After addressing the first point of the World Health Organization's (WHO) first ever women's health report yesterday; Women's Health Report: let's talk inequalities, today let's take a look at how very central sexuality and reproduction are to women's health. I mentioned …
Continue
Added by Sarah on November 21, 2009 at 8:00am —
No Comments
Hybnobirth, is it hip? Whether it is hip or not, hypnobirthing is getting more and more attention and seems to be gaining in popularity as a technique for natural childbirth. If you are like me, perpetually curious and interested in health issues, you may want to know more about it.
Hypnobirth is a practice using
self-hypnosis to eliminate pain and fear from the birthing experience. It is about achieving a state of relaxat…
Continue
Added by Amy K on November 20, 2009 at 6:30pm —
No Comments
Here on WEGO Health, we do our best to not only share what conversations are going on in our other health communities but we also share tips on how to encourage the best health practices in our communities. Some tips of encouragement are easy, tell others to: eat healthy, get lots of rest, listen to your body, ask your doctor questions, etc. In fact, it is pretty easy to encourage members in your online communities advice when it's been proven over and over
. But how do you react when members…
Continue
Added by amanda on November 17, 2009 at 5:39pm —
No Comments
What do you know about Folate? Folic Acid? L-methylfolate?
If you are a woman, chances are that you have heard that it is important to have adequate amounts of folic acid. If you are a man, you may have heard a thing or two about it's important qualities as well. Chances are, man or woman, you have heard recommendations for folic acid.
In women who are pregnant, folic acid is highly recommended as a measure to prevent neural tube defects. Did you know that it is not really the folic acid your…
Continue
Added by Amy K on November 15, 2009 at 10:50pm —
2 Comments
Common knowledge is the term “morning sickness” and common is the woman who deals with it at some point in her pregnancy... But how common is the woman who deals with the more severe cases of NVP (nausea and vomiting of pregnancy) and then suffers further to the classification of hyperemesis gravidarum?
NVP (Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy) is stated in
one source to occur in as many as 75-80% of pregnancies with up to 15…
Continue
Added by Amy K on November 13, 2009 at 2:26pm —
No Comments
It seems to be common knowledge that most medications are off limits for women during pregnancy. Yet, it is also quite apparent that there are often medical conditions that need attention during a pregnancy that may require a woman to asses the risks vs. the benefits and sometimes make the decision to take a prescription medication despite any potential risks. How do we go about doing this? How does a woman put her mind at ease when confronted with these scenarios? What kinds of chances are we t…
Continue
Added by Amy K on November 7, 2009 at 9:00pm —
1 Comment
With all of the risks associated with a healthy pregnancy, many women aren’t eager to know about another health concern associated with pregnancy. At the same time, having resources and information is integral to taking the best care of your body and your baby. I’ve noticed that women in my community don’t talk about the connection that can exist between Fibromyalgia and pregnancy. I wanted to bring it up and see if other Health Activists find this missing as well.
When this happened to me I ha…
Continue
Added by Amy K on November 3, 2009 at 10:02pm —
No Comments
With the fantastic addition of
AmyK to our WEGO Health team, my Health Activism has been broadened with the addition of the
WEGO Health Infertility community. I am excited to jump in as the community leader and learn about a condition I've not had a…
Continue
Added by Sarah on November 2, 2009 at 7:23pm —
5 Comments
In my recent interactions on twitter I have come to know some delightful “mommies” who, like myself, care deeply about their role as a parent, from the point of conception and on. These interactions and friendships have brought a topic to mind that might be of interest to others, and in fact, it may be something that you see discussed in your communities.
The topic is home birth, the safety of home birth, the benefits of home birth and the overall perception of home birth.
I am now at a point…
Continue
Added by Amy K on October 30, 2009 at 8:49pm —
No Comments
I've always struggled with my weight. I was the chubby kid, chubby teen, and then in college, the weight just magically came off. I was so happy. Then in my 20's the struggle was back on but I had a better handle on it. When I got married at age 30 I looked like this:
…
Continue
Added by Janeen on October 29, 2009 at 10:00am —
1 Comment
Verbena officinalis (aka common Verbena, Vervain, Enchanter’s Plant, Herb of the Cross, Pigeon Grass, Simpler’s Joy, Juno’s Tears, etc and used interchangeably here) is a perennial plant/flower which was introduced to North America and now grows wild. When traditionally dried and steeped as a tea, or modernly used in extract form, is known for not only enhancing non REM delta waves during sleep, but also for its neuroprotective effects of the central nervous system and anti-inflammatory p…
Continue
Added by Ellen S on October 16, 2009 at 1:42pm —
No Comments
Amanda started a discussion in the pregnancy group about
Depression during pregnancy. I thought this was a wonderful topic! Much has been covered about postpardem depression, but you don't hear too much about depression during pregnancy.
Do you still take your medication?
Will the medication hurt the baby?
Will not taking the medication hurt you?
Does the depression get better…
Continue
Added by Janeen on October 9, 2009 at 8:30pm —
No Comments
Yesterday a
NYT article discussed a dilemma that affects both the pregnancy and mental health communities:
should women take antidepressants while pregnant?
Should women take drugs that could pose a risk to the developing fetus or struggle through the anguish and depression that could harm the baby in other ways?
A few online sources I've seen say that at least 1 in 10 women suffer depre…
Continue
Added by amanda on October 6, 2009 at 1:30pm —
2 Comments
Prenatal vitamins: Why We Love Them - and Hate Them
We all know that prenatal vitamins are good for you - whether you have already conceived or are trying to conceive. Most prenatal vitamins are full of folic acid, a baby must, as well as other goodies that serve you above and beyond your normal multivitamin.
Why we love prenatal vitamins:
Hair. Thick, full and shinning hair! For those of us who normally have pretty fine hair this is a major bonus. While not everyone may…
Continue
Added by Vanessa_Rhinesmith on September 28, 2009 at 5:00am —
No Comments
Congratulations you're pregnant! There are more than enough questions swimming through your mind at the moment - and if you're a working gal, then those questions also include:
-
When should you tell your boss?
-
When should you tell your coworkers?
-
What next steps should to be taken once the information is public?
When during your pregnancy you tell your employer might depends on the type of work that you do. Does it involve heavy lifting or interaction with items and/…
Continue
Added by Vanessa_Rhinesmith on September 21, 2009 at 6:00pm —
No Comments
As mentioned in last week's post,
Developing Your Birth Plan: First Step, Know Your Options, selecting your birthing location is only one piece of a much larger birth plan puzzle.
The act of creating a birth plan promotes a level of awareness and familiarity with the labor and delivery process. It's important to take your time with the creation of your birth plan to ensure that you exp…
Continue
Added by Vanessa_Rhinesmith on September 17, 2009 at 8:30am —
No Comments
What is Preclampsia?
According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, "Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing di…
Continue
Added by Vanessa_Rhinesmith on September 13, 2009 at 7:30pm —
No Comments
I am currently reading "
Pushed" by Jennifer Block. It's a truly amazing book that provides a raw look at modern day maternity care. As a society, we are increasingly focused on deadlines, schedules and preparation and in the United States, the act of birthing a child is no exception. Women are increasingly induced, having their water broken and scheduling cesarean sections. Have we forgotten how to let nature run it's course - or is the…
Continue
Added by Vanessa_Rhinesmith on September 13, 2009 at 2:00pm —
No Comments
Amanda touched on Swine Flu back in May 2009 in her post,
Cautious or Crazy - The Fine Line Gets Finer Thanks to this Swine Flu Business. As Amanda points out, swine flu mania caused quite a stir and the media had a field day. It became difficult to determine fact from fiction and it was challenging for most…
Continue
Added by Vanessa_Rhinesmith on September 8, 2009 at 7:00am —
No Comments
Who doesn't love getting a massage? Well a study conducted by the University of Miami just gave pregnant women plenty of more reasons to head out to the spa or to their favorite massage therapist.
The University of Miami invited 149 women between their fifth and seventh months of pregnancy to one of its many research labs and split them into two groups. One group totally lucked out and got two complimentary massages every week. Massages in the name of science.
The pampered mothers-to-be had…
Continue
Added by Vanessa_Rhinesmith on September 4, 2009 at 7:00am —
1 Comment
Women's Health Report: let's talk about sex (baby)
Hypnobirth, Is it Hip?
Genetic Counseling
Pregnancy: Are you gaining too much weight?
Vervain, Alzheimer's and sleep
Prenatal Vitamins: Why We Love Them - and Hate Them
