Dr Wenus Ho

The primary mechanism by how the morning-after pill works is to delay or prevent ovulation, hence taking the pill after ovulation will mean the pill is much less effective. However, I will generally still advise my patient to take the pill to prevent any unwanted pregnancy if there was unprotected sex because of the following reasons: We can estimate when ovulation happens, which is about 14 days after your period for a usual menstrual cycle of 28 days, but we are unable to say for certainty when it actually occurs.

I would advise that you see your family physician or gynaecologist for a complete evaluation of your ovarian function. I would usually start off with a complete medical history review of my patient, with a focus on the menstrual history (when menses started, the regularity of menses, flow, etc), sexual and contraceptive history and any previous tests, treatment or surgeries performed on the female genital organs. I would then proceed to a physical examination of my patient with a focus on the pelvic area, looking for any signs of abnormalities.

There are 2 main types of pregnancy tests, a urine test kit which can be performed in the convenience and privacy of your own home or in the clinic, and a blood test that must be performed in the clinic. Both tests work by measuring if there is a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) which is produced after a fertilised egg is attached to the womb. The urine test kit is what I would call a “qualitative” test kit, it gives you a “Yes” or “No” answer and it works once the hCG reaches a certain level.

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasiteTrichomonas Vaginalis. 70% of patients have no symptoms at all and of the30% with symptoms, they usually experience smelly, yellow green vaginaldischarge and inflammation around the vulva area. Left untreated, it canlead to pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Generally, Flagyl 500mg twice daily for 1 week has a high cure rate of upto 90%.

I would advise that you consult a doctor regarding oedema on your foot. Oedema is a symptom/manifestation of underlying issues and it is more important to treat the underlying issue, rather than treat the oedema. Common causes of oedema of foot without serious underlying issues can be postural in nature, or due to certain medications, however, as explained previously, please see a doctor for a more in-depth evaluation of the oedema.

There are no cancers totally preventable by vaccinations. I would explain that some vaccines can reduce the risk of cancers but not totally prevent it. A good example is the Cervical Cancer Vaccine or HPV (Human Papillomavirus Vaccine). It reduces the risk of contracting strains of HPV which is a direct causatory factor for cervical cancer but it does not totally eliminate the risk of contracting these cancer causing strains of viruses. Another example is the Hepatitis B vaccine which prevents someone from contracting the Hepatitis B virus which is a major risk factor for Liver Cancer.

Please see a doctor to discuss and evaluate possible causes. In patients who are “well” and with history of “sensitive nose”, it usually is a cause of post-nasal drip whereby mucus accumulated over night “backflows” to the throat and causes the sensation of the phlegm. However, issues like infections can also cause phlegm and thus it is still best evaluated by a medical professional.

I would recommend a review by a gynaecologist or a GP to review a full medical history as well as menstrual history and physical examination. From history, physical examination and the profile of the patient, doctors can narrow down the causes and prescribe diagnostics tests as required. For example, in some patients I may recommend a US of the pelvis or even hormonal profile to further evaluate for other causes of intermenstrual bleeding.

SPF or Sun Protection Factor indicates the level of protection against UVB radiation. Other than the visible light that we can see with our naked eye, the sun transmits UV radiation to the ground as well, which is invisible to us. 95% of these UV rays are UVA rays, with the remaining being UVB rays. UV radiation causes ageing of the skin and also is a risk factor for the development of skin cancer. A higher SPF does indicate a better protection against UVB radiation, however the higher you go, the smaller the difference in protection.

Ichthyosis Vulgaris is a condition usually caused by a genetic mutation. The skin becomes thick, scaly and dry over the years as the condition slows down the skin's natural shedding process and makes it difficult for the body to maintain natural skin barrier. The skin is often described as similar to fish skin with scales. There is no known cure for this condition and symptomatic management and lifestyle advice may be in order The mainstay of management is with regular moisturising. Avoid moisturisers with fragrances as they may irritate the skin.

The thyroid gland is an organ in the human body that secretes a hormone called thyroxine that helps maintain the metabolism of the body. I classify thyroid issues broadly into a hormone issue vs an anatomical issue. For hormone issue, if the problem is that of “high levels” or Hyperthyroidism, patients present with symptoms of a “high metabolic state”, for example, unintentional weight loss, palpitations or sense of heart beating very fast, feels hot and perspires more than usual, anxiety or nervousness, tremors of their hands.

Currently, we do not know the specific triggers of Type 1 Diabetes. It is an auto-immune disease whereby one’s immune system produces “auto-antibodies” to destroy cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. We do know that it has a strong family link.

Before menopause starts, you usually start experiencing some “perimenopause” symptoms which means around menopause. It usually starts sometime in your 40s. During this phase of transition to menopause, common symptoms you will experience include the following Most commonly, you may notice your periods start to be more irregular, occasionally longer or sometimes shorter. The amount of flow is also unpredictable with it being heavy or light sometimes.