Dr. Lori Gore-Green | Women's Health Professional

Dr. Lori Gore-Green's Portfolio of Experience as a Women's Health Professional

Dangerous Breast Cancer Myths

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Breast cancer is a dangerous disease that will affect roughly 13 percent of women at some point in their life. This makes it the second-most common form of cancer in women. Just like other types of cancer, the disease forms when the cells in the breast start to grow abnormally. Despite the prevalence of the disease, there is still a lot of misinformation out there regarding breast cancer. These are the most dangerous breast cancer myths.

There’s Always a Lump

While a lump in the breast is the most common symptom of breast cancer, they are not present in every case. This is why it is important to get regular screenings. You may think nothing is wrong, but a mammogram can find breast cancer in the early stages. Make sure to look out for the other common symptoms including breast swelling, inverted nipples, and flaky skin around the nipple.

Problem is Almost Solved

There are still a lot of people that think breast cancer is nothing to worry about because it is easily cured. While advancements in science have drastically reduced the death rate associated with breast cancer, it is still the second-deadliest form of cancer in women. A little more than 40,000 women are still dying every year from this horrible disease. A full cure is coming soon, but we are not there yet.

Screenings Are Only Defense

Regular screenings and self-checks at home are great ways to detect breast cancer in the early stages, but they are not your only defense against the disease. You can drastically reduce your chances of developing this disease by living a healthy lifestyle. Obese women are nearly twice as likely to develop breast cancer after menopause as those living at a healthy weight. The regular consumption of alcohol also drastically boosts your chances of getting breast cancer.

No Family History, No Problem

You should not take things lightly just because there is no history of breast cancer in your family. Roughly 85 percent of breast cancer patients have no family link to the disease. Those that do have a family history of breast cancer need to be extra cautious because your risk of developing the disease is nearly double of those without a family link.

What to Know About Forceps Births

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Forceps deliveries are carried out to deliver a baby whose head has become stuck in a bent position or help out when all other methods have failed (e.g., ventouse).

The instruments used for forceps deliveries are called “forceps.” They were originally designed in ancient Greece and consisted of two wooden spoons with handles.

Forceps deliveries are carried out under a general anesthetic, so the mother is asleep and will not feel any pain or pressure on her body.

The forceps are placed over the baby’s head through the vagina. The blades of the forceps are then carefully positioned around either side of the chin, cheeks, top of skull, and forehead. 

Gentle, steady pressure is then applied until they lock into place. The midwife or doctor monitors this by listening to sounds inside the birth canal with a “stethoscope.” It may be necessary to apply more than one pair of forceps to ensure an effective fit, and this can take several attempts if the first attempt is unsuccessful. This type of delivery should only take about 5 minutes.

After the delivery, the midwife or doctor will check that your baby is healthy before you are allowed to wake up and meet your new little one. Forceps deliveries may leave you feeling a bit sore and bruised, and it can take a few days to recover fully from having a general anesthetic.

About 1 in 8 labors need to use forceps, so it is not too unusual. Of those, about 4 in every 100 women will need an assisted forceps birth like this. Delivery by ventouse (suction) is becoming more popular as it usually means no after-effects such as bruising or tearing; however, if this isn’t working, forceps are be needed instead of an emergency Caesarean section (C-section).

Some mothers find the use of forceps frightening from the word go, as it sounds as though they are being forced to have a cesarean section. It may be helpful to think about it as an alternative to a ventouse delivery with no bruising afterward. A good way of looking at it is as a ‘helping hand’ that can make all the difference between tearing and not tearing.

In conclusion, forceps can be a successful instrument, although not always effective. It is much easier for the mother to recover from than an assisted ventouse delivery, but it may pose a risk to both mother and baby if not used properly or if the wrong forceps are used.

A Potential Breakthrough in the Treatment of Endometriosis

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The discomfort in women with endometriosis is painful. It causes inflammation and tissue growth on the outside of the uterus. It’s not just painful. It can also lead to complications with getting pregnant.

Endometriosis is typically treated with hormones and invasive surgery. However, it is a treatment of the symptoms. For patients who suffer continued growth from endometriosis, having multiple hysterectomies or laparoscopy surgeries can be stressful and costly. New studies show that there may be a way to achieve the same results without invasive methods.

What is Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a common condition in women ages 18-35. It is a tissue disorder in the uterus that causes tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus to grow on the outside. It can become painful and cause irregular menstrual cycles.

Neuropeptide S Receptor 1 (NPSR1)

A genetic study by scientists from Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Oxford, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Bayer AG has uncovered the specific gene associated with the disorder. They found neuropeptide S receptor 1 (NPSR1). The researchers inhibited NPRS1 in their mouse models with the use of SHA 68R, a small molecular inhibitor. It reduced the abnormal growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus which led to reducing inflammation, pain, and endometriosis.

SHA 68R

The team of researchers sequenced the DNA of 32 families in which more than three women have endometriosis. Cross-referencing the data led the researchers to discover that women with more severe cases of the disease had variants of the NPSR1 gene. SHA 68R is a small molecular structure known to inhibit NSPR1’s expressions

The animal studies done to inhibit NPSR1 from activating were completed by injecting a small solution with SHA 68R. It has promising results as a gene inhibitor. Researchers have stated an excitement to continue their study in genome sequencing. Jeffrey Rogers, Ph.D. and associate professor at the Human Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor, states “This is one of the first examples of DNA sequencing in nonhuman primates to validate results in human studies.”

With future studies, SHA 68R and other NPSR1 inhibitors may make their way to the medical field as nonhormonal and noninvasive treatment options for endometriosis.