Top 5 health concerns for young women

To remain young and healthy one needs to pay attention to not only the health problems that crop up now and then but to be aware about a healthy lifestyle and measures to be taken to prevent or early diagnosis of health problems.

Renowned gynaecologist Dr Rooma Sinha highlighted top five health concerns young women suffer from, at the Public Garden Walkers’ Association (PGWA) Health Lecture in Hyderabad.

Abnormal bleeding

Few cycles of abnormal bleeding can be easily seen in a women’s lifetime and may settle on its own. If abnormality persists over months or you pass clots or use more napkins than usual - do consult a gynaecologist as this may be a clue to some underlying problem. Excessive bleeding can lead to iron deficiency anemia. This may cause weakness, fatigue, irritability or unable to do day-to-day work.

Delayed cycles

Women with Polycystic Ovaries Syndrome (PCOS) have a history of irregular menstrual bleeding especially delayed periods. They have cycles at the interval of 8-12 weeks and often are obese (overweight), have unwanted hair growth in places such as on the face, between their breasts, in the lower part of the abdomen, and on the inner thighs and may also have acne.

Many of these have a family history of diabetes. They produce too much insulin or the insulin they produce does not work. This is why women with PCOS tend to gain weight or have a hard time losing weight. Lifestyle changes such as daily exercises and proper diets (no dieting or missing meals) are the main part of the treatment.

Contraception

Carelessness and improper action for contraception results in major health risks for women. Various methods are available in the market to prevent pregnancy such as condoms for men and women, contraceptive pills and devices.

These methods do not carry any risk to your health or life in spite of several myths that are associated with them. The risk to your health in having an abortion is more than preventing a pregnancy.

Osteoporosis

Although this problem is common in older women, the condition begins in teens. The main defence against this is a good peak bone mass (which you achieve by the age of 25-30 years) along with calcium supplementations and weight bearing exerises.

Depression

Nearly twice as many women as men develop depression and related disorders at some point in their lives. Hormones, work overload and sexual abuse, family, career, coping with menstruation, pregnancy and menopause, all contribute to this. Feeling that there is no hope is often the situation but help is available and specialists can easily tack most depression with effective counseling and medication.