Category Archives: Women’s Health

OB/GYN specialist & certified nurse practitioner receive menopause care certification

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Posted by Lew Tysman on February 15, 2011 – 3:47 pm
Filed under Women's Health

Two Borgess Women’s Health practitioners have been certified for the care of women experiencing menopause.

Obstetrician/gynecologist Janice Werbinski, MD, NCMP, and certified nurse practitioner Pam Wadsworth, NP, NCMP, have become Certified Menopause Practitioners.  They received this designation from the North American Menopause Society.

Certification, received upon demonstrating expertise in menopause care, helps ensure high quality care for women at menopause and beyond.

Borgess Women’s Health provides personal care using the latest advanced technology.  Services include gynecologic care, minimally invasive and conventional gynecologic surgery, diagnostic procedures (including osteoporosis screening and mammography), ultrasound procedures including 3D capabilities, and treatment for bladder incontinence, PMS, endometriosis,fibroids, menopause, abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain, prenatal birthing care and birthing education.

For more information about women’s health care at Borgess, visit Women.borgess.com.

Free presentation to focus on stress, anxiety and depression in women

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Posted by Lew Tysman on October 11, 2010 – 1:53 pm
Filed under Borgess Health, Events, Women's Health

The way stress, anxiety and depression affect the health of women will be the topic of the October Borgess Women’s Health Sense presentation.

The presentation will be held from 7:00 to 8:30 pm, Tuesday, October 19 in the Borgess Medical Center Lawrence Education Center.

Those who attend will learn how to identify the symptoms of each of these conditions, as well as    prevention / recovery strategies and coping skills.

The effect of midlife changes, the role of stress and depression on disease risk, and when to seek professional help will also be discussed.

People in attendance will have the opportunity to ask questions of the specialists.

Ruqiya Tareen, MD, board-certified psychiatrist with MSU Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies (MSU/KCMS), and Jennifer White, MD, board-certified internal medicine specialist with Borgess Internal Medicine, will be among the presenters.

Dr. White earned her medical degree at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, and served her residency at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Dr. Tareen received her medical education at Liaquat Medical College, Hyderabad, Pakistan, and the University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.   She served her residency at MSU/KCMS.

To register for this free presentation, please call 269.226.8135 or 1.800.828.8135.

Borgess Women’s Health provides personal care using the latest advanced technology.  Services include gynecologic care, prenatal and birthing care, birthing education, pre-pregnancy and minimally invasive and conventional gynecologic surgery, diagnostic procedures (including osteoporosis screening and mammography), ultrasound procedures including 3D capabilities, and treatment for bladder incontinence, PMS, endometriosis, fibroids, menopause, abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain.

For more information about women’s health care at Borgess, visit Women.borgess.com.

Uterine fibroids and their treatment to be covered in free presentation

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Posted by Lew Tysman on September 16, 2010 – 9:27 pm
Filed under Borgess Fibroid Center, Events, Women's Health

Uterine fibroids and their treatment will be discussed in a free presentation by Drs. Terrence Wilkin of Premier Radiology and Scott Piereson of Borgess Women’s Health, 6:30 to 8 pm, Tuesday, October 5 at Bravo! Restaurant, 5402 Portage Road, Kalamazoo.  Refreshments will be provided.  

Uterine fibroids are non-malignant tumors that grow on or in the muscles of the uterus. An estimated 25-40% of women in the U.S. have fibroids, and African American women are more likely to develop fibroids.

Women experiencing heavy periods, pelvic pain, frequent urination and constipation/bloating may have uterine fibroids.

Borgess Fibroid Center has been created specifically to give women suffering from uterine fibroids hope in their hometown.   From precise diagnosis to the latest minimally invasive treatment options, specialists deliver personalized solutions designed to return women to optimal health.

Space is limited for the free presentation.  Please pre-register with The Professionals at Borgess at 269.226.8135 or 1.800.828.8135.

Free presentation set on uterine fibroids and treatment

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Posted by Lew Tysman on July 19, 2010 – 8:00 am
Filed under Borgess Fibroid Center, Borgess Health, Events, Women's Health

Drs. Terrence Wilkin of Premier Radiology and Scott Piereson of Borgess Women’s Health will make a free presentation on uterine fibroids and their treatment from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, Thursday, July 22 at Webster’s restaurant in downtown Kalamazoo.  Refreshments will be provided.

Women experiencing heavy periods, pelvic pain, frequent urination and constipation/bloating may have uterine fibroids.

Uterine fibroids are non-malignant tumors that grow on or in the muscles of the uterus. An estimated 25-40% of women in the U.S. have fibroids, and African American women are more likely to develop fibroids.

Borgess Fibroid Center has been created specifically to give women suffering from uterine fibroids hope in their hometown. From precise diagnosis to the latest minimally invasive treatment options, our specialists deliver personalized solutions designed to return women to optimal health.

Space is limited for the free presentation. Please pre-register with The Professionals at Borgess at 269.226.8135 or 1.800.828.8135.

Dr. Rajiv Rangrass honored as Family Medicine Educator of the Year

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Posted by Lew Tysman on June 8, 2010 – 8:39 am
Filed under Achievements, Borgess Fibroid Center, Borgess Health, Women's Health

OB/GYN specialist Rajiv Rangrass, MD, Borgess Women’s Health, has been honored by the Michigan Academy of Family Medicine as the Family Medicine Educator of the Year.

Dr. Rangrass is Medical Director of the Borgess Birthing Center at Borgess Medical Center.

Dr. Rangrass supervises OB care for patients of resident physicians in the Michigan State University / Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies Family Residency Program. He also provides supervision of and teaches medical students at the MSU Kalamazoo campus, as well as residents from the Family Medicine, Emergency and General Surgery  departments.

Dr. Rangrass is board-certified in Family Medicine and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.  He is also a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Borgess Women’s Health provides personal care using the latest advanced technology.  Services include gynecologic care, prenatal and birthing care, birthing education, pre-pregnancy and family planning counseling, fertility assessment, minimally invasive and conventional gynecologic surgery, diagnostic procedures (including osteoporosis screening and mammography), ultrasound procedures including 3D capabilities, and treatment for bladder incontinence, PMS, endometriosis, fibroids, menopause, abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain.

For more information about women’s health care at Borgess, visit Women.borgess.com.

Women’s Health Sense Lecture: When Headaches are a Pain in the Neck

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Posted by Lew Tysman on June 2, 2010 – 1:53 pm
Filed under Borgess Fibroid Center, Borgess Health, Events, Women's Health

What: Part One of a Two-Part Series: This free presentation will provide information about the common causes of headache with a focus on cervicogenic headaches—headaches caused by the bony structure or soft tissue of the neck. Discussion will include the difference between a cervicogenic headache, a tension headache and a migraine or vascular headache, what to do when you have more than one kind of headache, and ways to manage your headaches.

The speaker will be Leighia Wells, DC, a chiropractor with the Borgess Brain & Spine Institute. Dr.Wells is a graduate of the Palmer College of Chiropractic and is one of only a few chiropractors in the U.S. to be certified in the McKenzie Methods. She is currently working toward her Diplomate in Functional Rehabilitation.

When: Tuesday, June 22, 2010, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Lawrence Education Center (Borgess Medical Center campus)

Why: To help women better understand the health issues they face, Borgess now offers Women’s Health Sense, a monthly lecture series.

Contact: Call 269.226.8135 or 1.800.828.8135 to register.

Two free women’s health presentations to focus on headaches

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Posted by Lew Tysman on May 27, 2010 – 1:58 pm
Filed under Borgess Health, Events, Women's Health

Headaches in women will be the topic two presentations sponsored by Borgess Women’s Health this summer.

The first session, When Headaches are a Pain in the Neck, will be presented 7:00-8:30 pm, Tuesday, June 22 in the Lawrence Education Center at Borgess Medical Center.

In the session, those in attendance will learn about the common causes of headache with a focus on cervicogenic headaches.  These are headaches caused by the bony structure or soft tissue of the neck. 

Discussion will cover the difference between a cervicogenic headache, a tension headache and a migraine or vascular headache.  Participants will also learn what to do when they have more than one kind of headache as well as ways to manage headaches.

The featured speaker for this presentation will be Leighia Wells, DC, a chiropractor with the Borgess Brain & Spine Institute.  Dr. Wells is a graduate of  Palmer College of Chiropractic and is one of the few chiropractors in the US to be certified in the McKenzie Method. 

Migraine Headaches and Women will be the subject of the second of the two-part.  It will be offered 7:00-8:30 pm, Tuesday, July 20, also in the Lawrence Education Center. 

In this presentation, the nature of migraine headaches, how to distinguish them from other headaches, and current therapies for these headaches will be covered.  Discussion will focus on why women are more prone to migraines and the role of hormonal influences, from menstruation to menopause.

Gerald Robbins, DO, board-certified neurologist with the Borgess Brain & Spine Institute, will be the presenter for session on migraines.  Dr. Robbins is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine who served his neurology residency at Botsford General Hospital in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

To register for one or both of these free presentations, please call 269.226.8135or 1.800.828.8135. 

Borgess Women’s Health provides personal care using the latest advanced technology.  Services include gynecologic care, prenatal and birthing care, birthing education, pre-pregnancy and family planning counseling, fertility assessment, minimally invasive and conventional gynecologic surgery, diagnostic procedures (including osteoporosis screening and mammography), ultrasound procedures including 3D capabilities, and treatment for bladder incontinence, PMS, endometriosis, fibroids, menopause, abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain.

For more information about women’s health care at Borgess, visit Women.borgess.com.

Borgess Foundation receives March of Dimes Grant to support Borgess Women’s Health CenteringPregnancy® Program

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Posted by Lew Tysman on May 18, 2010 – 9:31 am
Filed under Achievements, Borgess Foundation, Borgess Health, Innovation, Women's Health

The March of Dimes Michigan Chapter has awarded the Borgess Foundation a $25,000 Chapter Community Grant for use in supporting the Borgess Women’s Health CenteringPregnancy® program.

“We are honored to receive the support of the March of Dimes, the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health,” said Megan Deibel, CNM, Borgess Women’s Health. “The focus of the CenteringPregnancy program is threefold: assessment, education and support. Each woman learns to effectively monitor her well-being and the well-being of her baby. Participants take ownership of their experience during their prenatal care, which helps build confidence in parenting.”

Only 10 projects, including the CenteringPregnancy program at Borgess Women’s Health, received funding via the March of Dimes Michigan Chapter Community Grant. With the award, Borgess Women’s Health hopes to achieve the following objectives/outcomes by the end of 2010:

  • Receive official site approval for the CenteringPregnancy program by the Centering Healthcare Institute
  • Realize a prematurity rate of less than or equal to 10 percent (for program participants)
  • Help 86 percent of program participants initiate breastfeeding and 50 percent of program participants continue breastfeeding through their six-week postpartum follow-up visit

 In a group setting, the CenteringPregnancy program gives those expecting added time, attention and guidance. Along with receiving prenatal checkups and care in groups, women also spend additional time with their health care provider and other expecting mothers, giving them greater opportunity to learn more about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting.

“A key benefit of this program is that women form relationships with other expectant moms,” Deibel said. “Research has shown that CenteringPregnancy decreases preterm birth and low-birth weight babies, because participants empower themselves to make better health decisions.”

For more on the CenteringPregnancy program or the complete gynecologic and obstetric care available at Borgess Women’s Health, visit women.borgess.com.

To Have or Not Have a Hysterectomy?: Noninvasive Treatment Option for Fibroids May Answer The Question

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Posted by Lew Tysman on May 13, 2010 – 10:14 am
Filed under Borgess Fibroid Center, Borgess Health, Innovation, Women's Health

“I haven’t had any problems at all,” said Kate Keller, who underwent a noninvasive procedure designed to shrink uterine fibroids (benign tumors that grow on or in the muscle tissue of the uterus). “All around, it was the best option for me. For some reason, I was thinking, ‘I was born with these organs. I want to keep them.’ The problems didn’t justify a hysterectomy.”

Keller’s fibroids did create some pressure in her pelvic area and a frequent urge to urinate, but did not cause a great deal of pain. Instead of opting for a hysterectomy like her gynecologist had recommended, she became the first person in Kalamazoo to have a noninvasive outpatient procedure called magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS). The procedure uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to pinpoint the location of the fibroids and high-intensity ultrasound waves to ablate (destroy) the fibroid tissue.

Keller had the procedure in 2006 as part of a clinical study conducted by Borgess Medical Center in partnership with Premier Radiology and KNI/Southwest Michigan Imaging. Since that time, about 20 to 30 of the procedures have been done locally as part of two clinical studies.

Currently, the Borgess, Premier Radiology and KNI/Southwest Michigan Imaging partnership is the only group in Michigan able to perform MRgFUS. “This isn’t something that works for everyone,” said Dr. Scott Piereson, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology at Premier Radiology and Borgess Women’s Health. “However, in some cases, it does offer an alternative to the more traditional types of treatment.”

About 200,000 women undergo hysterectomies annually. A hysterectomy can result in an eight-week recovery period. With the MRgFUS procedure, a woman can return to work the next day.

A Closer Look at Fibroids

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, about 25 percent of American women are estimated to have fibroids, and black women are two to three times more likely to get them than other women. Uterine fibroids can range in size from a small coin to a large melon. They can cause problems like heavy bleeding or painful periods, frequent urination, bleeding between periods, pain during sex, lower back pain and feeling “full” in the lower abdomen.

The way fibroids are treated depends on their size, the severity of symptoms, fertility considerations, and the patient’s age and willingness to undergo invasive procedures.

For more on uterine fibroids and treatment options available in southwest Michigan, visit fibroids.borgess.com.

Borgess Foundation receives March of Dimes Grant to support Borgess Women’s Health CenteringPregnancy® Program

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Posted by Lew Tysman on April 20, 2010 – 2:36 pm
Filed under Achievements, Borgess Health, Women's Health

The March of Dimes Michigan Chapter has awarded the Borgess Foundation a $25,000 Chapter Community Grant for use in supporting the Borgess Women’s Health CenteringPregnancy® program.

“We are honored to receive the support of the March of Dimes, the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health,” said Megan Deibel, CNM, Borgess Women’s Health. “The focus of the CenteringPregnancy program is threefold: assessment, education and support. Each woman learns to effectively monitor her well-being and the well-being of her baby. Participants take ownership of their experience during their prenatal care, which helps build confidence in parenting.”

Only 10 projects, including the CenteringPregnancy program at Borgess Women’s Health, received funding via the March of Dimes Michigan Chapter Community Grant. With the award, Borgess Women’s Health hopes to achieve the following objectives/outcomes by  the end of 2010:

  • Receive official site approval for the CenteringPregnancy program by the Centering Healthcare Institute
  • Realize a prematurity rate of less than or equal to 10 percent (for program participants)
  • Help 86 percent of program participants initiate breastfeeding and 50 percent of program participants continue breastfeeding through their six-week postpartum follow-up visit

In a group setting, the CenteringPregnancy program gives those expecting added time, attention and guidance. Along with receiving prenatal checkups and care in groups, women also spend additional time with their health care provider and other expecting mothers, giving them greater opportunity to learn more about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting.

“A key benefit of this program is that women form relationships with other expectant moms,” Deibel said. “Research has shown that CenteringPregnancy decreases preterm birth and low-birth weight babies, because participants empower themselves to make better health decisions.”

For more on the CenteringPregnancy program or the complete gynecologic and obstetric care available at Borgess Women’s Health, visit women.borgess.com.