Monthly Archives: March 2024

At-Home Vaginal pH Test: From Women, To Women

Did you know you can perform an at-home vaginal pH test? Well, you certainly can. Women are marvelous creatures, they can turn everything into magic. Society has termed women as the worst enemy of other women, they are wrong.

To maintain proper vaginal health, especially during menstruation. Menstrual hygiene is the primary key to promoting good vaginal health so use good menstrual products. In case of menstrual pain keep a hot water bottle or heating pad handy. Your vagina is full of bacteria some good and some bad. One of the good bacteria is vaginal flora or vaginal microbiome, that protects your vagina from infections.

Menstrual disorders and menstrual irregularities can disrupt the woman’s menstrual cycle. Poor menstrual hygiene means poor reproductive health. A woman’s vagina is a very acidic area, it has a pH level of less than 4.5. If the pH level gets higher than 4.5, it gives the bacteria and yeast a space to thrive, which can increase the chances of bacterial and yeast infections. 

Now to talk about vaginal health women just know when their body is going through a change, be it through vaginal discharge or itchiness near the vaginal area, which could be the signs of vaginal health infection. You may feel exhausted, your appetite will change, plus the changes in your sexual life will make you realize that there’s something off.

What could you do at a time like this? You will visit your gynecologist, find out the cause, and start your medications. But do you know you can use an at-home vaginal pH test to find out about common infections like yeast infection, or other conditions like UTIs (Urinary Tract Infection), Candidiasis (a kin

d of fungal infection), and BV (Bacterial Vaginosis). 

What is an at-home Vaginal pH Test?

An at-home vaginal pH test offers you the luxury of testing for conditions like yeast infection, UTI or BV from your home, even at the slight discomfort. With the availability of at-home vaginal testing and telehealth visits, it’s easier for women to take their health into their own hands. What’s special about these tests is that they’re created by women for women in need and for the betterment of women’s vaginal health.

Why is Vaginal Health Important?

Maintaining a proper vaginal health means maintaining women’s overall health. If your vaginal health is poor it might affect your sexual health and fertility. Be sexually responsible, and use contraceptives during sexual intercourse for STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection). Keep your vaginal area clean for UTI prevention. 

How to Use an At-Home Vaginal pH Test?

An at-home vaginal pH test contains pH paper strips. All you need to do is put the paper strip against the wall of your vagina for a few seconds. Once you are done, compare the color of your pH paper with the color on the chart that’s provided with the vaginal pH test kit. 

Though these pH strips can not exactly tell you if you are going through an infection, they can tell you that your pH levels are off and there could be chances of infections, like yeast infection, candidiasis, or BV.

Some of the Best At-home Vaginal pH Test kits

In the market, you can find several pH test kits, but we have curated a list of the best ones out there for you. 

  • STIX: The most discrete pH test kit available out there. It’s the best one in use for finding out about the yeast infection and UTIs. The stix strips are very easy to use with simple instructions to follow, allowing you to seek treatment at home with confidence. 
  • Nutrablast: Nutrablast feminine pH test strips are super accurate and give you instant results, the only disadvantage being that it does not come with detailed instructions. It consists of 100 pH strips with a full range from 1-14, you have to cut a new strip from the roll each time you have to take a test. If you are someone who has regular or simultaneous vaginal symptoms then this product is for you. 
  • Juno Bio: If you are someone who has recurring vaginal infection issues, you must try this product. Juno Bio is an at-home vaginal microbiome testing kit, it takes a complete scan of your vaginal microbiome for better vaginal health. All you gotta do is swab the inside of your vagina and send the sample to the company. The scientists there will analyze all the bacteria, viruses, and yeasts. It will show which microbes are present and how many of them are there. 

Having a balanced vaginal microbiome is very important, as the imbalance can give rise to several conditions. Two common causes of imbalance in the vaginal microbiome are unprotected sex and antibiotics. 

The Bottom Line

Let’s profess our heartiest thank you to women who have made it easier for other women to meet their healthcare needs successfully and conveniently, especially for women who live in areas where proper healthcare facilities are restricted. You can order an at-home vaginal testing kit online and perform an at-home diagnosis easily.

This entry was posted in Abortion Pills, Women's Health and tagged reproductive health, UTI prevention, vaginal health, Vaginal infections by .

Hormone Replacement Therapy in Young Women with Surgical Primary Ovarian Insufficiency

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in young women with surgical primary ovarian insufficiency is very rare these days. Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) supplements women with essential female hormones, estrogen, and progesterone, which are lost during the menopause transition or because of Bilateral Oophorectomy.

Oophorectomy involves the removal of both your ovaries, if a single ovary is removed it is called unilateral oophorectomy, and when both the ovaries are removed it is called bilateral oophorectomy. When bilateral oophorectomy is performed on a woman before her menopause stage she can suffer from Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), this ovarian surgery and hormonal imbalance go hand in hand. It causes you early menopause and eliminates your chances of getting pregnant.

Once you go through the surgical primary ovarian therapy, you will start losing the essential hormones, especially estrogen. With a decrease in estrogen, women’s reproductive health is at risk, plus they are prone to harmful conditions like cardiovascular disease, dementia, cognitive decline, and osteoporosis (decrease in bone density). They can also be at risk of psychological conditions like depression, dry eye syndrome, and anxiety.

With the help of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), women can overcome all the risky conditions and improve their quality of life. Women with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency need reproductive health interventions to better their lifestyle. 

Why is Hormone Replacement Therapy in Young Women So Rare?

Data was released from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial. They performed a study on elderly postmenopausal women, which showed the adverse risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). This involves an increase in the risk of breast cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. This study has suppressed women with POI and early menopause to go through Hormone Replacement Therapy, thinking it could be fatal. 

This is rather unfortunate because if you look at the women who have normal menopause, the situation is far better than young women with POI (Primary Ovarian Insufficiency). Women with POI have a higher risk of estrogen deficiency than women with normal ovarian function. 

Women with POI and early menopause are very much in need of Hormone Replacement Therapy, as this therapy will replace the hormones that would normally be present and are required for women’s reproductive health. 

Women who are suffering from POI also suffer from disturbing menopausal symptoms like insomnia, night sweats, hot flashes, decrease in sexual desire, pain during sexual intercourse, and dry vagina (lack of moisture), plus other symptoms like increased risk of fractures with decrease in bone density minerals, mood disorders, depression, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. 

What are Some Early Menopause Treatment Options?

Early menopause could be caused due to POI (Primary Ovarian Insufficiency), cancer treatments (chemotherapy and radiotherapy), and bilateral oophorectomy. If you are someone who’s diagnosed with early menopause, you may have reduced estrogen levels, which puts you at risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. 

Early menopause treatment options include: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), also known as Menopausal Hormone Treatment (MHT). 

When your estrogen levels decrease, this therapy can help in replacing the estrogen that should have been naturally present. Estrogen is very essential for our reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and vagina) to mature and it also helps in the development of breasts. 

HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) reduces the symptoms of early menopause and the chances of you suffering from health conditions caused due to early menopause. Your health provider will most probably recommend you to get Hormone Replacement Therapy until the age of menopause. In case you have breast cancer, you are not liable to take HRT or MHT. For such situations, your healthcare professional may suggest a different treatment option.  

Conclusion

Hormone Replacement Therapy in young women with surgical primary ovarian insufficiency is necessary, though it has some benefits as well as risks. Talk with your doctor or nurse and know the advantages and disadvantages of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in young women. See if you are suitable for this therapy by talking with your healthcare professional or you can choose some other option.

We suggest you not opt for Hormone Replacement Therapy without any guidance, especially if you have breast cancer. It could be a risk to women’s reproductive health and could result in mortality.

This entry was posted in Abortion Pill Information, Women's Health and tagged Early menopause treatment options, Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in young women, Ovarian surgery and hormonal imbalance, Reproductive health interventions, Surgical primary ovarian insufficiency, women's reproductive health by .