THERE’S NO END TO THE DIVERSE ROLES WOMEN ASSUME—mother, wife, caregiver, friend … the list goes on indefinitely. That’s why it’s vital for women to remember to take care of themselves, too. The continuum of women’s healthcare care begins by establishing healthy lifestyles early in life, reinforcing these habits as teenagers and maintaining them during childbearing years, through menopause and beyond.
Adolescent Care
Natalia Rezvina, MD, an obstetrician/ gynecologist who practices in Somers Point, recommends the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine for patients as young as 11—just as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advocates. Some parents are hesitant about the vaccine (brand name Gardasil) because the viruses it protects against are transmitted sexually. The health problems these viruses can cause, however, range from relatively benign plantar warts to potentially deadly cervical cancer.
“The idea is to immunize girls before they’re at risk,” explains Dr. Rezvina. “But the vaccine can still help if you’re sexually active, or even if you’re already infected. The benefits far outweigh the side effects.”
The immunization is so beneficial, she reports, some physicians are trying to make it a universal vaccine like the one for smallpox.
Dr. Rezvina also stresses the importance of prompt and regular gynecological exams for any woman who is sexually active. Yearly Pap tests typically begin three years after intercourse, or at age 21 for women who are not sexually active.
The Childbearing Years
Ask any new mother-to-be what she wants most, and her answer will be to have a healthy baby. Appropriate prenatal care before conception and during pregnancy is vital to keeping mothers and their babies healthy.
When it comes time for delivery, patients rave about the homey “bed and breakfast” décor at Shore Memorial’s Maternity Care Center, while physicians focus on its equipment and clinical excellence of the nursing staff and allied health professionals.
“Having all electronic medical records is superb,” says Obstetrician/ Gynecologist Nicole Baptiste, MD. “We didn’t have that option in New York where I did my residency.”
Dr. Baptiste also appreciates the large bank of screens in the nursing station that allows staff to check the monitor tracings of all laboring patients. “It makes it very quick and easy to track their progress,” she explains.
Additionally, through Shore Memorial’s affiliation with The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), CHOP pediatricians are available on site 24 hours a day, every day, to assist with especially challenging deliveries. And CHOP neonatologists add another measure of safety for mothers and their babies.
Perimenopause and Beyond
According to Bette Davis, “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.” As women get older, they shouldn’t be afraid to talk to their doctor about relieving common perimenopausal or menopausal conditions.
For genitourinary health, Dr. Rezvina provides minimally invasive outpatient procedures to remedy stress urinary incontinence. “It’s an issue women shouldn’t be shy about addressing, and it’s certainly not something they just have to live with,” she says.
DEXA scans help diagnose and evaluate osteoporosis. “It’s not the disease itself that is so damaging,” she explains. “It’s the fractures it causes. A broken hip can severely change a woman’s lifestyle. The loss of independence can be devastating.”
In addition, Dr. Rezvina uses laparoscopic techniques for hysterectomies and to repair pelvic organ prolapses. “It’s more conservative than traditional surgery and often allows for better recoveries,” she explains.
Cancer Prevention Through the Ages
While women of all ages are encouraged to perform breast self-exams, mammograms are generally recommended at age 40 for women with no family history of breast cancer and age 35 for those with a history. Shore Memorial’s full-field digital mammography allows for the earliest possible detection of cancer cells and generates images in just 10 to 15 seconds. Fewer than 500 locations in the world (and only five others in the state) offer this breakthrough technology.
Dr. Rezvina also urges women to get a colonoscopy at age 50. “For women, it’s the second most common cancer, after breast cancer; yet so many avoid the test,” she notes. “It’s ordinarily done every five to 10 years, and the testing methods have really come a long way.”
Shore Memorial offers both video colonoscopies by radiologists and standard tests by gastroenterologists. “The type of test isn’t crucial,” says Jeffrey Meltzer, MD, division director of radiation oncology. “The important thing is to have one done.
“I can’t tell you how many people come to me saying they haven’t been to a doctor in 20 years,” he notes. “And those are often the patients with advanced cancers. Screenings can catch cancer in the early or even precancerous stages. That’s the key to a good outcome.”
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