health

a lowdown on menopause

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women health, menopause, women issues

I know I am still a decade or so away from menopause {I am still in my early thirties, after all!} but I have heard tales about menopause that led me to researching about it online for more information. I know I have wished on a few occasions, mostly during uncomfortable days when I had my period, for menopause to come to me sooner, but after a bit of reading, am going to have to change my mind + wished for menopause to come when I am in my 60’s!

What is Menopause 

Is the end of the fertile phase of a woman’s life which usually occurs to women in the late 40’s + early 50’s. It is the permanent end of the primary function of the human ovaries which is the ripening + release of ova + the release of hormones that cause the creating of the uterine lining + its subsequent shedding, we refer in lay man’s terms as the menses or periods.

Some of the symptoms of menopause include:

  • anxiety
  • hair loss
  • depression
  • decrease of libido
  • headaches
  • sleep disorders
  • worsening allergies
  • weight gain
  • memory lapses
  • mood swings
  • difficulty concentrating
  • digestive problems
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Parenting 101

in vitro fertilization: an alternative way to get pregnant

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parenting 101, motherhood, women issues, women health, IVFPregnancy is probably the best gift I have ever received, I gave birth after my 30th birthday after all, +  it has changed my life in so many ways than I can ever imagine + it never fails to give me the good amount of love, affection, coupled with amazement + wonder + a good dash of frustration + madness, too, just to keep everything in a healthy balance. Honestly, I feel like I have never known how life should be until I became a mother 2 days after I turned 30!

Back then I was having doubts of whether I will get pregnant, at all. Although it was never really planned, it still came as quite a pleasant surprise + I never imagined it could be as simple as that! Unfortunately, not all  women who would like to get pregnant experienced the same thing. Some would try + try for years only to fail. I have a friend who’s been married for more than 3 years + has never born a child up until this day. She has consulted with her OB-Gyne, though, + was told that both her + her husband are in great shape to procreate, they just needed to find time to do it + find ways to reduce stress in their lives. I am praying that my friend will get pregnant very soon 🙂

parenting 101, motherhood, IVF, women health, women issues

Not all women are as lucky. Some have difficulties getting pregnant due to a number of reasons + one of which is infertility. It was a good thing, though, that thanks to technological advancements in medicine, these women can now seek alternative means to get pregnant + realize their dreams of becoming mothers. One of which is in vitro fertilization, developed by the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine winner, Dr. Robert G. Edwards, the process of having egg cells fertilized by sperm outside of the body, in the hopes of having a successful pregnancy. Clinics offering IVF services have now mushroomed everywhere. One of which is the Sta. Monica Fertility Clinic in California. Check out their site if you want to know more about this advance technology or if you want them to help you in having the child you have always dreamed of. For in-depth knowledge, you can even request for information though their website. Apart from IVF, they also offer other services including: Gender Selection + Genetic Testing, Egg Donation + Frozen Donor Egg Bank.

IVF has also reached the Philippine soil + some of the top hospitals are now offering this service, too, including: St. Luke’s Medical Center, Manila Doctors Hospital + Asian Hospital + Medical Center.

Some would look down their noses at IVF, saying this is but another story of man-playing-God, I cannot really say much about the issue but I feel strongly for women who would love to get pregnant. It was, after all, the ultimate dream for any woman to give birth + become a mother. + if they can realize it by resorting to alternative means, will that be so bad?

What are your thoughts?

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