Hormone tests during pregnancy. Basic information, Advice for expectant mothers.

Women's health and why regular screening is important

Every woman should find time for healthy habits - regular exercise, coping with stress, choosing the right foods. One such habit is scheduling periodic health checkups. It will help diagnose potential health problems early.

Regular screening may even save your life. “When the disease is detected early, you can avoid complications and improve your quality of life,” says Dr. Keri Peterson, New York. “I have had many patients who diligently get the medical tests they need, and it changes their entire lives. Many of them were diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage and were able to undergo breast-conserving surgery with an excellent prognosis.”

So what tests do you need to undergo? We present you a list of the ten most important.

How to bring hormones back to normal

Hormonal imbalance in women is eliminated with the use of medications, traditional treatment methods and physiotherapy. The chosen method will depend on the reasons that provoked the hormonal disorder, as well as on what particular hormone or group of hormones is found in excess or deficiency.

Medications

Drug treatment consists of taking hormonal medications, in particular oral contraceptives and vitamin complexes.

Hormonal oral contraceptives (OCs) are:

• combined (contains progesterone and estrogen);
• non-combined (contains an artificial analogue of progesterone).

They are used for gynecological disorders caused by unstable hormonal levels in women.

The following OKs apply:

• Regulon;
• Diana-35;
• Jess;
• Yarina;
• Midiana.

Depending on which hormone is produced in insufficient quantities, certain medications are prescribed.

For estrogen deficiency, the following are used:

1. Livial is a tablet with estrogenic and histogenic activity. Relieves symptoms of hormonal imbalance: increased sweating, hot flashes, frequent headaches. Used by women during menopause at 2.5 mg per day. The duration of treatment is at least 3 months.
2. Proginova is a drug whose main substance is estradiol valerate, which has a specific estrogenic effect. Stimulates the development of the uterus and eliminates disorders in the woman’s body associated with hormonal imbalances. The dosage regimen is prescribed individually. The recommended daily intake is 1-2 mg.
3. Ovestin is a hormonal product containing estriol, a female sex hormone. Actively used for infertility. The drug is prescribed in a dosage of 1-2 mg per day, starting from the 6th to the 15th day of the menstrual cycle.

To correct progesterone levels when there is a lack of it, the following drugs are used:

1. Utrozhestan - capsules with the active substance progesterone. Used for menstrual irregularities and premenstrual tension syndrome. Dosage regimen: 200-300 mg per day, divided into 2 doses.
2. Duphaston - used for severe premenstrual syndrome, cycle disorders and dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Dosage regimen: 10 mg 2 times a day from the 11th to the 25th day of the cycle.

To inhibit puberty in girls and to stimulate ovulation, gonadotropin is used, which is part of the following drugs.

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1. Pregnyl - causes ovulation and stimulates the production of estrogen and progesterone. Available in the form of a solution for injection. The dosage regimen is determined individually.
2. Horagon – powder for injection. The drug is administered intramuscularly on days 3, 6 and 9 after ovulation in the amount of 1500 - 500 IU, depending on individual indications.

If there is an excess of estrogen, in order to reduce its synthesis, use:

1. Zoladex is a drug that reduces the concentration of estradiol in the blood serum. 1 capsule is used, which is injected into the anterior abdominal wall 1 time per day every 28 days.
2. Diferelin is a means for preparing a suspension that stops the secretion of estrogen by the ovaries. The prepared solution is administered intramuscularly at a dose of 3.75 mg once a day every 4 weeks.

Treatment of high progesterone levels is carried out using:

1. Ginestril is a synthetic steroid drug that blocks excessive progesterone production. Take 50 g 1 time per day for 3 months.
2. Esmya is a progesterone receptor modulator. The drug is taken after the onset of menstrual bleeding in the 1st week of the menstrual cycle. The duration of treatment is 3 months.

To normalize hormonal balance, women are recommended to take vitamin complexes, which include vitamins A, E, C, D and folic acid.

These are the following drugs:

• Qi-Clim;
• Complement for women;
• Estrovel;
• Remens.

Traditional methods

To normalize the production of the required amount of hormones in a woman, folk remedies are also used. They are not able to completely get rid of problems, but are effective as an additional treatment method as part of complex therapy.

The following folk recipes are most effective:

1. Flax-seed. To reduce the symptoms of hormonal disorders, you should take 30 g of flaxseed per day with plenty of water. A noticeable result will appear after 2 weeks of use.
2. Sage infusion. Sage contains a large number of phytohormones that promote the production of estrogen when there is a deficiency. To prepare the infusion you need 1 tbsp. l. crushed dried sage herb, pour 500 ml of boiling water and leave for 1 hour. Take 50 ml of solution 3 times a day.
3. Infusion of boron uterus or red brush. The drug is taken from the 16th to the 25th day of the menstrual cycle. To prepare the infusion, you need to take 10 g of crushed dried plant, pour a glass of boiling water over it and hold for 15 minutes under a closed lid. The infusion is taken 2 times a day, 100 ml. The duration of treatment is 3 months.
4. Infusion of hops and oregano. To prepare the infusion, you need to take 10 g of hops and oregano, pour 200 ml of boiling water. Leave the resulting solution for 1 hour and take 100 ml 2 times a day.
5. Fenugreek infusion. Fenugreek seeds are used to normalize hormonal levels and eliminate painful menstruation in women. 1 tsp. pour a glass of boiling water over the seeds and leave in a thermos for 30 minutes. Divide the resulting portion of the solution into 3 doses.

Other methods

In addition to drug therapy, diet therapy is used for hormonal disorders. Due to the fact that hormonal imbalances provoke a sharp increase in weight, it is important to maintain proper nutrition. It will help regulate metabolic processes, reduce the load on the pancreas and provide the body with all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Basic principles of nutrition for high or low hormone levels:

• eating plenty of fruits and vegetables;
• consumption of cereals, dairy and fermented milk products, white and red meat, fish;
• refusal of fried, fatty, floury, spicy foods;
• refusal of fast food and carbonated drinks;
• Drinking alcohol and smoking is prohibited.

The daily diet should be divided into 3-5 meals, eaten in small portions. Drink about 2 liters of clean water per day. Another treatment method is surgery.

It is indicated in cases where hormonal imbalance in a woman’s body is caused by:

• pituitary tumors;
• polycystic ovary syndrome;
• thyroid tumors.

Surgical methods are used to remove tumors:

• laparoscopy;
• ovarian resection;
• laser removal;
• electrocautery of the ovaries;
• removal with a scalpel.

Cytological smear from the cervical mucosa (Pap smear)

According to the US Preventive Services, from 21 to 65 years of age, every woman should have a cytological smear from the cervical mucosa (Pap smear) every three years. To take a smear using a speculum, the doctor widens the vaginal canal. Afterwards, a small brush takes cells from the cervix and examines them for changes that could lead to cervical cancer.

If you're over 30, you can get the test every five years if you combine it with HPV (human papillomavirus) screening. Human papillomavirus is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) and can lead to cervical cancer.

What are hormones and their functions in the body

Hormones are biological active substances produced in the endocrine glands and designed to control body functions.

Conventionally, they are divided into groups:

• height;
• sexual;
• exchange;
• stressful;
• corticosteroids.

Biologically active substances are responsible for the ability to reproduce offspring, as well as the normal functioning of a woman’s reproductive and endocrine organs.

They are as follows:

• oxytocin;
• progesterone;
• testosterone;
• estrogen;
• prolactin;
• follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH);
• luteinizing hormone (LH).

Estrogen plays a key role in the formation of the menstrual cycle, therefore it is considered one of the main female hormones.

The class of estrogens includes:

• estradiol;
• estrone;
• estriol.

Oxytocin is a pituitary hormone that is involved in the formation of lactation, as well as the normal course of childbirth in women.

Performs the following functions:

• reduction of mammary duct cells and ensuring the lactation process;
• stimulation of uterine contractions;
• influence on sexual behavior

Progesterone is a hormone that is responsible for the smooth functioning of the reproductive system and performs the following functions:

• equalization of endometrial thickness;
• relaxation of the uterine muscles;
• decreased intensity of immunity after fertilization;
• facilitating the process of childbirth.

Testosterone is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands and affects sexual desire - libido.

And:

• responsible for the functioning of the sebaceous glands;
• increases muscle tone;
• improves memory;
• increases stress resistance.

Prolactin is a hormone synthesized in the anterior pituitary gland and performs a number of important functions:

• participation in the growth and development of mammary glands;
• preparing the breast for lactation;
• participation in water-salt metabolism;
• Providing contraceptive action during breastfeeding.

The hormones FSH and LH are produced by the pituitary gland. FSH affects the development of follicles, and LH affects the functioning of the ovaries.

Mammograms

A mammogram is a test to detect breast cancer. It involves compressing the breast between plates to take an x-ray. There is an ongoing debate about when and how often women should get mammograms.

After all, the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, and false results from frequent examinations can do more harm than good. For example, the US Preventive Services recommends having a mammogram every two years starting at age 50.

But the American Cancer Society recommends annual screening at the age of 45, and at 55 switch to mammography twice a year. If you are genetically predisposed to breast cancer or have other concerns, ask your doctor if annual screenings can be done earlier.

Table of normal hormone levels

Analysis of hormones in women makes it possible to assess the state of the hormonal system, based on these generally accepted normal indicators. The results of the study will differ depending on the phases of the menstrual cycle, as well as age characteristics.

Blood glucose test

From about age 45, women should have a blood glucose test every three years. This will help identify the presence of diabetes or prediabetes. By the way, the spread of normal values ​​in analyzes may be different. But a fasting plasma glucose test reading of 100 mg/dL or higher indicates prediabetes.

While values ​​above 126 mg/dl indicate the presence of diabetes. If you are overweight or have a genetic predisposition to diabetes, start getting tested earlier and more often. Discuss the frequency of testing with your doctor.

Colon Cancer Screening

Colon cancer screening, which can be done in a doctor's office, starts at age 50. You will also need to have a sigmoidoscopy, in which a tube with a light and a camera on the end is placed into the lower intestine.

Or a colonoscopy, which uses a longer tube to examine the entire colon. If the problem is not found, or you are at high risk of developing colon cancer, sigmoidoscopy will have to be repeated every five years, and colonoscopy every ten.