A woman is pre-destined to have a lot of matchless issues and health concerns. A woman will undergo menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopausal, and heightened diseases.
But women are extraordinary; despite all these anticipated physical sufferings, women remain the toughest human beings.
In reality, studies have shown that women can live longer than men because men are more likely to experience chronic health conditions earlier than women.
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Why is it important to have healthy women in society?
Women are emotionally weak but can be as tough as a rock when circumstances arise.
They are quick to come up with solutions and take action to make things easier for everyone, especially for the ones they love.
However, a lot of women tend to disregard their own health because they are too busy caring for their families, their children, and their household, pretty much-taking care of everything.
These hardworking mothers, women in general, do not listen to their bodies and never visit a doctor even in times of sickness. A woman can endure everything including physical pains.
What Women Should Do to Keep Healthy?
Women need to pay more attention to their own health to serve their families, because, a healthy woman makes a healthy society.
Here are some reasons why women should always be our priority:
- In a family unit, the woman is the police of the family. She takes care of everyone. She makes sure that her man takes the vitamins or necessary medicines. She wakes up early and makes sure that everyone is fed by nutritious breakfast before going to school or work.
- A healthy society is made of healthy women producing healthy babies by making sure they undergo pre-natal checkups, exercise, and eat healthy food.
- Apart from that, mothers are usually the suckers of stress whenever their children get in trouble. This is because of the innate nature of women. Women should look for activities or hobbies that can help them balance life at home and social life.
Many hospitals such as The Medical City Iloilo have dedicated intricate services for Women's Health highlighting the importance of women in society.
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| Dr. Razel Colacion, OB-GYN, The Medical City Iloilo |
Recently, TMC has launched its Medical City's Women Health Care Center (WHCC) designed to be a One-Stop Clinic for Assessment of Risk (OSCAR), a concept that is the first of its kind in the Philippines.
This is a clinic for assessment of risks for abnormalities in almost all aspects of OB-GYN care.
1. Risk for pregnancy complications which is serviced by the High Risk Pregnancy unit of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Section
- First-trimester screening
- Preeclampsia screening
2. Risk for cancers which is handled by the Cervix, Endometrium, and Ovaries Clinic
- Cervical cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Ovarian cancer
3. Risk for reproductive/gynecologic endocrinology abnormalities
- Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) Clinic
- Infertility Clinic
- Menopause Clinic
- Pelvic Floor Ultrasound Clinic
- Urogynecology Clinic
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Section
The Medical City has a High-Risk Pregnancy Clinic, situated within the WHCC. It is a specialized unit composed of a team of Obstetricians who are specialists in the care of complicated, high-risk pregnancies. Its staff includes board-certified Perinatologists who are in good standing with the Philippine Society of Maternal and Fetal Medicine.
The High-Risk Pregnancy Clinic is designed to deliver care for high-risk obstetric patients. It is equipped to accommodate a subset of pregnant women who:
- Have medical, surgical, or gynecologic problems (e.g. heart disease, kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, hematologic disorders, cancer, etc.)
- Are at risk for pregnancy-related complications (e.g. preterm labor, preeclampsia, multifetal pregnancies, etc.)
- Have fetuses identified to have complications (e.g. chromosomal or congenital abnormalities, infections, genetic disease, growth restriction, hydrops fetalis, etc.)
Requires pre- and post-conceptional evaluation and management due to a poor pregnancy outcome (e.g. recurrent pregnancy loss, previous babies with anomalies, parental genetic abnormality, etc.)
Services of the High-Risk Pregnancy Clinic
Screening Tests for Aneuploidy and Risks for Preeclampsia
- First Trimester Screening Test
Screening Test for Congenital Heart Defects
- Fetal Echocardiography
Fetal Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures
- Fibronectin
- Actim Prom
- Amniocentesis
- Amnioinfusion
- Amnioreduction
- Intrauterine Transfusion
- Cordocentesis
- Fetal thoracentesis
- Fetal paracentesis
- Management of Fetal Arrhythmias
- Non-stress Test (NST)
- Contraction Stress Test (CST)
- Obstetric and Doppler Velocimetry Ultrasound
Multiple Pregnancy Management
Genetic Counseling
- Risk assessment for families with history of birth defects
- Assessment of Stillborns
- Evaluation of Pregnancy Failure
Coordination with other fields of specialty when needed
- Medicine
- Surgery
- ENT
- Ophthalmology
- Psychiatry
- Anesthesiology
- Pediatrics
- Radiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Any one of the following may be a reason for consult with a Perinatologist:
- Risk assessment for families with a history of birth defects
- Evaluation of newly diagnosed pregnancy problems
- Management of complicated pregnancies
- Genetic counseling
- Preconception and pregnancy consultations
- Diagnostic procedures including detailed ultrasound
- Therapeutic procedures
Consult with a Perinatologist before getting pregnant (preconception) may be sought for evaluation and/or prevention of certain conditions.
Conditions evaluated and/or treated include:
Maternal conditions or diseases include, but are not limited to:
- Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy
- Heart Diseases
- Respiratory diseases (including bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD])
- Metabolic diseases (including diabetes, toxic goiter)
- Infectious diseases (including parvovirus, hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV])
- Hematologic diseases (including iron deficiency anemia)
- Gastro-intestinal and Hepatobiliary diseases
- Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
- Immunologic conditions (including Antiphospholipid Antibody syndrome [APAS], systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE], and rheumatoid arthritis)
- Vascular Disease (including aneurysm, deep vein thrombosis)
- Seizures and other neurologic disorders
- Psychiatric disorders (with medications that may have fetal effects)
- Tumors (benign and malignant)
- Conditions that need chemotherapy
- Poor obstetric history (e.g. previous preterm deliveries, stillbirths or miscarriage, preterm labor, preterm rupture of membranes, recurrent pregnancy loss)
Multiple gestation (twins and higher-order gestation)
A known/suspected fetal anomaly
- Suspected abnormal fetal growth
- Congenital anomaly
Management of Rh isoimmunization in pregnancy
Congenital Anomaly Scan (Targeted Imaging for Fetal Anomaly)
This type of ultrasound exam is a detailed exam of the baby’s organs and features. It is usually done after 18 weeks of pregnancy and it can help explain abnormal screening test results and provide more information.
3D/4D ultrasound
When needed, a 3D/4D ultrasound may be done to enhance images initially seen on 2D ultrasound. Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound has the advantage of additional depth and detail rendering the resulting image more distinct and comprehensible to the family.
The Center provides a wide range of ultrasound services:
- First trimester scans
- Fetal growth scans
- Scans on multiple gestations
3D/4D technology may sometimes be beneficial in cases of targeted imaging for identified fetal anomalies. However, the limitations of 3D are often the same as 2D; therefore, this technology is used at the attending physician's discretion. Please be aware that the fetal position may limit the ability to obtain optimal keepsake images.
More and more hospitals are dedicating specified services for women because our society will be better with healthy women.
You are a woman, you are the core of this society. Put yourself on top priority.
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Health