Saving Surangi
No fuss, no crowd. A simple ‘handover’ amidst the busy routine of Ward 3 of the De Soysa Hospital for Women in Colombo. A family of four – mother, father and two daughters, the younger just a year-old – presents a contraption which would allow expectant mothers to comfortably have their meals sitting up in bed [...]
Evaluation the key to save lives
With an increase in C-sections, we are seeing a rise in placental conditions such as placenta accreta which are potentially lethal, warns Prof. Hemantha Senanayake, urging that the need is to evaluate both mother and baby and whether a C-section is essential. If mothers succumb to conditions such as placenta accreta due to previous C-sections, [...]
The deadly three
Referring to the three serious conditions of placenta accreta, placenta increta and the “most dangerous” placenta percreta, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr. U.D.P. Ratnasiri who was part of the team which managed Surangi successfully says that they usually occur when the uterus (womb) has undergone previous cuts in C-sections which leave scarring. When there is [...]
Should you worry when the going gets tough for kids?
Constipation is distressingly common in children and can be a source of concern for parents. Not passing stool for a certain number of days does not by itself mean that the child is constipated. A stool which is hard to pass and is causing distress to the child would qualify as constipation. Constipation can be [...]
When negative thoughts prevail
Aaron Beck, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry of the University of Pennsylvania is considered as the father of cognitive behaviour therapy. Beck first developed his ideas on cognitive therapy in relation to depressive disorder. He noticed that people who were depressed had depressive, negative or pessimistic thoughts. This was no surprise because it was thought that [...]
Ampara Hospital leads the way in birthweight research
Studies of immense importance for newborns have come forth from the Ampara District General Hospital which has gained prominence for the work being done there over the years. Dealing with foetal birth weights and whether the references used worldwide are relevant for Sri Lanka, it was a team from the hospital’s Obstetrics Unit that decided to [...]
Measure up!
In 2012, 46% of Sri Lankan adults were classified as overweight or obese and approximately 31% were abdominally obese. An increased waistline is a sign that you could be at greater risk of developing serious health problems and could put you at higher risk of developing diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and [...]
Beat those stomach troubles with probiotics
Probiotics are currently defined by the World Health Organisation as “live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer health benefits on the host.” There are trillions of bacteria which live in our digestive tracts. More than 400 different species have been identified. Most of these are healthy bacteria while others have the potential to [...]
The Chickenpox-Shingles connection
When someone I knew got shingles recently, I found that lots of people were uncertain about various aspects of the disease and its relationship to chickenpox. And I’m not surprised as it’s quite confusing! I hope that this makes it clearer. One virus – two diseases (See the accompanying flow charts) A virus called VZV [...]
A subjective rite of passage
In our part of the world, women typically experience the onset of menopause between the ages of 46 and 50. For Caucasian women, it’s often even later – say between 50 and 54 years. In some cases though, bodies are a little reluctant to stick to the schedule. Menopause can be a physical and emotional [...]
