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Where Women Have No Doctor - A Health Guide for Women (Hesperian Foundation, 1997, 600 p.) (introduction...) Women’s health is in your hands Thanks About this Book How to Use this Book Chapter 1: Women’s Health Is a Community Issue (introduction...) What Is ‘Women’s Health’? Women Are More at Risk for Disease and Poor Health Causes of Poor Health in Women Working for Change Chapter 2: Solving Health Problems (introduction...) Juanita’s Story (introduction...) What is the problem? Some illnesses are hard to tell apart What is causing the problem? What Is the Best Treatment? Is a treatment helpful or harmful? Risks and benefits Working for Change (introduction...) Looking for the root causes of health problems Organizing to solve community health problems To the Health Worker Helping women help themselves Chapter 3: The Medical System (introduction...) The Medical System Community health workers Health posts Health centers Hospitals How to Get Better Care (introduction...) Know what to expect Bring a friend or family member If You Need to Go to the Hospital Working for Change Chapter 4: Understanding Our Bodies (introduction...) A Woman’s Reproductive System (introduction...) The reproductive parts on the outside The breasts The reproductive parts on the inside A Man’s Reproductive System (introduction...) Having a baby - Will it be a boy or a girl? How a Woman’s Body Changes (introduction...) Hormones Monthly Bleeding (introduction...) The monthly cycle (menstrual cycle) Problems with monthly bleeding Chapter 5: Health Concerns of Girls (introduction...) Changes in Your Body (Puberty) (introduction...) Monthly bleeding (period, menstruation) Changes that Can Lead to a Better Life Deciding about Boyfriends and Sex (introduction...) Protecting yourself if you are ready for sex Pressured or Forced Sex Pressure to have sex with a boyfriend (‘Date rape’) If someone in your family tries to have sex with you (Incest) Young girls and older men Trading girls for money or other needs If you get pregnant and did not plan to Getting Help From Adults Chapter 6: Pregnancy and Childbirth (introduction...) Staying Healthy during Pregnancy Common Problems during Pregnancy Risks and Danger Signs during Pregnancy Prenatal Care (Check-ups during Pregnancy) Preparing for Labor and Birth Giving Birth Signs that labor is near The 3 stages of labor Danger signs during labor Difficult Births Danger Signs for the Baby at Birth Caring for the Mother and Baby after Birth Women with Special Needs To the Father Working for Change Chapter 7: Breastfeeding (introduction...) Why Breast Is Best Why Other Feeding Can Be Harmful How to Breastfeed For the new baby For any baby Advice for the Mother When the Mother Works Outside the Home Removing Milk by Hand Common Concerns and Problems Fear there is not enough milk, or that milk is not good enough Nipple concerns and problems Pain and swelling in the breasts Special Situations Babies with special needs can breastfeed When the mother is sick HIV/AIDS and breastfeeding When a woman becomes pregnant or gives birth to another child Working for Change Chapter 8: Growing Older (introduction...) The End of Monthly Bleeding (Menopause) Taking Care of Your Health Sexual Relations Common Health Problems with Aging (introduction...) Weak blood (anemia) Heavy monthly bleeding or bleeding in the middle of the month Breast lumps High blood pressure Problems passing urine and stool Fallen womb (prolapsed uterus) Swollen veins in the legs (varicose veins) Back pain Joint pain (arthritis) Weak bones (osteoporosis) Problems with seeing and hearing Anxiety and depression Mental confusion (dementia) Working for Change Chapter 9: Women with Disabilities (introduction...) Self-esteem Taking Care of Your Health (introduction...) Knowing when you are sick Skin care Exercise Sexuality and Sexual Health (introduction...) Family planning Pregnancy and disability Personal Safety Working for Change Chapter 10: Staying Healthy (introduction...) Cleanliness (introduction...) Cleanliness in the community (sanitation) Cleanliness in the home Personal cleanliness Clean water Food safety Special Needs of Women Rest and exercise Regular health exams Safer sex Family planning Good care during pregnancy and birth Vaccinations against tetanus Regular breast exams Working for Change Working toward a balance between treatment and prevention Chapter 11: Eating for Good Health (introduction...) Main Foods and Helper Foods (introduction...) Important vitamins and minerals Eating Better for Less Money Harmful Ideas About Eating Poor Nutrition Can Cause Disease (introduction...) Anemia Beriberi Problems from eating too much food or the wrong kind of food Ways to Work toward Better Nutrition (introduction...) Trying a new idea Working toward a balance between people and land Chapter 12: Sexual Health (introduction...) Sex and Gender Roles (introduction...) How gender roles are learned When gender roles cause harm How Gender Roles Affect Sexual Health Harmful beliefs about women’s sexuality Gaining More Control over Your Sexual Health (introduction...) Safer sex for sexual health Making changes for safer sex Feeling more pleasure from sex Working for Change Changing harmful gender roles Improving sexual health in your community Chapter 13: Family Planning (introduction...) Benefits of Family Planning Is Family Planning Safe? Choosing to Use Family Planning Choosing a Family Planning Method (introduction...) How well each method works Barrier Methods of Family Planning (introduction...) The condom Condoms for women (female condoms) The diaphragm Spermicide (contraceptive foam, tablets, jelly, or cream) Hormonal Methods of Family Planning hormones (introduction...) The pill Implants Birth control injections Intra-Uterine Devices (Devices that go into the womb) THE IUD (IUCD, Copper-T, The Loop) Natural Methods of Family Planning (introduction...) Breastfeeding for the first 6 months (Lactational Amenorrhea Method, LAM) The mucus method and the rhythm method Traditional and Home Methods to Prevent Pregnancy Permanent Methods of Family Planning Emergency Methods of Family Planning Choosing the Best Method Working for Change Chapter 14: Infertility (When You Are Not Able to Have a Baby) (introduction...) What Is Infertility? What Causes Infertility? Infertility in a man Infertility in a woman Dangers at Work or Home That Can Hurt Fertility What to Do for Infertility Losing a Pregnancy (Miscarriage) Living with Infertility Working for Change Chapter 15: Abortion and Complications from Abortion (introduction...) Why Do Some Women Have Abortions? Safe and Unsafe Abortion Deciding about an Abortion Safe Methods of Abortion (introduction...) How to tell if an abortion will be safe What to Expect during a Safe Abortion What to Expect after an Abortion Family Planning after an Abortion Complications of Abortion (introduction...) Heavy bleeding from the vagina Emergency help for too much bleeding Shock Infection Fainting or loss of consciousness Injury inside the body (Internal Injury) Preventing Unsafe Abortion Chapter 16: Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Other Infections of the Genitals (introduction...) Why STDs Are a Serious Problem for Women (introduction...) How to know if you are at risk for an STD What to do if you have an STD Abnormal Discharge Growths (Warts) on the Genitals Sores on the Genitals (Genital Ulcers) Other STDs Complications of STDs Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) How to Feel Better Other Medicines to Treat STDs Working for Change Chapter 17: AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) (introduction...) What Are HIV and AIDS? (introduction...) How HIV/AIDS is spread and is not spread Why HIV and AIDS Are Different for Women Preventing HIV/AIDS The HIV Test Living Positively with HIV and AIDS Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Breastfeeding Care for Persons with AIDS (introduction...) Preventing HIV infection at home Staying Healthy for as Long as Possible Common Medical Problems (introduction...) Fever Diarrhea Skin rashes and itching Nausea and vomiting Cough Problems with the mouth and throat Wounds and sores Mental confusion (Dementia) Pain Caring for Someone Who Is Near Death Working for Change (introduction...) How you can help prevent AIDS Chapter 18: Violence Against Women (introduction...) The Story of Laura and Luís Why Does a Man Hurt a Woman? Kinds of Violence Warning Signs The Cycle of Violence Harmful Effects of Violence Why Women Stay with Men Who Hurt Them What to Do Make a safety plan If you leave Working for Change (introduction...) Talk about it Set up services to help women who leave Use social pressure To the Health Worker Chapter 19: Rape and Sexual Assault (introduction...) Kinds of Rape and Sexual Assault (introduction...) Rape by someone the woman knows Rape by a stranger How to Avoid Rape (introduction...) These ideas may help any woman avoid rape Avoiding rape by someone you know Help children avoid sexual abuse Self Defense for Women If You Are Sexually Assaulted What to Do if You Have Been Raped (introduction...) If you go to the police Health Problems of Rape Pregnancy Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) Tears and cuts Sexual relations after rape Overcoming feelings about the rape Working for Change Chapter 20: Sex Workers (introduction...) Why Women Become Sex Workers (introduction...) Story of a poor woman Health Problems of Sex Workers STDs, INCLUDING HIV/AIDS Pregnancy Violence How to Protect Yourself from STDs, Including HIV/AIDS (introduction...) Treatment for STDs when protection fails Working for Change Negotiating condom use Strength through organizing Chapter 21: Pain in the Lower Abdomen (introduction...) Sudden, Severe Pain in the Abdomen Kinds of Pain in the Lower Abdomen (introduction...) During monthly bleeding After childbirth, abortion or miscarriage With fever With diarrhea During pregnancy With urination With discharge or light bleeding from the vagina During sex When moving, walking or lifting In the middle of the monthly cycle Within 3 weeks of getting an IUD Without other signs Questions about Pain in the Abdomen Chapter 22: Abnormal Bleeding from the Vagina (introduction...) Problems with Monthly Bleeding Heavy monthly bleeding, or bleeding that lasts a long time Light monthly bleeding Monthly bleeding that comes too often, or bleeding at other times When monthly bleedings come too far apart, or have stopped Other Kinds of Bleeding Problems Bleeding during pregnancy or after childbirth Bleeding after an abortion or miscarriage Bleeding after sex Bleeding after menopause Chapter 23: Problems of the Urine System (introduction...) Infections of the Urine System (introduction...) What causes bladder and kidney infections? Signs and treatment Other Problems of the Urine System Blood in the urine Kidney or bladder stones Need to pass urine often Leaking urine When You Have Problems Passing Stool or Urine Chapter 24: Cancer and Growths (introduction...) Cancer (introduction...) Causes of cancer Finding and treating cancer early Problems of the Cervix (the Opening of the Womb) Common problems of the cervix Cancer of the cervix Problems of the Womb Common growths of the womb Cancer of the womb (cancer of the uterus, endometrial cancer) Problems of the Breasts (introduction...) Cancer of the breast Problems of the Ovaries Cysts on the ovaries Cancer of the ovaries Other Common Cancers Lung cancer Mouth and throat cancer Cancer of the liver Cancer of the stomach When Cancer Cannot Be Cured Working for Change Chapter 25: Tuberculosis (introduction...) What Is TB? How TB Is Spread How to Know if a Person Has TB How to Treat TB (introduction...) Resistance to TB medicines Preventing TB Working for Change Chapter 26: Work (introduction...) Cooking Fires and Smoke Lifting and Carrying Heavy Loads Work with Water Work with Chemicals Sitting or Standing for a Long Time Repeating the Same Movement Over and Over Crafts Unsafe Working Conditions Sexual Harassment Migration Forgotten Workers Working for Change Chapter 27: Mental Health (introduction...) Self-esteem Common causes of mental health problems in women (introduction...) Stress in daily life Loss and death Changes in a woman's life and community Trauma Physical problems Common mental health problems for women (introduction...) Depression (extreme sadness or feeling nothing at all) Anxiety (feeling nervous or worried) Reactions to trauma Physical changes and disease caused by stress Helping yourself and helping others (introduction...) Personal coping skills Helping relationships Exercises for learning how to help Exercises for healing mental health problems Helping women with reactions to trauma Helping someone who wants to kill herself Mental illness (psychosis) Ways to improve your community's mental health Chapter 28: Alcohol and Other Drugs (introduction...) Use and misuse of alcohol and drugs Why do people begin to use alcohol or drugs? When does use become misuse? Why people misuse drugs and alcohol Problems from alcohol and other drugs Common health problems Drugs and alcohol can be worse for women Overcoming problems with alcohol and drugs (introduction...) Quitting Learning to stay free of drugs and alcohol Problems from tobacco Health problems from smoking Smoking is worse for women Living with someone who has a drinking or drug problem Preventing drug and alcohol misuse Chapter 29: Refugees and Displaced Women (introduction...) Flight and arrival Basic needs (introduction...) Food Water and fuel Protection from sexual violence Reproductive health Mental health (introduction...) Causes of mental health problems Signs of mental health problems Working for better mental health Women as Leaders (introduction...) Ways to earn a living Chapter 30: Female Circumcision (introduction...) Types of female circumcision Health problems caused by female circumcision What to do for health problems Heavy bleeding and shock Infection Urine problems Problems with monthly bleeding Problems with sexual relations and sexual health Problems with childbirth Leaking urine and stool Infertility Mental health problems Working for change (introduction...) Female circumcision, human rights, and the law Chapter 31: Use of Medicines in Women’s Health (introduction...) Deciding to use medicine (introduction...) Harmful uses of medicines How to use medicine safely Using the medicines in this book (introduction...) Generic names and brand names Medicine comes in different forms How much medicine to take When to take medicines Who should not take a certain medicine Side effects Precautions (warnings) Information you should know Taking too much medicine Kinds of medicines (introduction...) Antibiotics Medicines for pain Medicines for heavy bleeding from the vagina after birth or abortion Medicines for allergic reactions Medicines that can save a woman’s life Table of Medicines: Green Pages Health Care Skills (introduction...) Preventing infection (introduction...) Washing your hands How to disinfect equipment and tools How to take temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure (introduction...) Temperature Pulse (heartbeat) Respiration (breathing rate) Blood pressure How to examine the abdomen How to examine a woman’s genitals (the pelvic exam) Caring for burns How to give fluids to treat shock (introduction...) How to make rehydration drink How to give rectal fluids How to give an injection (introduction...) Where to give an injection How to prepare a syringe for injection How to inject into the muscle (intramuscular, or im) How to give an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection) Be prepared to treat allergic reaction and allergic shock Acupressure Massage Vocabulary: List of difficult words Where to get more information Back cover