Dr. Jaimala Shukla, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Emirates Diagnostic Clinic responds:

Dear Doctor,

I am 22 weeks pregnant, presently residing in Dubai. I am falling due on 28th of January 2007. I would like to know till which month (or date if possible ) is it safe to do air travelling. I shall be very obliged if you could answer me as soon as possible.  – Arshi, Dubai

3 to 4 hrs air travel leave 6wks before the due date.
4hrs= 8 weeks. Please check with the particular airline as well.

Dear Doctor,

I am 15 years old and have been on my period for 2 weeks now. Is this normal?  – Andrea.

Period problems are common in your age group. Still any prolonged bleeding should be investigated.

Dear Doctor, 

I am 23 years old. Since last 6-12 months I've noticed that the nipple of my right breast is hard even under normal conditions. And the size of my right breast is quite large compared to the left one. At times I can feel the pain in my right breast, just below the nipple till the end, when I press it. Am I suffering from breast cancer? Secondly, I am having normal periods lasting for about 5-8 days, and even tried to conceive during different intervals/ times of my periods, but still not able to conceive. My mom was also not able to conceive after me. This also runs in her family. Is there any chance that I could get pregnant?  – Anjum, Pune

Inequality of breast sizes is common. You should have tried at least 9 to 10 months before beginning to investigate. 

Dear Doctor, 

I am 27 years old unmarried woman. Last week I had my ultrasound done and in report PCOS has been detected. My periods are regular these days but the flow is not normal. It lasts up to 7 to 10 days. I have this menstrual problem from the beginning. I'm worried about it.  – Sunita, Delhi

Please start the treatment for the PCOS and also do a thyroid function test.

Dear Doctor,

I am 20 years old. I have been married for 17 months. I had a chemical pregnancy 5 months back. Now my doctor gave me Ovofar and Duphaston and asked me to do a follicular study to find out when exactly the egg is getting released. It got ruptured on 15th day and I had sex that day. But still Ii didn’t get pregnant. What can I do? Should I have to change my tablets to conceive or am I with the right tablets?  – Kathy, Chennai

Please do a fallopian tube test so as to see the status of the tubes.

Dear Doctor,

I am 19 years old. My periods are very irregular. I am going to Makkah in this Ramadan, and I am planning to take Primolut N to postpone my period. Will it have any side affects?  – Mehbaj, Bahrain

If you are taking these tabs occasionally, there should be no lasting effect. 

Dear Doctor,

I wanted to ask you that I have regular periods but this time there was a delay of 7 days and lasted for only 2 days. What could be the reason?  – Kavita, New Delhi

Sometimes periods can be different from your regular cycle due to stress viral infection or medications. So do not worry and watch the subsequent cycles.

Dear Doctor, 

I delivered 1 and 1/2 years back through caesarean operation. My periods are irregular after the delivery. I had a very heavy bleeding during last May continuously almost for one month. According to my doctor I have bulky uterus and prescribed some pills for 15 days to get the next period. After taking those pills, I got my periods in 15 days time, which was very heavy with severe stomachache. That ended around July 20. I am yet to get the next period. It’s almost 2 months now. Last week I did a pregnancy test and confirmed that I am not conceived. Please advice.  - Gita, Sharjah

Please repeat the pregnancy test (Blood) and do again an ultrasound pelvis.

Dear Doctor,

For the last two cycles I am not having my periods in time. My regular period last time was on 4th August and then next period was on 25th of August and again next period on 11th of September. Prior to this I was having my periods regularly with a cycle period of 26 days. I am married and tubectomy done. My age is 35 years now. Please advice.  – AS, Karachi

As mentioned earlier sometimes periods can be erratic due to stress, medication etc. Do a base line ultrasound and watch 3-4 more cycles.

Dear Doctor,

Could you please advise me if a doctor would consider doing a full hysterectomy to get rid of polycystic ovarian syndrome. I am 45 years old, have two children and feel that all my problems would be a lot better if I could get a doctor to perform a hysterectomy. It makes sense to me that if I have PCOS, and my ovaries are removed, my symptoms would be removed too...or is this not the case? My sister who is 52 years old has just been diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. 

She had to have a full hysterectomy and now has to go for 6 months chemo treatment. I am obviously very worried that this could happen to me and would rather have it all removed now before it starts to get cancerous. I have classic PCOS symptoms, overweight and have a very large extended abdomen. (Incidently, my sister's ovary was 16cm in diameter when they found she had cancer and she has always had a large abdomen like me although it just ran in the family) I am now thinking that I may have an enlarged ovary as well. 

As you can probably tell, I am nervous that I may have cancer at this stage but would rather find out now and have it removed than wait until I have to go for chemo to remove the cancer. Just to give you a bit more background, I am in menopause as well right now and have the HRT patch.  – Lesley, Dubai

PCOS problem would be better if you have already started the menopausal changes. It is not advisable to do a hysterectomy empirically.

Dear Doctor,

I am 26 years old and have been married for 3 and 1/2 years. I don’t have any kids yet and have been going through infertility treatment. The doctors have concluded it to be unexplained infertility. I underwent 2 IUIs and now my gynaecologist is asking me to go for a natural cycle with fertility medicines and Gestofit for 14 days from 16th day onwards. The follicular study this month on my 13 day says that left ovary follicle has collapsed and in the right ovary the follicle size is 16x16. The endometrium size is 12mm and TL was noted down. The doctor says the report is good and might conceive this month . Please advise if it is okay to stop the IUI and wait for natural cycles. Please advise if there are any chances of getting pregnant.  – Lux, Hyderabad

I hope the F.tubes were tested, give a break for 3 cycles and try naturally. You have a good chance for conception.

Dear Doctor,

This is the 5th time I am writing to you. My problems are irregular periods and overweight. I am 33 years old and my husband is 38yrs. We have a 4 years old baby. In my family all have irregular menses but for my first child I had no problem. But now my problem for the last 7 months is that we are trying for a second child but no result. I visited a doctor who scanned me and told me that one of my ovaries is little bigger than the other. So I have to take Duphaston & Clomid tablets. I took Duphaston on 1st August and my menses came on the second day. I took clomid for 5 days. On the 20th of August periods started but only for 3 days. Thus in August twice I had periods but after that till now I did not have it. What I have to do doctor? Please give me reply.  – Sheera, India

Please regularize the menses with duphaston for 3 cycles. Only after that start the fertility drugs.

Dear Doctor,

My mom (47 years old) have no problem with her menstrual cycle until last 3 months. She went to a doctor and got Progyluton tablets as 3 months prescription. She had a history of endometrial cyst for about 2 years ago. I read that taking estradiol would higher the risk of cancer. Is it true? I'm afraid that my mom will get cancer. Will it be? Thank you.  – Trina, Medan

Short-term course of hormones are safe. So do not worry about the risk of cancer.    

Dear Doctor, 

I am 25 years and married since almost 8 months. I am having very irregular periods. In April I had it on 29th, didn’t have it in May, then had it on 24th June through withdrawal of duphastane but only black and brown spotting. Then in July I didn’t have it, in Aug had it on 13th but very heavy and again I had it on September 15th but again very little and brown. The doctor prescribed me CEROPHENE 50MG for 5 days and duphaston 2 tablets daily for 10days. Can you please explain me whether it will help me to conceive.  – Annie, Karachi

Please ask your doctor to regularize your periods before starting the cerophene tab. Orgasm will not affect your conception chances

Dear Doctor, 

Does taking of Deviry 10mg tablets cause any side effects? I am not married and have taken these tablets whenever I did not get my periods as my periods are irregular. So I want to know whether I will have any problem in case I want to conceive later after marriage?  – Ranjana, Bangalore

You must find the cause of irregular MC. and do not use medications often on. Once MC is regular conception should not be a problem.