Tag: obstetrics

An overhead photo of the vaginal speculum, white napkin, medicine gloves and spatula. Medical plastic tool for holding open the vagina during medical investigation. Feminine woman health diagnosis. Image used to relay the updates to pap smear guidelines.

Update on Pap Smear Guidelines

We at Kamm McKenzie are updating our Pap smear guidelines to follow the most recent recommendations.  In the past, many women have been advised to have annual Pap smears or Pap smears every 3 years.  The most recently updated guidelines as of April 2021 have changed to increase the duration between screenings due to our evolving knowledge of how cervical cancer develops.  We have learned it takes many many years to go from an abnormal Pap to cervical cancer, thus allowing us to space out the time between screenings.  

Written by on August 16, 2022

A positive pregnancy test over a calendar to represent planning for pregnancy

Planning For Pregnancy

Previously written and published in 2012 Being proactive and planning for pregnancy can really work in your favor. Here are 9 important items to consider when you’re thinking about having a baby. 1. Start Prenatal Vitamins I recommend all women start taking prenatal vitamins well before they start trying to conceive, and certainly once they stop […]

Written by on July 14, 2022

Hands of young woman on stomach as pain or ache from ovarian cyst

Pelvic Pain: Is it an ovarian cyst?

patients have not had any imaging to show they even have a current cyst.  Or they have been seen in the emergency department recently and were told that a cyst could be causing their pain.  As you can imagine, the answer is not always so clear.  Why is that?  Because it is natural for women of reproductive age to make cysts each month!  So the emergency room provider, if they do not find anything emergent, will often tell you it could be the little cyst causing your pain. 

Written by on May 12, 2022

pelvic pain in a woman with isolate on white background

Pelvic Pain Blog Series: Intro to Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain and lower abdominal pain (outside of pregnancy) is by far one of the most common reasons women see our providers for appointments.  I thought it would be nice to write a series of blogs about the different gynecological etiologies of pelvic pain to add a resource for you to refer back to, were you to experience this type of discomfort in the future.  This blog will serve as an introduction to pelvic pain and let you know how we think about the different causes and do a gynecological specific work up.

Written by on April 25, 2022

Cartoon illustration of a woman unsure of something to represent wondering about what is normal about postpartum bleeding and swelling

Postpartum Bleeding and Swelling: What’s Normal?

A couple of the more common calls we get after delivery have to do with the amount of bleeding you have or the amount of swelling you are noticing.  While we have information on the website about what to expect after vaginal birth or cesarean, I thought I would take a few minutes of your time to give you the low down on postpartum bleeding and swelling.

Written by on February 1, 2022

an animation of a woman tracking her menstrual cycle.

Does the Covid Vaccine Really Affect Menstrual Cycles?

When Covid vaccines first came out some hesitancy existed in women planning to get pregnant, despite all the major obstetrical, gynecology, and fertility organizations advocating for it. People would hear about their friend whose period was never the same after a Covid vaccine and freaked out. A recent study in Obstetrics and Gynecology looked into this so we could get a real answer.

Written by on January 27, 2022