News Moms Need

National Women’s Health Week begins, appropriately, every year on Mother’s Day. Each year during this week, individuals, families, communities, and others work to help women learn how to achieve longer, healthier, and safer lives.

This special weeklong health observance is coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health.  The theme for 2012 is “It’s Your Time.” National Women’s Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages women to take the following steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases:
• Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings. 
• Get active.  
• Eat healthy.  
• Pay attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress. 
• Avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet. 

Learn more about National Women’s Health week by clicking on the links above or on this one here. Share the news with all the wonderful women in your life.

Celebrate with us! The March of Dimes has won the prestigious Freddie award for its health education video series Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby. These awards are the Oscars for health and medicine media. The March of Dimes won in the category of women’s health.

Here’s the winning team (left to right): Kerry, Ivette, Dr. Siobhan, Chris, Pam and Frank. As you can tell, we have a lot of fun while we’re doing our work.

Everyone is talking about health reform these days, so I thought you might want to know where we stand.  The March of Dimes submitted letters to the leadership of both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as the White House, outlining those elements that specifically affect the health care needs of women of childbearing age and of children.  As the two chambers meet to develop a final bill, the March of Dimes continues to work with Members on these key issues.

To read the letter to the Senate, click here.

Today the U.S. government reported that the outbreak of swine flu (also known as H1N1 flu) is continuing and may get worse in the fall.  Scientists are currently working on a vaccine, which may be ready in time for the fall flu season.

For more, read the March of Dimes article on swine flu. It includes information about this illness and pregnant women, infants, children and breastfeeding women.

Over 60 countries will celebrate International Women’s Day this Sunday. The theme is “Women and men united to end violence against women and girls.”

A woman I know was once in an abusive relationship. Her husband beat her regularly. The smallest thing could set him off. She might get home a little later than usual. Or she might say something he didn’t like. She was constantly on edge in her own home.

We spent many hours talking about what she should do. She was afraid for herself and her children. Thankfully, she and her children now live safely. But it was a terrifying time that will stay with them the rest of their lives.

If you or someone you know is a victim of violence, you can call the national domestic violence hotline 800-799-SAFE. If you’re pregnant, the March of Dimes article Abuse During Pregnancy can help.

How can we help each other end violence in our homes?

On December 22, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advised consumers not to buy or use more than 25 types of weight loss pills. These pills may seriously harm your health.

Some of the pills contain sibutramine, a controlled substance. Others contain rimonabant, a drug not approved for marketing in the U.S.; it can cause depression and suicidal thoughts. In some of the pills, the FDA found phenolphthalein, a suspected cancer-causing agent. Some ingredients in the pills far exceeded levels recommended by the FDA.

Some of the pills are marketed as dietary supplements and are promoted as being “natural” or “herbal.” In fact, the pills contain ingredients that can be harmful.

For a full list of the products, go to the FDA Web site. If you have been taking any of these pills, stop right away and talk to your health care provider.

Women who can become pregnant, pregnant women and children should not use herbal or dietary supplements without first getting approval from a health care provider. Some supplements and herbal ingredients have undergone extensive testing, but many have not been shown to be safe or effective.

If you are pregnant, do not try to lose weight during pregnancy; this can harm both you and your baby.

As you all know, some times women have to make some very hard choices. Many women are not seeking health care for themselves because it is too expensive and they need to save money. This is the major finding of a survey released today by the National Women’s Health Resource Center.

In the study, nearly half of women in the past year skipped doctor’s visits, medical procedures or medications. The reason? Money, or the lack of it.

If you’ve skipped health care because of money, ask your church, where you work, or your local health department. They may be able to help you find good low-cost or free care.

If you’re pregnant, prenatal visits are important: for both you and your baby. If you can’t afford prenatal care, help is available. Call 800-311-BABY (2229) for more info. Our new video on prenatal care has more ideas.

Have you been skipping medical care because you’re worried about money? Have you figured out ways to get health care without busting the budget?

Are you only your uterus? Some women believe health care providers focus mostly on a woman’s ability to get pregnant and pay less attention to other aspects of her health. That’s been the conversation at the New York Times blog Well.

What’s been your experience? Does your health care provider treat you as a whole person? Does he or she listen to you and your concerns?

Meanwhile, if you are pregnant, check out the March of Dimes article Choosing a Prenatal Care Provider. Find someone who can take care of all of you.

Image: emmedibi, Flickr