Medical dictionary

What is maternal mental health?   Maternal mental health refers to the emotional and psychological wellbeing of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It includes a range of mental health conditions that can develop due to the hormonal, physical, and emotional changes associated with pregnancy and motherhood.   Maternal mental health issues are

What is menopause? The menopause refers to the process which naturally occurs in women as a result of ageing, meaning they no longer have periods and are unable to conceive. Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age in the UK for women being 51. It is a new stage in a woman’s life and brings a number of both physical and emotional changes. During&nbs

Menopause support Menopause is when the menstrual cycle stops due to a change in hormones, and the ovarian follicles stop functioning. Among other bodily changes that occur during menopause, one key aspect is the loss of fertility. This is an expected, natural process that is part of ageing and all menstruating people will go through it in their lives, typically around the age of 45 to

What is surgical mesh?Surgical mesh refers to a number of biologic and synthetic materials that are sometimes used to surgically treat conditions that primarily affect women. What are the main conditions that surgical mesh generally treats?Generally, surgical mesh is performed in order to repair pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence in women.  Are there different typ

What is miscarriage? Miscarriage, or pregnancy loss, is when an embryo or foetus is naturally lost before being able to independently survive in the first 23 weeks of the gestation period. What are the main causes of miscarriage? In some cases, the cause of miscarriage is unclear, and miscarriages can occur for many reasons. Most miscarriages are not affected by the woman he

What is a multiple pregnancy? A multiple pregnancy is a pregnancy that involves the development of more than one foetus in the womb, resulting from the fertilisation of two or more ovules. Children who are the result of a multiple pregnancy can be identical twins (sharing the exact same set of genes) or non-identical twins (born from two eggs released at the same time). The rate at which ide

What is a myomectomy? A myomectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove uterine fibroids, which are common non-cancerous growths that appear in the womb. Your gynaecologist might recommend shrinking the fibroids if they are causing persistent symptoms, such as heavy bleeding and pain. In some women, however, uterine fibroids are asymptomatic and treatment isn’t necessary. A

What is natural childbirth? A natural birth is one that occurs without the help of drugs such as an epidural. Some women with low risk pregnancies opt for this natural way of giving birth in order to avoid the possible risks that drugs can pose. Why is it done? Many women choose this form of delivery to avoid the risks that medications can cause in the mother and the baby. Other women

What is nipple discharge? Nipple discharge refers to any fluid that comes out of your nipple. It can either be squeezed out or sometimes seeps out on its own. It is common in women during pregnancy and breastfeeding and isn’t always a cause of cancer, however, you should get it evaluated by a specialist just to be sure. Any man that experiences nipple discharge should always see a sp