Walker

Comprehensive Care for Women in Central Alabama

Day-to-day stresses and life events can affect a woman’s health from adolescence through menopause. It’s important to know your body and keep close tabs on how and why it changes through all stages of life. It’s also important to be open with your gynecologist or obstetrician about symptoms, like pelvic pain or breast changes, that may arise.

Maintaining regular check-ups is key to detecting diseases early, and at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center, you will find a gynecological team that will be on your side through every step of your life’s journey.

Putting Your Health First

With kids, grandkids, work, errands and more, daily life will often take priority over taking care of yourself. But it should be stressed that keeping to your exams—like breast exams, mammograms, pap tests and other tests—will go a long way in keeping you healthy enough to enjoy the things you love most. Our dedicated team in the Women’s Medical Center at Brookwood is here to treat everything from annual gynecology exams or periodic screenings to minimally invasive surgeries.

Our specialists treat a variety of women’s health issues, both surgical and nonsurgical. Some of the services we provide include birth control/contraception, HPV counseling and vaccination, hysterectomies, pregnancy testing and counseling, gynecologic surgery and more.

Supporting minimally invasive techniques, our gynecological team uses surgeon-controlled robotic equipment for certain procedures, which may result in a shorter hospital stay and a lessened need for pain medication.

Conditions We Treat

We understand that every woman is different. Every body works its own way. And we strive to create a treatment plan that’s tailored to your individualized needs. It’s a comprehensive approach of skill, compassion and relatability that our specialists bring to women’s health care.

 
  • Abnormal pap tests
  • Breast concerns
  • Genital rashes and warts
  • Infertility
  • Irregular menstrual cycles
  • Menopause
  • Ovarian cysts
  • Pelvic pain
  • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
  • Sexually transmitted infections
  • Urinary/vaginal infections
  • Yeast infections

Gynecology Diseases

Gynecology Testing

Gynecology Treatments

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More Information

Sex and Heart Disease

There is some misinformation out there when it comes to sex and heart disease. Some of it involves wishful thinking (ie: sex prevents heart disease), and some of it is fear based (you’re more likely to die of a heart attack during sex). If you are recovering from a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack, or have been recently diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, there are guidelines and advice you should consider but that doesn’t mean your sex life won’t return to normal soon enough.

Heart disease doesn’t just affect men and women in advanced age, it can affect men and women at any age, whether by genetic inheritance or the result of negative lifestyle choices such as smoking. So we’re considering a broad group of men and women.

Here’s To the Age-Old Question: Is Sex Good for Your Heart?

While there’s no definitive answer to prove that sex prevents heart disease, studies show it is part of an overall heart-healthy lifestyle. If you’re having more sex, there’s a good chance you are fitter and more active to begin with. Happy people are more likely to exercise, see their doctor and maintain healthy relationships, which all contribute to overall good health.

One study found that men who had sex twice a week or more were less likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those who had sex once a month or less. (Research like this typically focuses on men.)

Once you’ve been released by your doctor, sex is generally safe. Your blood pressure will go up during sex, peaking around 160/90. For perspective, that is comparable to what happens during a short run, and it goes back down afterward. Despite many Hollywood depictions, dying as a result of the exertion of sex is very rare.

When You’re Ready to Resume Your Sex Life After a Cardiac Event

  • Before resuming sexual activity, consult your doctor.
  • Keep up your physical therapy as prescribed as it will reduce the risk of complications related to sexual activity. (Could be an incentive.)
  • Birth control can cause an increase in blood clotting, which could actually cause a heart attack so always consult with your doctor about the right birth control, especially of you suffer from any type of heart health issue.
  • Some heart medications will affect erectile function, but do not discontinue use before seeing your doctor.
  • Erectile medications must be used under the guidance of a doctor familiar with your heart issues.
  • If you’re a post-menopausal woman with cardiovascular disease, estrogen that’s topically or vaginally inserted for the treatment of painful intercourse is deemed generally safe.

In short: sex DOES benefit your overall health and is part of a healthy lifestyle. It can help you feel less stressed, which is absolutely good for your heart.