Checklist for your doctor visit

Would you like to get the most out of your visit to your physician?  After reading Atul Gawande’s book The Checklist Manifesto, I am a big believer in checklists as well-designed checklists have been shown to improve outcomes.  We use a checklist in surgery and this...

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HPV & PAP at a Glance

Cervical cancer is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This statement is shocking to some of my patients. Approximately 80% of women and girls will become infected with the HPV by the age of 50 making it the most common sexually...

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Laugh More, Leak Less

“Laugh More, Leak Less” is a sign that brings many chuckles to people as they drive down scenic Highway 29 past our Kelseyville office. The sign is intended to bring attention to this common and embarrassing problem of urinary incontinence (the loss of bladder...

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The Controversy over Reproductive Rights

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines reproductive rights as follows: “Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the...

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Fibroids, a Common Problem

A patient taught me about fibroids when I was a third year medical student. During our clinical rotation, we had to interview patients and then present our findings and diagnosis to our attending physician. She told me she had “fireballs on her uterus,” and put my...

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Meet the IUD (IntraUterine Device)

A woman who desires two children will spend three decades of her life trying to prevent an unintended pregnancy. Contraception allows parents to choose the number and spacing of children. Each year, family planning programs prevent an estimated 187 million unintended...

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9 Gynecologic Cancer Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness month. Five main types of cancer affect a woman’s reproductive organs: cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal and vulvar. As a group, they are referred to as gynecologic cancers. Each gynecologic cancer is unique, with different...

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