Objective: To study the rate at which women of varying ages in Malaysia visit the emergency departments due to gynecologic disorders.
Methods: Data was gathered from the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). The data collected was for a period of 8 months. The data was analyzed for women who visited the emergency department of UMMC from October 2013 to May 2014. The data was analyzed so as to determine the rate at which women of different ages visited the emergency departments due to gynecologic disorders. Calculations were done on the average annual rates of every 1000 women. The calculations were done using age. The age group was further subdivided into subgroups, and comparisons of rates were made using rate ratios.
Results: An approximate figure of 556 visits to the emergency department of UMMC was made by women of different ages due to gynecological disorders. The average rate of visits by women to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders for the 8-month period was 22.5 visits for every 1000 women. The highest reported gynecological disorder was miscarriage. The lowest recorded disorder was trauma in pregnancy. More visits to the emergency department were experienced among women of subgroup 25-29 and 30-34. There was an increase in visits to the emergency departments up to subgroup 25-29, and then a decline began from subgroup 30-34 onwards. Only 1 woman in the age group 0-14 visited the emergency department due to gynecological disorder.
Conclusion: The visits to the emergency departments can be prevented if women visit their doctors early enough.
Introduction
Many women in Malaysia are hospitalized because of gynecological disorders. These disorders are common among women who are of the child-bearing age. Many women in Malaysia do not have enough information about the gynecological disorders, and they end up been rushed for treatment as an emergency. Malaysia focuses a lot on whether the physicians are available to offer medical care to the patients, and on whether the hospital conditions are good to allow for proper care of the patients. All this is good, but there has been a lack of focus on the rate at which women visit the emergency departments due to gynecological disorders. The lack of research on this area leaves a lot of gaps that raise a lot of questions. Some of the questions include: is the high rate of women rushed to the emergency departments due to gynecological disorders a result of the underestimation of gynecological disorders? Are gynecological disorders responsible for women visiting the emergency departments?
I have managed to get data on the number of visits women made to the emergency department in UMMC due to gynecological disorders. The data was availed by the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC). I was able to use this data for analysis by creating subgroups. My focus was on women visiting the emergency department due to gynecological disorders. I sorted the data that was availed to me so that I could focus on the women who went to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders.
Methods
I used data that I obtained from UMMC. The data was for a period of 8 months starting from October 2013 to May 2014. The data contained records of all the women that visited the emergency department of UMMC. My focus was on women who visited the emergency department due to gynecological disorders so I only used data on women with gynecological disorders. The data that was used was also only for the women who visited the emergency departments. In this study the data collected from UMMC was used as the sample for the study. The results from the sample studied are supposed to be used to create awareness among women of the existence of gynecological disorders. The results should be used to educate women on the seriousness of the gynecological disorders. The data that I received was gathered by an experienced medical staff within UMMC emergency department.
The data that was collected included the age of the patients, the diagnosis, the ethnicity of the patient, the disposition, the IC number, registration number, the date, the time of registration, the name of the patient, and whether the patient was referred to a specialist or not. The types of gynecological disorders that were identified in the sample groups include ectopic pregnancy, hyperemesis gravidarum, lower tract infection, menstrual disorder, miscarriage, trauma in pregnancy, uterine disorder, and others.
I made the calculations on the rates of visits of women on every 1000 women. I also calculated the number of visits the women made to the emergency department. The focus was on women of varying age groups because gynecological disorder is a serious issue, and it affects women of all ages. I divided the women into smaller subgroups based on their ages so as to have a deeper analysis. The subgroups enabled me to make comparisons of the varying age sets. It enabled me to compare the younger women to the older women in terms of visits made to the emergency departments due to gynecological disorders. Making comparisons gave another dimension to the study where you can determine the age where more women are likely to visit the emergency departments due to gynecological disorders. The subgroups were 0-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, and 45 and above.
The data collected from UMMC did not effectively categorize the patients according to ethnic backgrounds. The patients were categorized as Malay, Indians, Chinese, and Foreigners. The categorization on ethnicity was not adequate. Foreigners could be women from varying countries and it would not be correct to categorize these women under one group. An example is where we have a woman from Namibia and another woman from Germany. The analysis of data was, therefore, not done based on ethnicity.
The analysis of data was conducted using 95% confidence intervals and standard errors. These methods were used to measure the errors of the study and in the assessment of sampling variability. Rate ratios were used to determine the women that were more likely to visit the emergency departments due to gynecological disorders.
Below is a table showing the number of visits by women to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders for a period of 8 months in Malaysia. The data is arranged according to age.
Group Visits Rate (Per 1000 women) 95% CI
Total 556 22.5 20.2, 24.8
Age
0-14 1 40.8 33.4, 48.2
15-19 7 39.1 32.6, 45.6
20-24 76 37.9 32.6, 43.2
25-29 177 27.0 22.5, 31.5
30-34 153 17.8 13.7, 21.9
35-39 75 10.7 8.0, 13.4
40-44 31 7.4 5.1, 9.7
45 & above 36 5.3 4.2, 6.4
CI: Confidence Interval
Results
The findings of the study showed that the number of visits to the UMMC emergency department made by women of different ages due to gynecological disorders was at an approximate figure of 556 for the period of 8 months. The average rate of visits by women to the UMMC emergency department due to gynecological disorders for the period of 8 months was 22.5 visits for every 1000 women. The rates for diagnoses were highest among the younger women and reduced with the increase in age. The rate for the younger women aged 0-14 was 40.8, the rate for the women of age 15-19 was 39.1, the rate for the women of age 20-24 was 37.9, the rate for the women aged 25-29 was 27.0, the rate for the women aged 30-34 was 17.8, the rate for the women aged 35-39 was 10.7, the rate for the women aged 40-44 was 7.4, and the rate for women aged 45 and above was 5.3. Table 1 shows a summary of these results.
The results of the analysis showed that women in the subgroup 0-14 made the least number of visits to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders. Only 1 woman aged 12 visited the emergency department at UMMC due to gynecological disorders. The rate of women in this age group that visited the hospital was 40.8 (95% CI 33.4, 48.2) visits per 1000 women.
The results of the analysis showed that women in the subgroup 15-19 made approximately 7 visits to the UMMC emergency department due to gynecological disorders in the period of 8 months. The rate of women in this age group that visited the hospital was 39.1 (95% CI 32.6, 45.7) visits per 1000 women.
There was an increase in the number of women visiting the emergency department due to gynecological disorders with the increase in age. Women in the subgroup of age 20-24 visited the emergency department more than the younger women below the age of 20. Approximately 76 visits to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders were reported for women in the age group 20-24. The rate of visits per 1000 women in age group 20-24 was 37.9 (95% CI 32.6, 43.3).
The highest record of visits was reported in the age group 25-29. Approximately 177 visits of women to the emergency department were due to gynecological disorders. The rate of visits per 1000 women in age group 25-29 was 27.0 (95% CI 22.5, 31.4). The analysis of data was for the period of 8 months starting October 2013 to May 2014. Most women are known to get married and bear children within this age group.
In the age group 30-34, a decline was observed in the number of women visiting the UMMC emergency department due to gynecological disorders as compared to the previous age group of 25-29. Approximately 153 visits to the emergency department by women in this age group were due to gynecological disorders. The analysis shows that approximately 153 women in the age group 30-34 visited the emergency department in the period of 8 months due to gynecological disorders. The rate of visits per 1000 women in age group 30-34 was 17.8 (95% CI 13.7, 21.9). The numbers were still high, but a decline was observed.
A further decline was recorded in the subsequent age group of 35-39. The total number of visits by women to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders in the 8-month period was approximately 75. The rate of visits per 1000 women in age group 35-39 was 10.7 (95% CI 8.0, 13.4). The results in this age group almost match up to the results in the age group 20-24 that recorded approximately 76 visits by women to the emergency department of UMMC due to gynecological disorders. The decline from the previous age group of 30-34 is very large.
The age group 40-44 reported a further decline of the number of visits by women to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders. Approximately 31 visits by women in this age group were reported. That report was also for the data collected for the period of 8 months. The rate of visits per 1000 women in age group 40-44 was 7.4 (95% CI 5.1, 9.7). This age group is of older women, and the results indicate that women in this group do not have emergency gynecological disorders as compared to the women in the previous age group of 35-39.
The age group 45 and above, reported approximately 36 visits by women to the emergency department. That report was also for the data collected for the period of 8 months. The rate of visits per 1000 women in this age group was 5.3 (95% CI 4.2, 6.4).
The results of the analysis of these different age groups indicate that the visits by women to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders is experienced more by the middle subgroups. The younger women and the older women do not make many visits to the emergency departments as compared to the middle aged women. The age groups 25-29 and 30-34 report more visits to the emergency departments due to gynecological disorders compared to the other subgroups. The results indicate that the number of visits by women to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders increase with age up to a certain age, and then begins to decline with age.
The data was further analyzed to show the number of visits by women to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders according to their diagnoses. The visits of women were categorized according to the gynecological disorders that they had been diagnosed with. These gynecological disorders included ectopic pregnancy, hyperemesis gravidarum, lower tract infection, menstrual disorder, miscarriage, trauma in pregnancy, uterine disorder, and others. The analysis was able to show the number of women who visited the emergency departments based on the different kinds of gynecologic disorders that were reported. The results determined the most common gynecological disorders and the least common gynecological disorders. These results are important because they can enable the government to know how to reduce such problems. The results give further insight into the nature of gynecological disorders, and prevent the underestimation of some conditions. The results of the analysis are summarized in table 2 to enable ease of understanding. These results also show the rate of the visits by the women within the period of 8 months to the emergency department at the UMMC. The percentage of visits for every gynecological disorder is shown against the total number of visits. These results can be used by various stakeholders to determine the kind of disorder that needs screening. Some of the disorders that are not common may be strange to some people, and creating awareness about their existence can be very informative to people. Women need to know about these disorders so that they can know how to deal with them or prevent them from occurring.
The analysis of the diagnoses of the patients revealed that miscarriage was the most common gynecological disorder. 309 of the women who were taken to the emergency department due to gynecological disorders were diagnosed with miscarriages. This is to say that the diagnosis of miscarriage was approximately 309 for the 8-month period with an average rate of 8.6 (95% CI 7.7, 9.5) visits per 1000 women. The analysis indicates that miscarriages are experienced by very many women in Malaysia. These findings would not have been known if this study had not been conducted. Such results will enable the government to focus on ways to prevent such an epidemic. Women will also be informed about the high rate of miscarriages experienced by many women, and they will take the necessary precautions so as to reduce their chances of getting miscarriages.
The gynecological disorder that was the second most common was menstrual disorder. Menstrual disorder had a rate of 4.2 (95% CI 3.4, 5.0) visits per 1000 women. Approximately 105 visits to the emergency department were by women who had menstrual disorders. All women in the child-bearing age get menstruation periods. The menstruation periods are experienced by women differently. Some women get heavy menses while others get light menses. Some women experience severe pain during their menstruation periods, others do not feel any pain. There is a tendency among women to assume that the menstruation periods are supposed to be painful. Some women take painkillers to alleviate the pain, instead of seeking medical help. Women should be encouraged to see specialists so as to avoid getting menstrual disorders. Educating women about menstrual disorders will enable them to know when they are experiencing a gynecological disorder. They will stop assuming that the pain they experience during menstruation is normal.
The lower tract infection disorder accounted for visits of approximately 13 women in the 8-month period. The percentage rate for the disorder was 2.1 (95% CI 1.8, 2.4) visits per 1000 women. This data is not large compared to the miscarriage disorder and menstrual disorder. It is, however, of concern to the women. There are things that women can do so as to prevent this disorder from occurring. Specialists are able to educate women about this disorder, and how to take care of themselves so that they can prevent it from occurring. These results enable the physicians to know the degree at which women are experiencing these disorders; therefore, they can recommend screening for women so as to make early diagnosis.
Trauma in pregnancy was the gynecological disorder that was the least common with approximately 2 visits within the 8-month period. The rate of visits per 1000 women for the disorder was 0.8 (95% CI 0.6, 1.0). It indicates that not many women experienced trauma in pregnancy. The results are, however, important because the physicians will be able to inform women about this disorder. Low results show that many women in Malaysia have not experienced this disorder, and many may not even be aware of its existence. The small percentage indicates that this disorder exists even if it is experienced by a few women. The data availed will enable the government to also focus on such disorders, and create awareness of its existence. Women may need counseling and advice. The physicians who are specialized in this area can be called upon to offer care to the patients experiencing this disorder.
Below is a table showing the number of women visits to the UMMC emergency department due to gynecological disorders in the 8-month period. The data is arranged according to the gynecological disorders experienced by these women.
CI: Confidence Interval
Uterine disorder is a gynecological disorder that accounted for visits of approximately 30 women to the UMMC emergency department during the 8-month period. The rate for the disorder was 3.2 (95% CI 2.5, 3.9) visits per 1000 women. It is not easy for a woman to detect whether she has a problem with her uterus. Women need to visit their gynecologists regularly to make sure that their uterus is fine. The physicians can enlighten women about uterine disorders, and inform them of the symptoms they need to watch out for. The government can help by arranging a screening for women to check whether they need the attention of the doctor.
Ectopic pregnancy reported approximately 10 visits by women to the UMMC emergency department in the 8-month period. This figure was one of the lowest figures compared to the other disorders. The rate for the disorder was 1.6 (95% CI 0.9, 2-3) visits per 1000 women. That figure is still alarming because it signifies that the lives of many mothers are in danger. This data is important because it can be used to create awareness about ectopic pregnancy. Many women can be given information on how ectopic pregnancies occur. They can be advised to visit their gynecologists whenever they get pregnant so as to make sure that the embryo is implanted in the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy is life-threatening to the mother (Farquhar, 2005). There are some women who get pregnant, and do not visit the doctor to check the status of the pregnancy. The large number of women visiting the emergency department due to ectopic pregnancies can be reduced by educating women on the importance of visiting a physician when pregnant.
Hyperemesis gravidarum is a gynecological disorder that reported approximately 29 visits by women to the UMMC emergency department in the 8-month period. The rate for the disorder was 3.0 (95% CI 2.2, 3.8) visits per 1000 women. This disorder entails a lot of vomiting and nausea by pregnant women, and can lead to dehydration (Goodwin, 2008). Pregnant women are known to experience nausea and vomiting when pregnant, but it should not be severe. A lot of vomiting can lead to dehydration and loss of weight. This disorder may be severe or mild. This disorder causes electrolyte imbalance when it becomes severe. When it is severe it can become an emergency. Women need to be aware of this condition so that they can see the doctors early. Delays can cause harm to these women. The results of this analysis show that many women are not aware that this is a serious condition. The government should raise awareness of this disorder to the public so that women can learn how to identify the symptoms of the disorder. Information will help women to differentiate between the symptoms of normal morning sickness and the symptoms of this disorder.
The results of other gynecological disorders classified under the group “Others” reported approximately 58 visits by women to the UMMC emergency department in the 8-month period. The rate of this group of disorders was 3.9 (95% CI 3.1, 4.7) visits per 1000 women. The disorders under others include all those other gynecological disorders that were not classified individually. Most of these disorders recorded lower number of visits to the emergency departments. Gynecological disorders are many and it will take many months to analyze data on all of them. Grouping the disorders that reported lower number of visits to the emergency department under “Others” makes it easier to study them. The results of “Others” show that there are many gynecological disorders that make women in Malaysia visit the emergency department. Some of these visits to the emergency department would have been prevented if enough education was given to the women. The government of Malaysia should put up measures that will enable the women to be well informed so that they can take good care of themselves, and prevent the occurrence of some of these disorders. Information can also help the women to seek medical attention early enough so as to avoid visiting the emergency department.
Discussion
An approximate figure of 556 visits to the UMMC emergency department in Malaysia, in a period of 8 months, was for gynecological disorders among women of different ages. Gynecological disorders that were reported to be affecting women in Malaysia included ectopic pregnancy, hyperemesis gravidarum, lower tract infection, menstrual disorder, miscarriage, trauma in pregnancy, uterine disorder, and others. The number of visits to the emergency departments due to gynecological disorders was very high in the 8-month period. The results of this study indicate that many women of varying ages are visiting the emergency departments at a very high rate.
Most women visiting the UMMC emergency department due to gynecological disorders had experienced miscarriages. The figure was approximately 309 for women who suffered miscarriages. A miscarriage is the death of a fetus within the womb of the mother (Everett, 2011). Miscarriages occur in the early stages of pregnancy. One of the symptoms of a miscarriage is bleeding in the vagina (Storck, 2012). Women need to visit the hospital immediately they spot bleeding. Miscarriages in Malaysia are at a very high rate. The causes of miscarriages are many, and some have not been well identified to date. Some of the causes include abnormalities that may be uterine, genetic, or hormonal. Other causes include tissue rejection, and infections in the reproductive tract. Some of the factors that increase the risk of miscarriages include diseases during pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, age, and smoking (Berard, 2010). Older women have a high risk of experiencing miscarriages compared to younger women.
Many women in Malaysia experience miscarriages and this can be devastating to many of them who are excited to become mothers. Most of the causes of miscarriages cannot be avoided, but it is important to counsel these women. Some of the causes of miscarriages such as smoking can be avoided (Cohen & Wayne, 2000). Women should be informed of the dangers of smoking while pregnant. The women in Malaysia should be educated about miscarriages so that they can see a doctor immediately instead of waiting until it is too late, and they have to be taken to the emergency departments.
Menstrual disorder is experienced by many Malaysian women. The results of the analysis show that approximately 105 women visited the UMMC emergency department due to menstrual disorder. Menstrual disorders describe the irregularities in women’s menstrual cycles (Poon, 2011). Some of these disorders include ovulation disorders, length of cycle disorders, flow disorders, and dysmenorrhea. Ovulation disorders include absence of ovulation, and irregular ovulation. Cycle length disorders include short cycles, irregular cycles, longer cycles, and lack of menstrual periods. Flow disorders include very light menstrual periods, and very heavy periods. Dysmenorrhea is menstruation periods that are very painful. These menstrual disorders need to be addressed by the physicians. Some of them can be very dangerous. Heavy periods can make a person anemic due to loss of large amounts of blood.
The results on menstrual disorders show that there are many women in Malaysia who experience severe menstrual disorders. For a person to be taken to the emergency department, the condition must have worsened. Gynecologists can help the women who have menstrual disorders to get solutions to their problems. There is medicine that can be used to treat some of these disorders. The gynecologists may even suggest some form of exercises or types of foods that can help improve the condition that a woman is experiencing. There is a tendency for women to assume that some of the conditions they have are normal. Many women associate menstrual periods with pain. They assume it is normal for menstrual periods to be painful. That is why many women do not visit gynecologists to see whether they have menstrual disorders. They eventually visit the emergency departments when their cases have become worse. Women need to be educated on the importance of visiting gynecologists regularly. They also need to be informed about the menstrual disorders that exist so that they cannot assume their conditions as normal.
There were approximately 10 visits to the UMMC emergency department in Malaysia concerning ectopic pregnancies. These results indicate that there are many women in Malaysia who experience ectopic pregnancies. Ectopic pregnancies are disorders that are experienced by pregnant mothers where the fetus does not implant itself within the womb (EPF, 2014). Ectopic pregnancies are life-threatening to the mothers because they cause internal hemorrhage. A majority of ectopic pregnancies occur in the fallopian tubes. Other areas where ectopic pregnancies can occur include abdomen, cervix, and ovaries. Ectopic pregnancies can lead to medical emergencies. This disorder should be treated properly because it has a high chance of causing death to the mother (Skipworth, 2011).
The women in Malaysia should go for medical check-up the moment they discover they are pregnant. Diagnostic capabilities have been enhanced to enable the doctors to detect ectopic pregnancies in the early stages of the pregnancy (Kirk, Bottomley & Bourne, 2013). Women can be treated early enough, and avoid the risk of death due to advanced pregnancy. Emergency treatment of women with this disorder can also fail. It is important for women to seek medical attention before the disorder reaches the emergency state (Farquhar, 2005). The government of Malaysia should step in with measures to make sure that women are educated about ectopic pregnancy. Creating awareness of this disorder will help in reducing the mortality rate of women in Malaysia.
There were approximately 29 visits to the UMMC emergency department in Malaysia concerning hyperemesis gravidarum in the 8-month period. These results show that there are many women in Malaysia who experience this disorder. The fact that these visits were to the emergency departments indicate that many women are not aware that this is a serious condition. This disorder has symptoms that include severe vomiting, nausea, and dehydration (Niebyl, 2010). These symptoms may lead to electrolyte imbalances and malnutrition. This condition is difficult to identify because pregnant women experience morning sickness. They might think it is just a bad case of morning sickness.
Hyperemesis gravidarum lasts longer than morning sickness (HER, 2013). For some women, this disorder can go up to the birth of the baby or even after the birth of the baby. It is important for women to be taught on how to differentiate the symptoms of this disorder and that of morning sickness. The symptoms are similar, but more severe for hyperemesis gravidarum. The women of Malaysia should be made aware that this disorder exists. Knowledge of this disorder will make these women seek medical attention early enough before it turns into an emergency. The women of Malaysia will use the information they acquire to identify whether the vomiting they are experiencing is morning sickness or whether it is hyperemesis gravidarum. They will be more self conscious, and refrain from making assumptions.
The number of visits to the emergency department by women who experienced trauma in pregnancy was approximately 2. Trauma in pregnancy is a disorder that is experienced by women who are injured while pregnant. The trauma may be caused by violence or accidents (Medscape, 2014). Trauma in pregnancy can cause maternal death. Some accidents can be avoided by the mothers whereas other accidents cannot be avoided. Pregnant women should not wear shoes that have high heels because it will make them prone to accidents. These accidents can affect the mother and the fetus. In some cases the fetus is not affected, but the condition of the mother may call for surgery. It becomes difficult to determine whether the fetus will be safe if surgery is required for the mother. Some accidents that cannot be avoided by the mother is where she is been driven in a car and the car collides with another car.
Trauma in pregnancy is a disorder that many women are not aware about because it does not happen often. It is important for women to be taught about this disorder so that they can be able to analyze the situations around them to see whether there is any risk of experiencing trauma in pregnancy. Some of these situations include living in a home where the woman is subjected to domestic violence, living in a place that has floods, living in a place that is exposed to toxic chemicals, and driving a car that has faulty brakes (Medscape, 2014). Pregnant women are advised to stay in situations that are safe so as to avoid the chances of getting into accidents or sustaining injuries.
The number of visits by women in Malaysia to the UMMC emergency department due to uterine disorders was approximately 30. Uterine disorders can be caused by many things such as fibroids, cancer, thyroid problems, polyps, pregnancy, or infection (MedlinePlus, 2014). The symptom for this disorder is bleeding after sex or bleeding in-between periods. It is important for the women of Malaysia to visit the gynecologist regularly for check-up. Regular check-ups will enable the women to detect any uterine disorders that they may be having. Visiting the doctor early enough will enable the doctor to treat the disorder before it becomes serious. Cancer is one of the conditions that need to be treated when the tumors are still very young. When cancer reaches maturity, it becomes very difficult to treat it. The patient will end up spending a lot of money on medical treatment plus the psychological torture. Fibroids can become large such that they will require surgery to remove the uterus (HWM, 2010). For a woman who has not had children, this can be devastating. It is important for the women of Malaysia to visit their gynecologists on a regular basis so that they can make sure that they do not have any of the uterine disorders. The government of Malaysia should also make sure that proper education is given to the women so that they can learn about the uterine disorders. Any indication that they have a uterine disorder should be a sign that they need to see a doctor immediately.
The number of visits by women in Malaysia to the emergency department due to lower tract infection was approximately 13. Lower tract infections are experienced by many women in Malaysia. This disorder can be treated early enough so as to avoid going into the emergency department. The women of Malaysia should be educated about lower tract infections, so that they can be able to identify the symptoms of this disorder early enough. Early treatment will enable the women to live comfortably without any irritations. The women will also be able to avoid visits to emergency departments due to this disorder.
The number of visits by women in Malaysia to the UMMC emergency department due to other gynecologic disorders was approximately 58 in the 8-month period. This figure comprises of all the other gynecological disorders that do not fall in the categories that have already been mentioned. These disorders affected a large number of women in Malaysia. They signify that there are many women in Malaysia who do not have sufficient knowledge about gynecological disorders. Other reasons could be that they assume their symptoms are normal. There is no disorder that is normal. The tendency of women to assume that the symptoms of a disorder are normal is a wrong approach. This tendency is common among women who are used to the effects of the symptoms. Seeking medical attention early enough can save a person from having to visit the emergency departments.
The study also showed that women in the middle ages of the child-bearing age visit the emergency departments more than the younger and the older women. The women in age groups 25-29 and 30-34 recorded the most visits to the emergency departments compared to the younger women in age group 0-14, 15-19 and 20-24; and the older women in age group 35-39, 40-44, and 45 and above. Some of the explanations to this observation could be that most women are focused on their careers in the early ages and they start focusing on having children at around the middle age 25-29 and 30-34. At the age of 35 onwards most women have already gotten children, and their focus is on raising them while doing other things.
Another reason is the fact that younger women from 0 years to 24 years of age get support from their parents and are, therefore, able to visit the doctors early enough before the disorder becomes an emergency. The older women from 35 years and above are already well informed and have learnt from previous experiences at emergency departments. They prefer to treat the disorder early enough. The middle aged women from 25 years to 34 years are independent and too busy to spare some time to visit the doctor for check up. They end up going to hospital as an emergency.
The women need to be educated so that they can know what to do to avoid some of these gynecologic disorders. For those disorders that cannot be avoided, it is important to visit the doctors as early as possible. The visits to the emergency departments can be prevented if women visit their doctors early enough.
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