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...)

Untitled

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