Therapies available for women’s intimate health
Women’s intimate health deals with many concerns women may face about their sexual and reproductive health and emotional challenges. Women’s intimate health encompasses various issues, from sex education and understanding sexual needs to sexual disorders, sexually transmitted infections, and reproductive matters. Orivas product portfolio for women plays an essential role in medicine, contributing to women’s well-being to support a comfortable and fulfilling life.
Contraceptives*
Contraception encompasses a set of measures to prevent or reduce the likelihood of pregnancy.
The facts
1
Although 69.2% of married women of reproductive age (15-49 years) living with their partners in Europe use contraception, this is a significantly lower proportion of the population compared to other continents, resulting in more than 43% of pregnancies in Europe, being unplanned.
2
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), between 2000 and 2020, maternal mortality due to the use of contraceptives in the past has decreased by 70% in Eastern Europe and 33% in Western Europe.
3
Women taking oral contraceptives have been shown to have a 30% reduced risk of developing cancer of the uterus.
4
Women who use oral contraceptives have a 30-50% reduced risk of ovarian cancer.
5
Women who use oral contraceptives have a 15-20% reduced risk of colorectal cancer.
6
The use of contraceptives protects women from iron deficiency anaemia by controlling menstrual bleeding.
7
Oral contraceptives help reduce the occurrence of unwanted menstrual symptoms.
Contraceptive methods
Currently, a broad spectrum of contraceptive methods is available, which can be selected by the gynaecologist according to the patient’s health profile. Contraceptive methods are classified according to their effectiveness in the table below.
According to the W HO, contraceptive pills and oral contraceptives are some of Europe’s most used contraceptive methods.
Women’s health during pregnancy**
Pregnancy is a time of significant physiological changes in a woman’s body. The demand for micronutrients and vitamins increases several times to allow the fetus to develop and perform its metabolic functions. Despite the continuously evolving guidelines, vitamin and essential nutrient deficiencies still occur in 20-30% of all pregnant women worldwide.
Folic acid is one of the most vital yet deficient substances during pregnancy. A decrease in its level in the body affects the health of both the pregnant woman and the baby. Low levels of Folic acid are most associated with spina bifida or congenital spinal cord malformation in babies.
Unsaturated fatty acids (Eicosapantaeonic [EPA] and Docosahexaenoic [DHA) are another critical group of nutrients during pregnancy. A deficiency in these acids increases the risk of premature birth and affects the development of the brain and eyes of the fetus.
During pregnancy, it is essential to have a balanced diet enriched with vitamins and critical nutrients to maintain the excellent health of the pregnant woman and the fetus. We recommend choosing specialized dietary supplements for women who plan pregnancy, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding.
Candidiasis***
Candidiasis, commonly known as vaginal thrush, is an infection caused by the C.albicans fungus and is characterized by irritation, itching, and a white discharge. It is a prevalent condition, affecting about 70% of women worldwide, and 8% suffer from frequent candidiasis. According to research, about 20% of women suffer from vaginal thrush but do not experience any symptoms.
C.albicans usually begin colonizing and causing infection due to changes in the vaginal microbiota. Many factors can influence the onset of this condition:
Hormonal changes due to menstrual cycle phases; menopause
Changes in the immune system
Medications
Other external stimuli Diagnostics
The diagnosis is confirmed, and the treatment is prescribed by a specialist doctor based on the patient’s individual symptoms and medical history.
Which women are more likely to develop vaginal thrush?
Pregnant women
Women who take oral contraceptives
Women with a weakened immune system
Women currently taking, or having recently taken, antibiotics
Treatment
Vaginal thrush is treated with an intravaginal or oral antifungal medication. Depending on the stage and characteristics of the infection, it is treated with various generations of the imidazole group of medication:
First-generation ─ clotrimazole
Second generation ─ fluconazole
Third generation ─ sertaconazole
Fourth generation ─ targeted imidazole group products 
Vaginal microflora. The facts:****
1
Vaginal microflora is a constantly changing micro-ecosystem that changes most during a woman’s menstrual cycle.
2
Probiotics, Lactobacillus, responsible for producing many antimicrobial compounds, are the most abundant bacteria in the vagina.
3
Lactobacillus deficiency causes bacterial vaginosis, which affects 21.2 million or 29.2% of women globally.
4
These probiotics can also produce bacteriocins and proteins that damage the cell walls of harmful microorganisms.
5
Recent studies have shown that bacterial vaginosis recurs in 69% of diagnosed cases and that using lactobacillus with antibiotics is an effective and safe treatment.
Treatment of bacterial vaginosis and its effectiveness
Bacterial vaginosis is usually treated with antifungal medications (metronidazole, tinidazole, or clindamycin). However, because of their low efficacy, these medicines are associated with a recurrence of symptoms in about 40% of women within three months of beginning antibiotic treatment and in 50% of women within three months of finishing antibiotic treatment. Using these drugs to treat an infection can lead to superinfections and reduce the number of good micro-organisms in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, supplementary administration of lactobacillus, both orally and in the form of vaginal capsules, can increase treatment effectiveness and prevent bacterial vaginosis complications.
