March 2018 www.womanthismonth.com LIFESTYLE | wellbeing 58 Many of us have a vague idea about where the cervix is (err… somewhere deep inside the body?) and what it does (something concerning a screaming woman in labour?). But what a large number of us women blissfully ignore is that we need to pay it some attention every now and then. Even when we’re nowhere close to going into labour. WTM reached out to two of the island’s experts to get the inside scoop on this often avoided subject. Dr Yasmin Kazi, consultant advanced gynaecologic laparoscopic surgeon, obstetrician and fertility specialist at Bahrain Specialist Hospital, explains: “The cervix is the opening at the lowermost part of the uterus, leading into the vagina. It acts as a physical barrier between the external environment (vaginal canal) and the uterus.” It allows the flow of menstrual blood from the uterus into the vagina, and directs sperm into the uterus during intercourse. “During pregnancy, the cervical opening closes to help keep the foetus in the uterus until birth. Another important function of the cervix occurs during labour, when it dilates (widens), to allow the passage of the foetus from the uterus to the vagina,” she says. This very useful tube-like body part is susceptible to abnormalities. Dr Kazi says: “Infection of the human papillomavirus (HPV) may cause cervical dysplasia, or abnormal growth of cervical cells.” This may lead to cervical cancer, and can be caused through having multiple partners, smoking, taking birth control pills and engaging in early sexual activity. HPV is a group of more than 150 related viruses. It is transmitted through intimate skin-to-skin contact, and is fairly common in both men and women. In most cases, HPV goes away on its own and does not cause any health problems. If the body cannot fight the virus over a long time, it can lead to cervical cancer. You can’t see it, but it’s an integral part of a woman’s reproductive system. Behnaz Sanjana finds out more about cervical abnormalities and what women should know about them. Nipping Trouble in the Bud Unfortunately, this deadly cancer comes with no warning symptoms in the early stages. “The most common symptoms
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