Blog Archive
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 79 million Americans are infected with HPV. Most of these people are in their teens and early 20s. There are many types of HPV, some of which don’t have symptoms....
It’s perfectly normal to feel worried when you receive abnormal Pap smear results. When your doctor says your Pap test came back abnormal, it means that the test found some cells on your cervix that don’t look like they should. A Pap test may be done as part of a...
A well-woman exam is a preventive and essential aspect of your health care. As a woman, it's essential to understand and communicate your health needs. At these appointments, it's not just about getting checked; it's also about engaging in meaningful dialogue with your doctor. One of the best places to...
There are more birth control options than ever, which gives women many choices to find what works best for them. One popular type — birth control pills — can not only prevent pregnancy, but can also provide other medical benefits. Daniel Esteves, MD and his team in Lawrenceville, Georgia, helps...
Menopause and the years leading up to it (a time called perimenopause) is a period of major changes for women. As menopause approaches, a woman’s estrogen production drastically slows down, ultimately leading to an end to her periods and an inability to become pregnant. But while those might be the...
Pregnancy usually causes a few telltale signs, like a missed period and breast tenderness. For many, it includes morning sickness or fatigue. An ectopic pregnancy — which you also may discover with a positive home pregnancy test and can cause those very same symptoms — is a potentially life-threatening gynecologic...
Up to one-third of women struggle with stress incontinence. It happens when extra pressure on the bladder forces you to leak urine unexpectedly. You might suddenly leak a few drops, a trickle, or even a big stream of urine. One of the most frustrating things about stress incontinence is that...
A lot has changed in recent decades — and not just the rise of cell phones, the internet, and social media. In the past, it was most common for women to start having children in their 20s. But in the past 30 years, those numbers have declined significantly. In turn,...
Managing your reproductive health has never been easier with the birth control implant. Choosing the right form of contraception for you is critical, and you need the best and latest information to make the best decision. Board-certified OB/GYN Daniel Esteves, MD, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, is a birth control specialist who...
From the moment you start the journey into adulthood as a teen, your reproductive cycle is preparing you for possible childbirth, and your uterus is an incredibly important part of that process. This organ is where life literally develops after your eggs are fertilized, and is how you go through...
There’s a lot of variety among women when it comes to what constitutes a normal period. And even for the same woman, no two periods are exactly the same. So, if you’re dealing with long or heavy periods, you may be confused as to why, and you might even worry...
A well women’s exam is your first line of defense against potentially serious issues that affect your reproductive health. The experienced and compassionate medical team at Daniel Esteves, MD, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, offers comprehensive well-woman exams in-office so that you can stay on top of your unique health needs. These...
People use the terms perimenopause and menopause interchangeably. So when someone says they’re going through menopause, it’s likely they mean that they’re in perimenopause. Menopause is when you’ve gone a full 12 months without getting your period and marks the end of your reproductive years. Until that time, you’re transitioning...
Women expect night sweats, hot flashes, and emotional fluctuations once they reach menopause, but urinary incontinence can sometimes catch them by surprise. Learn the connection between menopause and urinary incontinence this November during National Bladder Health Awareness Month, and find out how the practitioners at Daniel Esteves, MD, can help...
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and OB/GYNs Dr. Daniel Esteves and Dr. Tania Luga and their team are taking this opportunity to inform you about the new breast cancer screening guidelines as part of your well woman treatment. What is a mammogram? There’s only so much information a doctor can glean from a...
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder that women of reproductive age experience. However, as common as it is, it doesn’t have a cure. There are only management strategies. PCOS is characterized by excess androgens or hypersensitivity to a normal amount of androgens and insulin resistance. Unfortunately,...
It’s easy to assume the worst when you have an abnormal result for your Pap smear. But it’s important to stop and take a breath — this can occur for several reasons, and it doesn’t automatically mean that you have cervical cancer. There are a lot of reasons people worry...
Your post-pregnancy birth control options are similar to your options before you gave birth. However, your life will be pretty different after your baby is born and your birth control needs may shift. You may be more tired (actually, you’ll definitely be more tired) and you may not have the...
The benefits of exercise are plentiful. It makes you feel good, improves your heart function, keeps your muscles strong, and your joints moving. You may even enjoy socializing while you exercise if you golf or play pickleball, or even just walk with a friend. But, if you find that exercise...
Though a natural part of the aging process, menopause can be a difficult life transition for some women. You may welcome the fact that you no longer have to worry about your period, but the hormonal shifts that come with menopause may cause uncomfortable symptoms that interfere with your daily life. Though...
If you've been diagnosed with uterine fibroids, likely one of the first things on your mind is whether you can still get pregnant. No matter how far off starting a family is for you, the question deserves an answer. The short answer to this complicated, multilayered question is that it's...
These days, there are tons of options for birth control — but one of them doesn't spend as much time in the spotlight as others. Natural rhythm methods (you may have heard it called fertility awareness) is a lesser known option for birth control, and it could be the one...
Although it’s relatively common and usually temporary, bleeding between periods is often frustrating, sometimes embarrassing, and it could be due to a serious condition that warrants specialty care. The specialists at Daniel Esteves, MD, provide OB/GYN services to women in and around Lawrenceville, Georgia. The team’s commitment to women’s health...
It’s estimated that about 70% of women get fibroids at some point during their childbearing years. Though most are asymptomatic, fibroids are the No. 1 reason women have a hysterectomy. Despite these facts, fibroids aren’t a common topic of conversation for women. At Daniel Esteves, MD, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, our highly skilled OB/GYNs — Dr. Daniel...
The period of time before menopause can be filled with difficult symptoms, but one of the most dreaded is night sweats. Night sweats can make sleeping difficult. And not sleeping well can leave you feeling fatigued and unable to concentrate, and it can even increase your risk of developing heart disease and...
Urinary incontinence is a common issue, but it’s one that’s not often discussed. Many women, especially women who’ve given birth vaginally or are going through menopause, find that a sneeze, laugh, or coughing fit is enough to trigger an accident. The good news is that you don’t have to keep...
It can be unsettling when you’re not sure what’s happening below your belt, but pelvic ultrasounds give you and your doctor a peek inside to put your mind at ease, whether you want to ensure the health of your growing baby or get to the bottom of bothersome symptoms, like...
With an ectopic pregnancy, you can expect the same first trimester symptoms as any other pregnancy: a missed period, nausea, fatigue, and breast tenderness. You can also expect a positive home pregnancy test. However, an ectopic pregnancy isn’t a normal pregnancy. It’s a potentially life-threatening gynecologic condition that requires immediate...
Somewhere in your 50s, your body slows down its production of estrogen and progesterone. Called perimenopause, this is the period that leads up to menopause, which is official when you’ve gone 12 months without a period. This gradual decrease in hormones triggers some unwelcome changes, and you’re probably familiar with most...
Before the invention of X-ray technology in the late 19th century, doctors had to cut open their patients to see what was going on inside. But today, modern imaging devices allow us to get a view of your bones and vital organs without causing any collateral damage. At Daniel Estevez, MD,...
Most people think of estrogen as the female sex hormone, and it certainly does play a major role in reproduction and sexual health for women. It’s also present in much smaller quantities in men. But what a lot of women don’t know is that estrogen affects their lives and their health in...
Urinary incontinence, the loss of partial or complete bladder control, can be an embarrassing condition, and one that leads to social isolation as you avoid situations where you don’t have immediate access to a bathroom. Stress incontinence (stress as in pressure, not emotions) is the loss of bladder control during...
Uterine fibroids are benign uterine tumors. They can grow inside your uterus, on the outside of your uterus, or within your uterine wall. Sometimes fibroids even attach to your uterus by a stalk, or stem. They can grow to be so large they change the shape and appearance of your...
It’s an unfortunate fact that sex can be painful for women, especially without proper care and foreplay. However, if you dread going to bed with your partner because of persistently painful intercourse, it might be time to consult with a specialist to determine exactly what’s causing your dyspareunia, and what...
Though you are unique, most of your biological processes probably fall within a range that doctors consider “normal.” You know what your normal menstrual cycle is like, so when something feels off or wrong, it’s time to schedule an appointment. Dr. Daniel Esteves has been a practicing gynecologist in Lawrenceville,...
Caring for feminine health can be a challenge, but specialized tools and devices can help your provider stay ahead of any potential issues that you may be experiencing with your reproductive organs. While X-rays require providers to leave the room to protect themselves from harmful rays, ultrasound imaging is completely...
Did you know that at least 40% of American women over age 65 have some form of urinary incontinence? If you’re one of the millions in this group, our team at the private practice of Daniel Esteves, MD, is here to help. The good news is that you don’t have...
When it comes to women's reproductive health, few medical advances outshine ultrasound. This versatile technology allows physicians to both carefully monitor and accurately diagnose your health. That’s why our team, led by Dr. Daniel Esteves, makes ultrasound a key part of our comprehensive services. Here, we take a closer look...
Prenatal care involves medical care that’s designed for the needs of pregnant women. This care includes specialized office visits, tests, and education that help you and your baby stay healthy as you navigate changes from the beginning of pregnancy through birth. Scheduling your first prenatal visit as early as possible...
Menopause is a natural transition that’s a normal part of life for every woman. But that doesn’t mean that it’s always a comfortable or easy process. Though the symptoms vary among individual women, it’s more common to have some degree of discomfort than not. Fortunately, menopause isn’t just an uncomfortable...
You’re a busy woman. Whether you have kids or have a demanding job, you may feel tempted to put off routine health visits. You assume that if you don’t have any problems that you know about, you can probably wait to make a visit. But taking care of yourself is...
If you’ve ever had to change your underwear after a coughing fit or laughing too hard, you may have a condition called urinary incontinence. It can also cause the inability to make it to the bathroom on time. Urinary incontinence is the inability to hold your bladder. Although urinary incontinence...
If you have pelvic pain and heavy periods, the cause might be something called uterine fibroids. These fibroids are non-cancerous growths inside your uterus or attached to it. Although these fibroids rarely cause cancer, they can definitely make your life more miserable. Fortunately, there are ways that fibroids can be...
When your life is busy, you probably have a tendency to put off anything that seems “optional.” One thing that you should make a priority is keeping your appointment for an annual well-woman exam. The well-woman exam is an important part of taking care of your overall health. Even if...
When it comes to birth control, you have lots of diverse options. Though it’s always great to have choices, making the best decision can feel overwhelming. That’s where Daniel Esteves, MD, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, can help. Whether this is your first time choosing birth control or you want to switch...