Answering Your Common Women’s Healthcare Questions Here at Family Practice Center, we pride ourselves on being able to perform a wide variety of healthcare services for all of our patients. This includes a full selection of women’s reproductive health treatments and services. It has always been incredibly important to us to be able to provide the highest level of comfort and convenience to our patients and being able to save women an extra trip to a specialist for matters pertaining to reproductive health and wellness further allows us to do so. To help keep our readers in the know, we have answered a few commonly asked questions about the following women’s health topics.

Will Undergoing a Hysterectomy Cause Early Menopause?

Not necessarily. Women who have both ovaries removed as part of their hysterectomy will begin menopause right away. However, this may not be the case when the ovaries are not removed during surgery. While it’s true that a woman will no longer be able to get pregnant or have periods after the procedure, the ovaries can still produce estrogen, meaning symptoms of menopause like hot flashes, mood changes, and night sweats may not begin right away.

How Can Thyroid Disease Affect a Woman’s Reproductive Health?

It is estimated that roughly 1 in every 8 women will experience some degree of thyroid issues in her lifetime, so it’s important to be aware of this condition and how it can affect overall reproductive health. The effects of thyroid disease in women can take many forms. Thyroid disease can disrupt the menstrual cycle, leading to very light, heavy, or irregular periods. In some cases, thyroid disease also can contribute to amenorrhea, a condition that causes periods to stop for several months (or longer). Women with thyroid disease may also experience difficulty becoming pregnant or potential issues during pregnancy.

What Should I Do If I Notice Something Irregular During a Breast Self-Exam?

Performing regular breast self-exams can be an incredibly helpful way to detect any irregularities or changes to the breast in the time between annual breast cancer screening appointments. If something abnormal is there, it’s important not to panic. The vast majority of the changes or lumps women find in their breasts are not cancerous. However, it’s important to reach out to a healthcare provider in a timely fashion just to be on the safe side so that they can get the right screening tests ordered for you.

Our hope is that our readers found these answers helpful and informative. For more information or to schedule an appointment today, please contact Family Practice Center. We also offer morning walk-in and telemed appointments to better serve our patients. Don’t forget to follow along with us on Facebook for additional health tips, news, practice updates, and more.