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on the road to conception, one in which patients and I can discuss, among other topics, health conditions they may have that could aƒect their ability to bear children, and the best courses of treatment for their conditions." • PCOS — As many as 1 in 10 American women of childbear- ing age may have this condition, according to the O¬ce on Women's Health of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. PCOS results from a hormona l imba lance and may cause a variety of symptoms, including irreg ular menstrua l cycles, infertility, ovarian cysts, weight gain and abnorma l hair grow th on the body. " Women with PCOS typically present with irregular cycles as their chief symptom; these cycles can begin as early as the teenage years," Dr. Husserl says. "Quite often, these women are overweight. Patients may have trouble getting pregnant because irregular cycles make it di¬cult to know when they a re ov ulating. A workup beg ins with studies to eva luate patients' hormonal condition, and we often see a relationship between the hormonal imbalance associated with PCOS and nutrition and exercise status." Dr. Husserl may oƒer g uidance on diet modification and how to maintain beneficia l activity levels, or he may refer them to Long Island Women's Hea lth Care Group's dietitian for more extensive nutrition counseling. Other treatments for PCOS include using birth control medication to regulate the cycles of women who are not seeking to become pregnant Three Locations Serving Long Island Long Island Women's Health Care Group PC features locations in Mineola, Syosset and New Hyde Park. + 173 Mineola Blvd., Suite 200, Mineola, NY 11501 + 175 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 303, Syosset, NY 11791 + 1575 Hillside Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11040 Dr. Husserl stresses the importance of spending time with each of his patients. He values taking the time to thoroughly explain answers to any questions his patients have regarding their care. or seeking to increase fertility with medication for women who wish to conceive. "The most eƒective treatment for women of any age with PCOS is diet and exercise modification to promote weight loss," Dr. Husserl says. "Of ten, this is enough to improve hormona l ba lance." • Recurrent pregnancy loss (R PL) — The A merica n Societ y for Reproductive Medicine (ASR M) defines this condition as two or more miscarriages before the fetuses reach 20 weeks of gestation. More than half of all cases occur due to unknown causes, but genetic, environmenta l, anatomic and medical factors can contribute to RPL, according to the ASRM. "My interest in RPL stems from a desire to help women and couples get through some of the toughest times of their lives," Dr. Husserl says. "Counseling is a lways the first step. Next, we consider the hea lth and medica l history of both members of the couple as we search for factors that may explain why the woman has been unable to carry her pregnancy to term. Past pregnancy data may include something we can point to as the reason, such as a genetic abnorma lity." Dr. Husserl with receptionist Autumn DeSantis. The staff at Long Island Women's Health Care Group is committed to working collaboratively to provide the best care for their patients. Dr. Husserl personally informs his receptionist as to the follow-up his patients require. M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S L O N G I S L A N D ■ 2 016 0 9

