contraceptive pills

I am 32 years old and have one child. I have been using oral contraceptive pills for the past six years. How long can I continue taking them? Will they be harmful in the long run?

For women who have normal blood pressure and a good heart condition, there is generally no age limit for taking oral contraceptive pills. In fact, with the advent of hormone replacement therapy, one may even continue to take these pills till the age of 50. If the pill is carefully chosen, it will usually not have any side effect. However, if the pill does not suit you, then it may result in nausea, headaches, pain in the breast, loss of sexual desire, increasing vaginal discharge and menstruation abnormalities. You can take the contraceptive for 15-18 months at a stretch, followed by a gap of three months. Please consult a gynaecologist before you start popping pills.

excess bleeding

My wife (45) is suffering from excessive bleeding during menstruation for the past few months. I have consulted a couple of gynaecologists who have offered contradictory opinions. Could you please suggest a solution?

Excessive bleeding at this age may be due to abnormal functioning of the blood vessels of the uterus, This result in dysfunctional uterine haemorrhage (copious discharge of blood) provided there is no other disease. Your wife must undergo general abdominal and pelvic checkups to determine the cause of her ailment. Moreover, I would recommend other special investigations like cervical biopsy. Your wife also needs to undergo pelvic ultrasonopgraphy along with haematological (related to blood-forming organs) investigations.

miscarriage

I am a 23-year-old married woman with Rh negative blood. My husband, however, is Rh positive. I had a miscarriage a year back. So an obstetrician carefully monitored the second pregnancy. Despite this, I suffered from another miscarriage last month. Although the ultrasound scan showed no abnormality, I had a severe pain on the seventh month of pregnancy that lasted for about 20 hours. I got relief only after giving birth to a dead child. What went wrong?

Your husband’s blood group is not compatible with yours. This has resulted in the formation of antibodies, which went to foetal circulation, destroying the red blood cells of the foetus on the 24th week of pregnancy. This problem may be repeated at the 32nd and 34th week of the pregnancy. The delivery should be done through caesarean section followed by, exchange transfusion of blood of the baby.

white discharge

My wife has been suffering from whitish vaginal discharge for the past few years. She is quite skinny and apparently without any other problems. Could you please advise a suitable course of treatment for her?

Your wife must consult a gynaecologist to ensure that there is no infection. The sticky white vaginal discharge is known as leucorrhoea. It is a fairly common gynaecological problem. However, there are some serious diseases and infections associated with white discharge. In some cases, the white discharge may even be due to cancer. So your wife needs immediate pathological tests, which can be prescribed by a gynaecologist.

failing to conceive

I am a 29 and have been married for three years, but I have failed to conceive. For the past six years, my menstrual flow has also gradually decreased. Now I experience tremendous pain in my abdomen. Please advice.

You have not mentioned whether you have undergone a hormonal investigation. If you haven’t, then you must do it immediately. In case of any abnormality, you should undergo treatment. You must also get an ultrasonography done. If the ultrasonography shows multiple cysts on the ovaries, you should get it treated at the earliest. You should also consult a gynaecologist.