Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a very common infectious disease. CDC estimates that more than 700,000 persons in the U.S. get new gonorrheal infections each year.

How do people get gonorrhea? Gonorrhea is spread through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to baby during delivery.Any sexually active person can be infected with gonorrhea. People who have had gonorrhea and received treatment may get infected again if they have sexual contact with a person infected with gonorrhea.

What are the signs and symptoms of gonorrhea? Some men with gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. However, some men have signs or symptoms that appear two to five days after infection; symptoms can take as long as 30 days to appear. Symptoms and signs include a burning sensation when urinating, or a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis. Sometimes men with gonorrhea get painful or swollen testicles.

In women, the symptoms of gonorrhea are often mild, but most women who are infected have no symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, they can be so non-specific as to be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. The initial symptoms and signs in women include a painful or burning sensation when urinating, increased vaginal discharge, or vaginal bleeding between periods. Women with gonorrhea are at risk of developing serious complications from the infection, regardless of the presence or severity of symptoms.

Symptoms of rectal infection in both men and women may include discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements. Rectal infection also may cause no symptoms. Infections in the throat may cause a sore throat but usually causes no symptoms.

Untreated gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men.

In women, gonorrhea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). About one million women each year in the United States develop PID. The symptoms may be quite mild or can be very severe and can include abdominal pain and fever. PID can lead to internal abscesses (pus-filled “pockets” that are hard to cure) and long-lasting, chronic pelvic pain. PID can damage the fallopian tubes enough to cause infertility or increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube.

In men, gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the ducts attached to the testicles that may lead to infertility if left untreated.

Gonorrhea can spread to the blood or joints. This condition can be life threatening. In addition, people with gonorrhea can more easily contract HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. HIV-infected people with gonorrhea can transmit HIV more easily to someone else than if they did not have gonorrhea.

How is gonorrhea diagnosed? A doctor or nurse can obtain a sample for testing from the parts of the body likely to be infected (cervix, urethra, rectum, or throat) and send the sample to a laboratory for analysis.

How do you treat gonorrhea? Several antibiotics can successfully cure gonorrhea in adolescents and adults. However, drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea are increasing in many areas of the world, including the United States, and successful treatment of gonorrhea is becoming more difficult. It is important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure gonorrhea. Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease. People who have had gonorrhea and have been treated can get the disease again if they have sexual contact with persons infected with gonorrhea. If a person’s symptoms continue even after receiving treatment, he or she should return to a doctor to be re-evaluated.

If you have questions about gonorrhea or would like to make an appointment call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177.

What are the symptoms of HPV? Most people with HPV do not develop symptoms or health problems. But sometimes, certain types of HPV can cause genital warts in men and women. Other HPV types can cause cervical cancer and other less common cancers, such as cancers of the vulva, vagina, anus, and penis. The types of HPV that can cause genital warts are not the same as the types that can cause cancer.

How do people get HPV? Genital HPV is passed on through genital contact, most often during vaginal and anal sex. A person can have HPV even if years have passed since he or she had sex. Most infected persons do not realize they are infected or that they are passing the virus to a sex partner.

How does HPV cause cancer and genital warts? HPV can cause normal cells on infected skin or mucous membranes to turn abnormal. Most of the time, you cannot see or feel these cell changes. In most cases, the body fights off HPV naturally and the infected cells then go back to normal.

If a high-risk HPV infection is not cleared by the immune system, it can linger for many years and turn abnormal cells into cancer over time. About 10% of women with high-risk HPV on their cervix will develop long-lasting HPV infections that put them at risk for cervical cancer. Similarly, when high-risk HPV lingers and infects the cells of the penis, anus, vulva, or vagina, it can cause cancer in those areas. But these cancers are much less common than cervical cancer.

How common is HPV? Approximately 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, and another 6.2 million people become newly infected each year. At least 50% of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.

How do you test for HPV? There is no general test for men or women to check one’s overall “HPV status.” HPV usually goes away on its own, without causing health problems. However, you can get tested for any symptoms you may notice.

Genital warts are diagnosed by visual inspection. Some health care providers may use acetic acid, a vinegar solution, to help identify flat warts. But this is not a sensitive test so it may wrongly identify normal skin as a wart.

Cervical cell changes (early signs of cervical cancer) can be identified by routine Pap tests. The HPV test can identify high-risk HPV types on a woman’s cervix, which can cause cervical cell changes and cancer. There is no treatment for the virus itself, but a healthy immune system can usually fight off HPV naturally.

If you have questions about HPV or would like to make an appointment, call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177.

Chlamydia

Chlamydial infection is now the most common of all bacterial STDs, with an estimated 4 to 8 million new cases occurring each year. In both men and women, chlamydial infection may cause an abnormal genital discharge and burning with urination. In women, untreated chlamydial infection may lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, one of the most common causes of ectopic pregnancy and infertility in women. Many people with chlamydial infection, however, have few or no symptoms of infection. Women are frequently re-infected if their sex partners are not treated. Once diagnosed with chlamydial infection, a person can be treated with an antibiotic.

Any sexually active person can be infected with chlamydia. The greater the number of sex partners, the greater the risk of infection. Because the cervix (opening to the uterus) of teenage girls and young women is not fully matured and is probably more susceptible to infection, they are at particularly high risk for infection if sexually active. Since chlamydia can be transmitted by oral or anal sex, men who have sex with men are also at risk for chlamydial infection.

What are the symptoms of chlamydia? Chlamydia is known as a “silent” disease because about three quarters of infected women and about half of infected men have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they usually appear within 1 to 3 weeks after exposure.

In women, the bacteria initially infect the cervix and the urethra (urine canal). Women who have symptoms might have an abnormal vaginal discharge or a burning sensation when urinating. When the infection spreads from the cervix to the fallopian tubes (tubes that carry fertilized eggs from the ovaries to the uterus), some women still have no signs or symptoms; others have lower abdominal pain, low back pain, nausea, fever, pain during intercourse, or bleeding between menstrual periods. Chlamydial infection of the cervix can spread to the rectum.

Men with signs or symptoms might have a discharge from their penis or a burning sensation when urinating. Men might also have burning and itching around the opening of the penis. Pain and swelling in the testicles are uncommon.

Men or women who have receptive anal intercourse may acquire chlamydial infection in the rectum, which can cause rectal pain, discharge, or bleeding. Chlamydia can also be found in the throats of women and men having oral sex with an infected partner.

What are the complications of untreated chlamydia? If untreated, chlamydial infections can progress to serious reproductive and other health problems with both short-term and long-term consequences. Like the disease itself, the damage that chlamydia causes is often “silent.”

In women, untreated infection can spread into the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This happens in up to 40 percent of women with untreated chlamydia. PID can cause permanent damage to the fallopian tubes, uterus, and surrounding tissues. The damage can lead to chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus). Women infected with chlamydia are up to five times more likely to become infected with HIV, if exposed.

How is chlamydia diagnosed? There are laboratory tests to diagnose chlamydia. These must be performed by a doctor or practitioner.

How is chlamydia treated? Chlamydia can be easily treated and cured with antibiotics. All sex partners should be evaluated, tested, and treated. Persons with chlamydia should abstain from sexual intercourse until they and their sex partners have completed treatment, otherwise re-infection is possible.

Women whose sex partners have not been appropriately treated are at high risk for re-infection. Having multiple infections increases a woman’s risk of serious reproductive health complications, including infertility. Retesting should be encouraged for women three to four months after treatment. This is especially true if a woman does not know if her sex partner received treatment.

If you have questions about Chlamydia or would like to make an appointment, call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, which can damage a woman’s reproductive organs. Even though symptoms of chlamydia are usually mild or absent, serious complications that cause irreversible damage, including infertility, can occur “silently” before a woman ever recognizes a problem. Chlamydia also can cause discharge from the penis of an infected man. (read more)

HPV

Genital HPV infection is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) and is the most common sexually transmitted disease.The virus infects the skin and mucous membranes. There are more than 40 HPV types that can infect the genital areas of men and women, including the skin of the penis, vulva (area outside the vagina), and anus, and the linings of the vagina, cervix, and rectum. You cannot see HPV. Most people who become infected with HPV do not even know they have it. (read more)

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix (opening to the womb), uterus (womb), and fallopian tubes (egg canals) in women, and in the urethra (urine canal) in women and men. The bacterium can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus.

Any sexually active person can be infected with gonorrhea. (read more)

Syphilis

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. It has often been called “the great imitator” because so many of the signs and symptoms are indistinguishable from those of other diseases.

Syphilis is passed from person to person through direct contact with a syphilis sore. Sores occur mainly on the external genitals, vagina, anus, or in the rectum. Sores also can occur on the lips and in the mouth. Transmission of the organism occurs during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Pregnant women with the disease can pass it to the babies they are carrying. Syphilis cannot be spread through contact with toilet seats, doorknobs, swimming pools, hot tubs, bathtubs, shared clothing, or eating utensils.

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV)

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is the name of a condition in women where the normal balance of bacteria in the vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. It is sometimes accompanied by discharge, odor, pain, itching, or burning.

Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in women of childbearing age.

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that affects both women and men, although symptoms are more common in women.

Trichomoniasis is the most common curable STD in young, sexually active women. An estimated 7.4 million new cases occur each year in women and men.

Pregnancy symptoms differ from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy; however, one of the most significant pregnancy symptoms is a delayed or missed menstrual cycle. Some women experience signs or symptoms of pregnancy within a week after conception. For other women, pregnancy symptoms may develop over a few weeks or may not be present at all. Below is a listing of some of the most common pregnancy signs/symptoms. If you have been sexually active and are experiencing any of the following symptoms it is important to take a pregnancy test. Call 850-656-9177 for a confidential appointment.

Common pregnancy symptoms:
- Late/Missed Period
- Nausea/morning sickness
- Swollen/Tender Breasts
- Frequent urination
- Fatigue /Tiredness
- Backaches
- Food Cravings/Aversions
- Darkening of the Nipples

Late/Missed Period:

A delayed or missed period is the most common pregnancy symptom. When you become pregnant, you will probably miss your next period. Some women will have bleeding while they are pregnant, but typically the bleeding will be shorter or lighter than a normal period.

Other Explanations: Excessive weight gain/loss, fatigue, hormonal problems, tension, stress, ceasing to take the birth control pill, or breast-feeding.

Nausea/Morning Sickness:

This well-known pregnancy symptom will often show up between 2-8 weeks after conception. You may have nausea and/or vomiting. Some women will not have morning sickness at all, while others will feel nauseous throughout most of their pregnancy.

Other Explanations: Food poisoning, stress, or other stomach disorders can also cause you to feel queasy.

Swollen/Tender Breasts:

Swollen or tender breasts are a pregnancy symptom which may begin as early as 1-2 weeks after conception. Women may notice changes in their breasts; they may be tender to the touch, sore, or swollen.

Other Explanations: Hormonal imbalance, birth control pills, impending menstruation (PMS) can also cause your breasts to be swollen or tender.

Frequent Urination:

Around 6-8 weeks after conception, you may find that you have to urinate more often than what is normal for you.

Other Explanations: Urinary tract infection, diabetes, increasing liquid intake, or taking excessive diuretics.

Fatigue/Tiredness:

Feeling fatigued or more tired is a pregnancy symptom which may start as early as the first week after conception.

Other Explanations: Stress, exhaustion, depression, common cold or flu, or other illnesses can also leave you feeling tired or fatigued.

Backaches:

Lower backaches may be a symptom that occurs early in pregnancy; however, it is common to experience a dull backache throughout an entire pregnancy.

Other Explanations: Impending menstruation, stress, other back problems, and physical or mental strains.

Food Cravings/Food Aversions:

Many women will feel cravings for certain foods when they are pregnant . This can last throughout your entire pregnancy. You may also notice you have aversions to foods that you normally eat.

Other Explanations: Poor diet, lack of a certain nutrient, stress, depression, or impending menstruation.

Darkening of Nipples:

If you are pregnant, the skin around your nipples may get darker.

Other Explanations: Hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or may be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy.

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An unplanned pregnancy is difficult to face. There are so many decisions to make and questions to answer.

At Women’s Clinic you will find a caring, compassionate staff. We will administer a pregnancy test at no charge. If you have a positive test, our staff will review all of your options with you and in some cases offer a free ultrasound. We will offer you current, medically accurate, unbiased information.

Sometimes you just need a place to process everything and think through all of your options. Sometimes you need a safe place to share your concerns and what is on your mind. You are not alone. We care about you and your future. We are committed to providing compassionate and practical support to women with unplanned pregnancies.

Women’s Clinic serves clients throughout Florida’s Big Bend area and South Georgia. If you have any questions about pregnancy, abortion, parenting, pregnancy resources, or sexually transmitted diseases,we welcome your visit. Call 850-656-9177 or 850-222-4050 to make your appointment or talk to one of our professionals.

So you think she might be pregnant.  You have questions.  What are your options?  Where can you get information?  The following is information and advice that you should consider:

1.  Listen. The situation involves more than just you. There are now three lives to think about.

2.  Stay Calm. She needs your support now more than ever. She may be carrying the baby, but you are BOTH parents, and regardless of your relationship in the future, that baby needs you too.

3.  Talk about the pregnancy.  Not only with each other, but prepare to talk with parents and others close to the situation. Hiding the news from people who can genuinely help you only increases the stress.

4.  Gather the facts. Get current, unbiased information.  Speak with professional who can answer you questions so you can make the best decision for both of you.

5.  Express yourself honestly.  You may have feelings of anger, frustration, and fear. These are all normal.  It is also important to make sure she knows she is not alone.

6.  Don’t run or try to avoid the situation. The more you run from or avoid this, the harder it becomes to think and act clearly.

7.  Don’t pressure her. Applying pressure will only push her away, possibly into a regretful situation. Both of you would do well to work as a team.

8.  You have a very active role in this situation. Listen to input, give your thoughts, seek medically accurate and current information.

Women’s Clinic is there to support you.  We can provide you with answers and explore your options.  You have the option to speak with another man.  Call us at 850-656-9177 for more information or an appointment.

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) , are among the most common infectious diseases in the United States today. They affect more than 13 million men and women in this country each year.

The number of STD cases is rising because sexually active people today are more likely to have multiple sex partners during their lives which leads to a greater risk for developing STDs. Anyone can contract an STD. Men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and economic levels are at risk.

Many STDs initially cause no symptoms, particularly in women. However, even though you have an STD and no symptoms, you may still be able to pass the disease on to a sex partner. Doctors recommend periodic testing if you have more than one sex partner.

When diagnosed and treated early, most STDs can be treated effectively. However, some organisms, such as certain forms of gonorrhea, have become resistant to the drugs used to treat them and now require new types of antibiotics. The most serious STD with no known cure is AIDS.

The only way to prevent the transmission of STDs is to avoid behaviors that put you at risk, such as having sex of any kind - vaginal, oral or anal.

Understanding the basic facts about STDs — the ways in which they are spread, their common symptoms, and how they can be treated — is the first step toward prevention.

Read more on the types of STDs:

If you have questions about STDs, or would like to make an appointment call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177.

Abortion
Before you make any medical decision, it is important for you to have information about the possible consequences. Abortion is either a medical or surgical procedure and like any medical or surgical procedure, there are risks. You have the right to be fully informed about those risks.

Gathering information on the types of abortion procedures and their risks will help you make an informed decision. Remember, the choice is yours and even though others’ opinions matter, you must live with the consequences. No one can force you to have an abortion. We are here to help you find the information you need to decide what is best for you.

Adoption
Caring for a child fulltime can be challenging and you may not feel ready. That is okay. You should not feel guilty or bad about these feelings. Preparing an adoption plan and placing your child with another couple is a courageous choice that can benefit everyone involved.

You have lots of choices with adoption. Will it be open or closed? Will it be private or will you use an agency? You are part of the decision making process when making an adoption plan. Making an adoption plan may be best for you if:

• You don’t want an abortion and aren’t ready to parent.
• You want to provide your child emotional and financial stability.
• You want to provide your child with a 2 parent family.

In today’s adoptions, you can know your child and be a part of your child’s life. You can have the peace of knowing your child is loved and cared for by the couple you choose.

Parenting
Being a parent is often described as one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of life. It is a miracle to feel a little life growing inside you. Nothing compares to watching a child develop into a person with a unique personality, interests and talents. You learn to guide, encourage and provide for this new member of your family, offering unconditional love and support.

Regardless of what others say, you have the right to choose to parent your child. We can help you with many of the challenges of choosing this option.

For more information on your options or to make an appointment, call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177.

Abortions used to terminate a pregnancy are medical or surgical. The cost and type of an abortion procedure is often determined by how many weeks a woman is into the pregnancy. Each one has risks and possible complications.

MEDICAL ABORTION

Mifepristone is a drug that blocks a hormone called progesterone that is needed for pregnancy to continue. It causes the uterine lining to thin and the pregnancy to detach from the uterine wall. Mifepristone, when used together with another medicine called misoprostol, is used to end an early pregnancy by inducing an abortion. About 5-8 out of 100 women taking mifepristone will need a surgical procedure to complete the abortion or to stop too much bleeding.

Symptoms to expect. This treatment causes cramping and bleeding. Usually, these symptoms mean that the treatment is working to induce an abortion. But sometimes women can get cramping and bleeding and still be pregnant. This is why a woman who chooses an abortion by this method must return to her provider to ensure the abortion is complete.

If a woman is not already bleeding after taking Mifeprex, she probably will begin to bleed once she takes misoprostol. Bleeding or spotting can be expected for an average of 9-16 days and may last for up to 30 days. The bleeding may be similar to, or greater than, a normal heavy period. The woman may see tissue and blood clots that come from her uterus and can range in size from a dime to a large lemon. Sometimes the embryo may be seen in these clots.

Misoprostol may cause cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and other symptoms. Other side effects of this method include vomiting, headache, dizziness, back pain, and tiredness.

Heavy bleeding and the need for surgery. In about 1 out of 100 women, bleeding can be so heavy that it requires a surgical procedure to stop it.

Not all women should take mifepristone, including those taking certain other medications, those more than 49 days (7 weeks) past their last menstrual period, and those who cannot easily get emergency medical help in the 2 weeks after taking it.

SURGICAL ABORTION

Vacuum Aspiration/Suction Curettage (first trimester)

Suction aspiration is a surgical abortion procedure performed during the first 6 to 12 weeks gestation. It is also referred to as suction curettage or vacuum aspiration.

You will lie on your back with your feet in stirrups and a speculum is inserted to open the vagina. A local anesthetic is administered to your cervix. Then a tenaculum is used to hold the cervix in place for the cervix to be dilated by cone shaped rods. When the cervix is wide enough, a cannula, which is a long plastic tube connected to a suction device, is inserted into the uterus to suction out the fetus and placenta. The procedure usually lasts 10-15 minutes, but recovery may require staying at the clinic for a few hours.
Mild to strong menstrual-like cramping may occur during the procedure.

What are the side effects and risks of suction aspiration?

Common side effects that most women will experience during and following the procedure include cramping, nausea, sweating, and feeling faint.

Other side effects include possible heavy or prolonged bleeding, blood clots, damage to the cervix, and perforation of the uterus. Infection due to retained products of conception or infection caused by an STD or bacteria being introduced to the uterus can cause fever, pain, abdominal tenderness, and possibly scar tissue. You may also experience an incomplete abortion.

WHAT SHOULD YOU KNOW?

As with any medical procedure, you have a right to know all of the risks and any other information that might affect your decision to have an abortion. However, if you don’t ask for this information you may make an uninformed decision.

Here are some important questions you will want to discuss before you decide to have an abortion.

1. Will the abortion procedure hurt?

2. If I decide that an abortion is not for me, what options and supportive services do you have available to me ?

3. What is my unborn baby like right now based on how far along I am? What can the baby do? What can the baby feel?

4. What are the problems I may experience during and after an abortion?

5. Is it possible to suffer psychological problems after an abortion?

6. What are the chances I will experience the following physical problems:

• Retained Products of conception
• Damage to the Cervix
• Damage to the uterus
• Hemorrhage
• Infection
• Perforation of the Uterus
• Sterility
• Complications with future pregnancies

7. Tell me about the following psychological problems and the chances I will experience any of them:

• Anniversary Syndrome
• Sexual Dysfunction
• Suicidal Thoughts
• Interference with Personal Relationships
• Depression

8. If I have complications, who will treat me?

9. If I need to be hospitalized, do you have hospital admitting privileges and at what hospital?

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177.

Pregnancy Testing

Women’s Clinic administers free urine pregnancy testing that can detect a pregnancy as early as seven to ten days after conception. You will receive the results during your appointment and we will offer medically accurate, unbiased information about your pregnancy options. Call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177 to schedule a confidential appointment for a pregnancy test or to discuss pregnancy symptoms or options.

Ultrasound Services

Women’s clinic offers free ultrasounds to women with a positive pregnancy test who meet certain criteria. If an ultrasound is recommended, the ultrasound will be used for confirming a pregnancy, estimating a due date, and determining approximate fetal age. Call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177 for your confidential appointment today.

STD Testing

If you are sexually active you are at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Women’s Clinic will resume STD testing soon. Please call Women’s Clinic at 850-656-9177 for more information.

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Address
Women’s Clinic
1395 Cross Creek Circle
Tallahassee, FL 32301

Main Telephone Number
(850) 656-9177

Email: info@opendoorwomensclinic.com

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