Common Health Problems Affecting Women In The UAE

“Women’s health is the cornerstone for the success of a family as a healthy woman is equivalent to a healthy and happy family,” says Dr. Shiva Harikrishnan, Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Medeor 24 x 7 Hospital, the newest offering from the VPS Healthcare conglomerate. And echoing these sentiments on the occasion of Mother’s Day she revealed the most prevalent health conditions affecting women in the UAE:

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): In today’s day and age more and more women are focused on furthering their career and their high pressure jobs leave them with little time to exercise and more likely to reach out to fast food instead of healthy home cooked food. Junk food is high in preservatives and steroid content and this coupled with the sedentary lifestyle gives rise to cysts in the ovaries or PCOS. The condition results in increased acne, facial hair and irregular periods. It is one of the most common causes of infertility in women and even if they do conceive they have a higher chance of suffering a miscarriage. PCOS also affects the body’s other systemic processes a it increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, strokes, uterine cancers, and breast cancer.

Fibroids: Due to an increased involvement in career, women delay childbearing and this leads to a hormonal imbalance which leads to the formation of fibroids. Some racial groups like the Afro-Caribbean are more genetically disposed to developing fibroids. The increased use of ultrasound imaging has helped with the early detection of the tumors and hence early treatment.

Endometriosis: Women afflicted with this condition suffer from severe pain during their monthly periods and during sexual contact with their partner. In this condition lining of the womb can be seen outside it for example sometimes in the ovaries. Women develop chocolate cysts in ovaries – these contain altered blood and are very sticky and sometimes cause other internal organs to stick to the uterus and ovaries causing symptoms.

To ensure these common conditions do not manifest into life threatening conditions, Dr. Shiva outlined simple changes women can make to their lifestyle and steps to be proactive about their health:

Cleaner lifestyle: Women can enroll in supervised exercise programs to ensure optimum health and modify their diet to include more fruits and vegetables and less junk food. The intake of chicken daily should also be avoided Pap Smears: It is recommended that sexually active females get a pap smear done every 2 to 3 years. Pap smears help identify pre-cancerous lesions on the walls of the cervix and uterus helping in the early detection and ultimately early treatment.

Regular Gynecological check-up: Regular or an annual ultrasound of the ovaries and the uterus helps in the detection of fibroids or ovarian cysts.

Mammograms: Women over forty should have a mammogram done every 3 years. This helps detect breast cancers in early stages which can ensure a complete cure from the disease.

Education and Awareness: Adolescents should be educated and encouraged to divulge to mothers about any discomfort they might feel during their monthly periods especially if they are suffering from severe, abnormal pains in order to seek expert opinion from a gynecologist.

Emirate:  Abu Dhabi

Date: Mar 18, 2015

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