When I was a kid, I used to envision ‘Gynecologists’ as some sort of mystical creatures, who are capable of extracting babies from a dark and mysterious place. (Hey, don’t judge me! I was young and dumb.)

Carrying along with me a sense of hesitancy and tentativeness, I entered Dr. Sushila Khuteta’s quaint clinic, quietly tucked away in a corner of her humble abode.

Sitting before me was an extremely radiant woman, with soft eyes which seemed to hold the secrets of the universe. The amount of experience and knowledge she had amassed over the years was evident from her countenance.

Dr. Sushila Khuteta, a renowned Gynecologist and Obstetrician, lives in the modern age but still manages to carry her treasured ideals and family values in the palm of her hand.

JWB: What made you choose ‘Gynecology’ as a professional area of expertise?

Dr. Khuteta: Ah! That’s an interesting story. When I was born, my mother was painfully suffering from sepsis, even though the delivery was conducted through MRCOG. The situation got so out of hand that it was declared that either my mother would see the light of the day, or me. I was born as an extremely underweight baby, so my chances of survival were close to none.

At that moment, my mother vowed to make me a doctor, more specifically a gynecologist, if I survived.  She saw them as God’s little miracle-workers!

JWB: That’s true! Now, over the years, have you seen any changes in women’s health?

Dr. Khuteta: Things have changed for the better since women are so much aware now. Information about diseases, lifestyle modifications, their rights, medicines, and even doctors is being disseminated all around us! The major change is that women have started taking care of themselves. In addition to that, widespread education and financial independence prove to be the icing on the cake.

JWB: But, don’t you think that sex education is a little underrated in India?

Dr. Khuteta: In my opinion, when a child is of that tender age, he/she should be aware of the difference between ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’. Slowly and gradually, concepts like that of menstruation and reproduction should be taught. But, plain theoretical knowledge is just not enough. The difference between practical rights and wrongs should also be taught.

Curiosity, as well as attraction to the opposite sex, is natural, but the limits and barriers should not be crossed, and this has to be ensured by the mothers and the elders. I firmly believe that home can be a great school when it comes to the notions of culture and mutual respect.

JWB: Diana Hayden had chosen to freeze her eggs years ago, and now she’s a mother to perfectly healthy baby. Should all women do that?

Dr. Khuteta: Everybody is so career-oriented nowadays that not just women, even men are freezing their sperms! People who do not wish to get married or have babies until the age of 35 or 40 are choosing to swing this way. In your mid-thirties, the quality of the sperms and eggs starts declining, which naturally results in a decrease in fertility rate. ‘Human oocyte cryopreservation’ (egg freezing) is a completely safe option, which enables women to have a baby whenever she wants.

JWB: A friend of mine recently contracted PCOD. What’s that?

Dr. Khuteta: Its a very complicated disease: easy to diagnose, very difficult to treat. It includes the formation of multiple follicles/cysts on the periphery of the ovaries. In addition to that, the production of normal female hormones gets replaced by male hormones. This results in weight gain, the growth of beard, or mustache, hoarse voice, irregular or absence of menses, etc.

JWB: Oh gosh! How can women avoid it?

Dr. Khuteta: The only answer to that is: Lifestyle modification. Most of the patients have a sedentary lifestyle, where they are sitting for the greater part of the day. Women should go for brisk walking, yoga, eat healthily and avoid junk food. It comes as a surprise to me that most of my PCOD patients are college-going girls.

JWB: Now, ‘Cervical Cancer’ week just whizzed past us. How can women self-diagnose it?

Dr. Khuteta: Irregular bleeding, bleeding after sex, foul-smelling white discharge, etc. can be symptoms of Cervical cancer. For young school girls, there exists an injection which provides immunity against it and for women above 35 years of age, pap-smears are the way to go.

JWB: Coming to STDs now. What are the things a girl should keep in mind?

Dr. Khuteta: Safe sex and societal values. Nowadays, the early sex is the most common phenomenon. This not only increases the chances of contracting STDs but that of cancer as well. Multiple sexual partners prove to be extremely harmful in the long run.

JWB: What are your views on medicines like ‘I-pill’?

Dr. Khuteta: Girls need to understand that I-pill is not a contraceptive. It’s an emergency contraceptive, which needs to be ingested only under certain conditions. Some of my patients are popping I-pills like candy, which results in the development of menstrual irregularities later in life.

JWB: How can women deal with menopause effectively?

Dr. Khuteta:  Family support and bonding is so very crucial. Emotional and mental support can move mountains. Even after pregnancy, husbands should accept their wives’ body changes and support her journey into motherhood. In the end, the family can make or break you.

The need to consult a good gynecologist is imperative for all women, of all age-groups. Dr. Khuteta is associated with Cocoon Hospital (For Women) as well.

An understanding and knowledgeable gynecologist is what we women require to lead a healthier life.

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