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Women of all ages have questions regarding pregnancy.  Some common questions include: Is it possible for me to be pregnant? What are the risks of becoming pregnant at my age?  While these questions could each be answered at an in-depth level, this post will give a brief overview of each.

First, when is it possible to be pregnant?  Pregnancy is possible during the years that a woman has a menstrual cycle.  This means if a woman is sexually active between puberty and menopause, there is a chance that she can become pregnant.  During the first few years of puberty, the menstrual cycle is irregular, and ovulation may not occur during every cycle, so pregnancy is less likely, though it can and does happen, even with a young woman’s first menstrual cycle.  Similarly, as menopause approaches, cycles and ovulation, become irregular again, so pregnancy is again less likely, but still possible.

With these things in mind, if a young woman in her teen years gets pregnant, what unique challenges will she face?  In the first few years after starting puberty, a woman’s body is adapting to the hormonal changes that happen each month.  This means that the hormonal changes of pregnancy might be more difficult to handle than for women who have had more time to adjust to these hormonal changes.  Also, because she is still likely growing herself, there is an increased risk for the woman to develop a nutritional deficiency, an obstructed labor that requires a c-section (especially for girls under age 15), preterm birth, and small-for-gestational-age babies.  If a woman gets prenatal care early, some of these challenges can be prevented or treated early so both the woman and her baby are healthier.  Some young women try to hide their pregnancies, or they might be in denial, refusing to admit that they could be pregnant, so they do not take a pregnancy test, or see an OB-GYN or midwife, until they are several months into their pregnancies.  An OB-GYN or midwife can help young women prepare for the body changes of pregnancy, teach them how to eat and exercise well during pregnancy, and help quickly treat any complications that might arise as pregnancy continues.  For the healthiest pregnancy possible, it is recommended that young women try to see an OB-GYN or midwife in the first trimester (the first 12 weeks of pregnancy).

The challenges faced by older women in pregnancy can be similar to those faced by younger women. Pregnancy in women over the age of 35, which is the age arbitrarily set as the cutoff for “advanced maternal age,” is becoming more common. As a woman ages, her eggs begin to decrease in quality, so the risk for miscarriage gradually increases in her late thirties and through her forties and early fifties until menopause occurs.  Additionally, the risk for chromosomal abnormalities gradually increases over that time, which can cause anxiety for women hoping to get pregnant.  The chance of conceiving multiples, such as twins, also increases with age, which can be exciting but also stressful.  While there isn’t anything a woman can do to affect these three things, having a good support system can help to minimize anxiety and insure a woman has help if she should experience any of these challenges.  A healthy lifestyle can help minimize other risks that come with increasing age.  These other risks include higher rates of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, large- and small-for-gestational-age babies, and an increased risk for stillbirth in pregnancies that continue past 40 weeks. Part of the increased risks in older age are due to the fact that age gives more time for chronic health conditions to develop or become apparent.  If a woman has a chronic health condition, such as diabetes or thyroid disease, she should work with her doctor to manage this before and during her pregnancy.  If she is actively trying to get pregnant, talking with her doctor might be helpful because any medications she is on might need to be adjusted during pregnancy.  Finally, knowing in advance that doctors will likely recommend more prenatal tests during her pregnancy can help relieve anxiety, as these tests become more routine as women get older.

What are STDs?

Sexually transmitted diseases (STD), also known as sexually transmitted infections (STI), are primarily spread through sexual contact with an infected person.  Some STDs are also called blood-borne infections; these infections can be spread through contact with an infected person’s blood as well as sexual contact.  There are a few STDs that can also spread through contact with infected skin, even without sexual contact.  STDs often have a variety of symptoms, including generalized pain, burning during urination, pain during sex, unusual appearing or smelling discharge, and lesions, such as warts or blisters.  A person can also have an STD and not experience any symptoms.

Are all the above symptoms caused by STDs?

It is important to note that sometimes people have symptoms similar to those listed above, but it’s not related to an STD.  For example, yeast infections are caused by fungi, and bacterial vaginosis is caused by changes in the amount of normal bacteria in the vagina of women.  While these infections are more common among those who are sexually active, both can be experienced by women who have never experienced sexually activity.  Your doctor can tell what kind of infection you are experiencing, and what kind of treatment it requires, by running some tests and going through a health history with you.

Why should I be tested for STDs?

Getting tested for STDs is important!  If you are experiencing symptoms of an STD, this is a good time to schedule an appointment for testing.  Untreated STDs can lead to infertility (trouble becoming or staying pregnant) or, if severe, sterility.  Some STDs can be passed from a pregnant woman to her unborn child, and some STDs, such as HPV, can lead to cancer.

Even if you aren’t experiencing symptoms, current recommendations state that anyone under 25 who is sexually active should get tested annually, plus anytime they or their partner has sex with another person.  For those over 25, anytime you change sexual partners or your partner has sex with another person, you should get tested.  If you and your partner can both guarantee that you have not had sex with anyone else since you were last tested, then there isn’t a need to be retested.

Where should I go to get tested, and what should I expect?

When deciding where to get tested, you have several options.  You can get tested at your local doctor’s office, by your OB-GYN, or at the local public health department.  Some independent clinics also offer STD testing, but you will have to do some research to find out which ones. One thing to consider when deciding where to go is that not all clinics test for the same STDs.  Your OB-GYN or doctor’s office will likely offer the most comprehensive testing.  This is because some tests require a urine sample, others a blood sample, and some a pelvic exam.  Other clinics might not be able to offer such comprehensive testing because it is too expensive, they don’t have the equipment, or they would need to hire additional medical staff that they don’t currently have.  As a result, you should always ask what STDs the clinic is testing for.  If you received test results saying that you were cleared, make sure to verify what STDs you were tested for.  Just because you don’t have chlamydia doesn’t mean you also don’t have HPV.

What happens if I test positive?

If you test positive for an STD, there are different treatments depending on the type of STD that you have.  Some STDs are caused by bacteria, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.  These are treated by various kinds of antibiotics.  Others are caused by viruses, like HPV, herpes, hepatitis, and HIV, and they are treated by various anti-viral medications or the removal of lesions.  Trichomoniasis is caused by a protozoa and is typically treated with a medication called metronidazole.

            Some STDs can be treated and cured, but others will go into a latent phase.  This means the infection is still in your body, but you won’t have symptoms for awhile.  If this is the case, you want to be on the lookout for the symptoms you experienced at first coming back.  Any time you have symptoms, you will be contagious.  Some STDs are still contagious even if you don’t currently have symptoms, such as HIV.  Talk to your doctor to learn his or her recommendations for treatment for yourself and your partner, and to learn how to prevent spreading the disease to others during active infections and any latent phases.

References:

Foundations of Maternal-Newborn Nursing by Sharon Smith Murray and Emily Slone McKinney; pp. 684, 688-690, 911-913.

https://www.cdc.gov/std/prevention/screeningreccs.htm

Hormonal imbalance can cause mood disorder, fatigue, bloating, hair loss, palpitations, mood swings, headaches, trouble concentrating and infertility. The hormones that contribute to infertility are, luteinizing hormone follicle stimulating hormone, progesterone and prolactin.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky gut syndrome is an inflammatory condition that happens when the lining of the small intestine is damaged. The damage allows undigested food particles, microbes, toxins and other foreign particles to leak into the blood stream. This can lead to contaminated and toxic blood. It causes an imbalance in your gut bacteria and can lead to chronic inflammation and hormonal imbalances.

Home Remedies

There are various home remedies that may be able to correct some hormone imbalances. Please keep in mind that these recommendations are for overall women’s hormone health. If you are currently pregnant, talk to your doctor about hormone health and nutrition as this may be different during pregnancy.

• Coconut oil contains MCTs (medium chain triglycerides), also known as MCFA (medium chain fatty acids). The most notable MCTs in coconut oil are, lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid. Coconut oil has been shown to heal leaky gut. Coconut oil is a good source of raw fat, which is needed by the adrenal glands, to produce hormones.
• The maca root is one of the rare plants that can be classified as an ‘herbal adaptogen’. It can potentially directly change the balance of your hormones to help you adapt to stress and fight illness. The recommended dose is 1 teaspoon for 6-12 wks. It comes in a powder, which can be added to a smoothie. Your body’s adaptive response triggers your hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This is a feedback loop that impacts areas of your brain like the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the adrenal glands. Its job is to pick up signals from your body and the environment around you and react. It affects stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol. It also affects your kidney function, metabolism, digestion and mood. When it’s over-stimulated, you may suffer fluid retention, constant anxiety, stomach troubles, weight gain and lowered immunity. If you’re under chronic stress or suffer from anxiety, the adaptogen effects of maca can reduce some of that load. Unlike antidepressants medications, maca helps tone the HPA axis to support the body’s own production of numerous hormones, increasing or decreasing their levels according to what you individually need. This can minimize the unhealthy results that stress and anxiety have on your cardiovascular, respiratory, lymphatic, reproductive and nervous systems. Maca can help prevent you from getting stuck in the adrenal exhaustion stage.
• Licorice root can be beneficial if you have polycystic ovarian syndrome. Research reports that licorice root can help balance irregular ovarian follicles, and decrease ovarian cysts. Organic licorice tea can be easily purchased on Amazon.
•  Amazingly, just raw carrots can be beneficial. A salad, using carrots, was first created by Dr Ray Peat, who specialized in thyroid and hormone health. He has written many articles that cover a variety of topics based on his own research and experience. For a traditional raw carrot salad, you need 4 ingredients: Raw peeled carrots (not baby carrots), Vinegar, Salt and Coconut or MCT oil. Each of these ingredients serves a specific purpose. The raw carrot fibers bind to excess estrogen and endotoxin in the gut, and help eliminate it from the body. They also help to decrease constipation. Vinegar, usually apple cider vinegar, is antibacterial and anti-fungal, and helps to balance out the gut bacteria balance. Salt is added for additional mineral content. Coconut or MCT oil, is also both antibacterial and anti-fungal. When added to the carrots, it helps to sweep the intestinal tract and decrease bad bacteria and fungus. People have seen improvement in various problems such as, irregular cycles, painful periods, painful ovulation, melasma, acne, hormonal headaches, estrogen dominance, and fungal issues. It is recommended to eat a raw carrot or raw carrot salad daily for several months until symptoms improve. After that, you can continue to eat it daily, or several times weekly to continue seeing the benefits. The raw carrot salad has been life changing for many people who are able to go from horrible periods to minimal cramping and discomfort within a span of a couple months.

Eating Well

Nutritional intake and proper food choices are just as, if not more important, than herbal or dietary remedies to “fix” imbalances. While there are many diet plans out there, a simple rule of “eating well” is better than a “diet”. Eating well can mean consuming minimally processed whole foods, healthy fats, meats, seafood, veggies and some fruit. It is also important to limit sugar and caffeine intake and to stay well hydrated.