University Hospital Sharjah doctor calls for Screening

Dr Kausar said; “It was internationally recognised and recommended that women aged up to 25 years be screened for the cancer and that the same practices should be followed here in the UAE.”

Cervical cancer is one of the five main cancers among women in the UAE after breast cancer, liver, colorectal and stomach cancer.

Dr Kausar, a recognized Sr. Consultant in the field of obstetrics, gynecology and women’s issues, said it was essential to set up a national programme, in the UAE. Screening has helped prevent mortality cases due to cancers of the breast, colon, rectum and cervix, according to the Health Authority Abu Dhabi-HAAD, which already has an established screening programme. Other emirates are expected to establish similar programmes in the very near future.

The doctor is also a specialist in Colposcopy and will be performing the procedure at UHS for women who need to be further tested if a pap smear finds abnormal changes in the cervix cells.

It is a simple procedure and is done with a magnifying device called a Colposcope that gives a better and enlarged view of the cervix to the physician. A very tiny tissue sample will be taken for laboratory tests if there is any abnormality.

The device can help detect any disease also in the cervix and the vulva.

Dr. Kausar said Colposcopy should be done if the cervix is bleeding or there is a painful sensation or if there are unusual growth.

According to international health experts, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine helps prevent 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. Experts also recommend that vaccinations against HPV should also be given to boys between the ages of 15 and 17 years of age, as the condition is also associated with male reproductive organs.

The vaccine is given to pre-teens in some countries such as Australia and in North America and provides a protective cover that gives them immunity against the cancer.

Dr Kausar said one other major women’s issue during pregnancy is gestational diabetes. This condition can lead to complications because of bigger than normal babies being delivered.

“If the baby is more than four kilos then we have to be more cautious,” the doctor added. “If the mother is of a smaller stature, she is under close supervision even if the baby weighs 3.5 kilos,” she said.

If a new mother has high blood glucose levels because the gestational diabetes is not under control, the baby will also have high blood sugar. That extra glucose in the baby's blood is stored as fat and that can cause delivery problems as the baby is born with a larger than normal body.

The chances of a woman getting gestational diabetes is higher if they are overweight, have a close relative who suffers from Type 2 diabetes, if they have earlier given birth to a baby weighing more than 4.08 kilograms or have a hormonal disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

University Hospital Sharjah’s Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at University Hospital Sharjah is the noted regional centre-of-excellence for maternity care. It is also one of the best High Risk Pregnancy Care facilities in Sharjah and Norther Emirates with a Critical Care Unit and level three NICUs (neonatal intensive care units) equipped to care for babies born from 23 weeks onwards, as well as babies born with critical illnesses. The medical team, which includes internationally trained Specialists, Nurses and Ancillary Staff, follows stringent international protocols to render optimal, evidence -based medical care to patients.