by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN………………………………… Caucasian women are at higher risk for developing breast cancer over their lifetime in comparison to Asian and Black women. Researchers in the United Kingdom designed The Million Woman study to investigate the factors that increased Caucasian women’s risk for breast cancer. The study enrolled…
When to start mammograms?
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN………………………………… A new study released last week in the Journal Cancer suggests early screening mammograms may save lives. The study analyzed 7301 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1990 and 1999. There were 609 documented deaths from breast cancer. Of those who died from breast cancer, 71 percent…
CA 125 – Does it really help us detect ovarian cancer?
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN………………………………… A new study released by MD Andersen suggests we should take a second look at drawing CA 125 levels in postmenopausal women to help predict the development of ovarian cancer. Until the release of this new data yesterday, studies suggested we should avoid drawing CA 125 levels…
I’m having hot flashes. Does it mean I’m starting menopause?
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN………………………………… We all know hot flashes and night sweats are very common symptoms of menopause. But, a new study by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) suggests many young premenopausal women have hot flashes too. I often have women in the thirties and forties complain of night sweats or hot…
Do you feel your baby clock ticking? Can we buy more time? Egg freezing – is it really an option?
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN………………………………… I recently read the Wall Street Journal article written by Sarah Elizabeth Richards who explains why she decided to freeze her eggs. I thought it was excellent for several reasons. As a women’s health care provider, I am acutely aware of women’s ticking fertility clocks. As we…
Should I get tested for the breast cancer gene?
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN………………………………… I cannot thank Angelina Jolie enough for going public with her decision to have a double mastectomy after discovering she carries the BRCA1 gene. I can only hope that greater awareness helps us to identify women at greatest risk for breast and ovarian cancer. However,…
Do I still need birth control in my 40s?
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN…………………………………. Although you may think you are too old to have babies, your body may not agree. As an Alpharetta gynecology specialist, I often have women in their 40s tell me they do not need birth control because they are too old to have babies. Their…
Sex after Menopause
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN…………………………………. Your friends and co workers going through menopause will have no trouble telling you all about their hot flashes and weight gain. But, they might not be so open talking about sex after menopause. Unfortunately, as our periods vanish, so does the vaginal moisture. When…
Am I too old to have kids?
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN…………………………………. Let’s talk about it… When our patients ask this question, they are really asking 3 different questions: Can I still conceive at my age? Am I at increased risk for having a baby with chromosome problems? And, am I at increased risk for miscarriage? At…
How do I know if I’m menopausal?
by Rachel Burt, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner at Roswell OB/GYN …………………………….. I wish there was an easy answer to this question. I get asked this question from patients as young as 35 to those well into their 50s. For some women, they struggle with menopausal symptoms for years. Other lucky women just stop having periods,…
