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Family Planning

    Family planning   services are “the ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their births. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of involuntary infertility.”   [1]   Family planning may involve consideration of the number of children a woman wishes to have, including the choice to have no children and the age at which she wishes to have them. These matters are influenced by external factors such as marital situation, career considerations, financial position, and any disabilities that may affect their ability to have children and raise them. If sexually active, family planning may involve the use of   contraception   and other techniques to control the timing of   reproduction . Combined oral contraceptives . Introduced in 1960, "the Pill" has played an instrumental role in family planning for decades Family planning has been of pr...
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Pregnancy

    Pregnancy occurs when a  sperm  fertilizes an egg after it’s released from the  ovary  during  ovulation . The fertilized egg then travels down into the  uterus , where implantation occurs. A successful implantation results in pregnancy. On average, a full-term pregnancy lasts 40 weeks. There are many factors that can affect a pregnancy. Women who receive an early pregnancy diagnosis and  prenatal care  are more likely to experience a healthy pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby. Knowing what to expect during the full pregnancy term is important for monitoring both your health and the health of the baby. If you’d like to prevent pregnancy, there are also effective forms of  birth control  you should keep in mind. Symptoms of pregnancy You may notice some signs and symptoms before you even take a pregnancy test. Others will appear weeks later, as  your hormone levels change . Missed period A missed period is one o...
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Malaria

    What is malaria? Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an infected  Anopheles  mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the  Plasmodium  parasite. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream. Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the  liver , where they mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect  red blood cells . Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to burst open. The parasites continue to infect red blood cells, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a time. Malaria is typically found in tropical and subtropical climates where the parasites can live. The  World Health Organization (WHO) Trusted Source states that, in 2016, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries. In the U...
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Diabetes

    Adapted from Diabetes UK Diabetes types Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a metabolic disease that causes high blood sugar. The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does make. Untreated high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs. There are a few different types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes  is an  autoimmune disease . The immune system attacks and destroys cells in the  pancreas , where insulin is made. It’s unclear what causes this attack. About  10 percent  of people with diabetes have this type. Type 2 diabetes  occurs when your body becomes resistant to  insulin , and sugar builds up in your blood. Prediabetes  occurs when your blood sugar is higher than normal, but it’s not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabet...
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Immunization

    Immunization is the process whereby a person is made immune or resistant to an infectious disease, typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccines stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease. Immunization is a proven tool for controlling and eliminating life-threatening infectious diseases and is estimated to avert between 2 and 3 million deaths each year. It is one of the most cost-effective health investments, with proven strategies that make it accessible to even the most hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations. It has clearly defined target groups; it can be delivered effectively through outreach activities; and vaccination does not require any major lifestyle change. Culled from World Health Organization.
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HIV Management

    Adapted from IndiaMart The  management of HIV/AIDS  normally includes the use of multiple  antiretroviral drugs  in an attempt to control  HIV infection . There are several classes of antiretroviral agents that act on different stages of the  HIV  life-cycle. The use of multiple drugs that act on different viral targets is known as  highly active antiretroviral therapy  ( HAART ). HAART decreases the patient's total burden of HIV, maintains function of the  immune system , and prevents  opportunistic infections  that often lead to death. [1]  HAART also prevents the transmission of HIV between serodiscordant same sex and opposite sex partners so long as the HIV-positive partner maintains an undetectable viral load. [2] Treatment has been so successful that in many parts of the world, HIV has become a chronic condition in which progression to  AIDS  is increasingly rare.  Anthony Fauci , head of...
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