treat most menstrual disorders. Common disorders related to the menstrual cycle are:

• Oligomenorrhea: infrequent menstrual periods.
• Dysmenorrhea: painful cramps during menstruation
• Premenstrual syndrome: physical and psychological symptoms occurring prior to menstruation
• Menorrhagia: excessive bleeding, or prolonged menstrual periods
• Metrorrhagia: bleeding at irregular intervals
• Amenorrhea: the absence of menstruation