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Prenatal care includes regular visits to a doctor or other healthcare provider to check on the health of a pregnant woman. These visits help ensure the pregnancy goes smoothly and that both mother and child are healthy after the birth.

Unfortunately, many women cannot access this vital service due to barriers, including geography, culture, and socioeconomic status. This article will discuss three initiatives to address these challenges and improve maternal health outcomes.

Preventing Birth Defects

Thanks to advanced ultrasound technology, many congenital disabilities are detectable in the womb. These tests can help your doctor assess your baby’s health and determine if medical attention is necessary.

Prenatal care Berkeley CA is most effective when women access it early and throughout pregnancy. It can improve health outcomes for mothers and babies, especially those at higher risk of poor pregnancy results. Interventions that increase access to prenatal care, such as Medicaid expansion, have improved outcomes.

Traditionally, prenatal care is provided by an accredited healthcare provider (doctor, nurse or midwife) with extensive training in identifying and managing common pregnancy complications. However, research shows that group prenatal care models can be equally effective and provide additional benefits. These include providing educational material, verbal screening for alcohol, tobacco and drug use and connections to community-based supports for pregnant women.

Preventing Preterm Birth

Pregnancy is a time of rapid development in both a woman and her baby. But if not monitored properly, these developments can result in complications like low birth weight and preterm delivery. Prenatal care allows doctors to spot problems in pregnancy, such as anemia and gestational diabetes, then prescribe the proper treatment.

At early prenatal visits, a doctor will take your blood and urine samples and perform a pelvic exam and Pap test. She will also ask about your medical history, including previous pregnancies …

What Vaccines Are and How They Work

With more and more Australians becoming aware of the importance of receiving the influenza vaccine in order to avoid contracting the flu, it is interesting to note that many people don’t really know or understand what vaccines are, how the work – or what different types are available. Although the science behind vaccines can be quite confusing, it is possible to gain a basic understanding of flu vaccinations and other products in order to more clearly realize how they work and why they are so incredibly important.

How Vaccines Work –

In simple terms, vaccines are a weakened disease that is introduced into your body’s immune system. While the organisms found in any given vaccine are not strong enough to actually make you ill, they still contain the antigens that stimulate your immune system to respond. These antigens produce an important phenomenon known as a primary response; this basically refers to the process by which your body’s B lymphocytes detect the antigens and form special cells. These cells evolve into plasma cells which immediately produce antibodies that fight off the organisms you are being vaccinated against.

Over time, antibodies fade from your body’s system; however, memory B cells stick around for many additional years – and this is where your immunity comes from. Vaccines work in very specific and proven ways to use your body’s natural defence mechanisms to protect you from specific diseases and illnesses. The popular flu vaccines are no exception to this, and they help protect you against the most common – and troublesome – flu strains. However, the flu does mutate over time, making yearly vaccinations necessary and highly recommended.

The Different Types Of Vaccines –

There are four basic different types of vaccines available today. Some of them …

Blood Pressure – Finding Natural Ways to Alleviate High Blood Pressure

My grandfather who lived 101 years old had often said “Your health is more important than your wealth”. He always reminded us to take care of your body particularly as you age. His perspective was if you invest into your health with daily exercise, a good healthy diet, you should stay fit and healthy for a long time. He was certainly an example of the advice he dispensed. He was a firm believer if you neglected your body and ate poorly, you could end up with major health issues at a young age. He saw many of his friends experience health afflictions and one of the prominent ones with high blood pressure. Fortunately you can lower your blood pressure using natural means and keep it down to improve your health.

While there are numerous medications which can lower your blood pressure, there are just as many natural ways to lower your blood pressure. Unfortunately not all physicians educate their patients about the natural ways. In defense of the physicians, they do encourage eating a healthy diet and removing the stresses in your life. You can certainly lower your blood pressure if you eat well and are relatively stress-free. Realistically stress is one of the major factors that leads to high blood pressure. It would seem obvious to remove stress from your life by clearing your mind, relaxing and not worrying so much. Yoga is a great stress reliever as is many of the medications. Both work, however I prefer the natural way. To me, medications just mask the problem.

Hypertension essentially means that blood is traveling throughout your veins at a unhealthy level of pressure. As the blood hits your vein walls hard, the effects on your body are …

Avoid the Flu Vaccine If You Are in One of These 5 Categories

Influenza, or flu as it is most commonly referred to, is respiratory condition that is extremely contagious. Being able to take the flu shot gives many people a greater chance of staying healthy during cold and flu season.

Even though the shot does not guarantee escaping it completely, the vaccine is relatively painless and increases the chance that even if you get the flu, it will be a milder case.

But there are many who should avoid it because of an immune system, which for whatever reason is not strong enough to handle it. If you find yourself in one of the following categories should find options other than the flu shot this year.

Infants Under 6 months — Your baby’s immune system is not yet fully developed, and as such is placed at risk if given the shot. One of the biggest differences between a cold and the flu is fever. If your child develops a fever, consult your pediatrician immediately to determine if it is in fact the flu and get help with ways to deal with it.

Cancer Patient Receiving Chemotherapy or Radiation — Both of these methods of treating cancer involve killing cancer cells and good cells too. It is these good cells that, under normal circumstances, are able to fight off germs and infection. Because the number of cells is greatly decreased with treatments, your body may not be unable to respond normally to the flu shot.

If You Are Allergic to Eggs — Since the viruses that are given in the shot are cultivated in the eggs of hens, they can cause a sever threat to those who are allergic to eggs. If you have had a severe reaction previously from …

Influenza – Treatment and Precautions

Influenza pandemics can wreck havoc among humans, as seen during the 2004 bird flu and the 2009 swine flu outbreaks. Mainly the type A virus is responsible for the large scale outbreaks of flu. While yearly flu vaccinations can help build immunity against the common viral strains, it is the novel types of the flu virus that are difficult to deal with. This article gives you a list of precautions you can take during influenza pandemics.

Basic precautions

Most people often forget to take care of the basics of a healthy and hygienic living during massive flu outbreaks. Do not let the panic overwhelm you. Given below are some of the simplest remedies to prevent transmission of the H1N1 virus:

The flu virus can be spread through coughs and sneezes – 2 very common symptoms of the condition. So always cover your nose and mouth with a tissue paper while coughing or sneezing. Do not reuse the tissue; throw it away immediately. Also encourage others to do the same.

Wash your hands with water and soap, particularly after you touch your nose, mouth or eyes. Do the same after touching anyone else who is sneezing and coughing.

Wear a mask and gloves to avoid catching and/or spreading the virus, particularly when you visit public places.

Influenza is a highly contagious health condition. So avoid coming in touch with individuals who have the virus. Avoid using clothes, utensils or any other personal belongings of any person.

If you have the symptoms of flu, stay at home to prevent transmission of the virus. Take leave from school or work till you recover fully. Keep reporting to your doctor about your condition and take as much rest as possible.

Always follow instructions that are issued by appropriate authorities. …

Is There a Vaccine For “Bird Flu?”

Hopefully, all Americans who are advised to receive the seasonal flu and H1N1 (formerly known as swine flu) vaccines, have done so. There is another flu virus that is a potential threat to international travelers. Is ‘Bird Flu’ on your itinerary?

What is ‘Bird Flu?’

Avian Influenza H5N1, or bird flu, typically infects birds and poultry. However, international travelers are at risk of contracting the disease, which has a high mortality rate. International travelers should consult with a travel physicians for advice on how to reduce your risk. Unlike hepatitis, typhoid, meningitis and yellow fever, there is no commercially available avian flu vaccine. Resistance to typical anti-flu medications is common. Most human cases of the disease occur from contact with live infected birds and poultry, or their droppings. Human to human transmission is rare.

Where are the ‘High Risk’ Regions?

A particularly severe strain of bird flu has been reported in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, which has infected humans. Since last year, bird flu outbreaks have been reported in Cambodia, China, Egypt, Vietnam and Indonesia. Just this month, Egyptian health authorities reported a fatal case the disease in an 18 year-old female, who had contact with infected poultry.

What Precautions Should Travelers Take?

– Avoid poultry farms and contact with live animal markets. Do not regard these sites as ‘petting zoos’. – Wash hands with soap and water regularly

– Use alcohol based sanitizers if soap and water are not available.

– Make sure that all poultry and eggs are thoroughly cooked. If the eggs are runny, then cry ‘fowl’!

– All surfaces that have been in contact with raw poultry, such as utensils and cutting boards, should be scrubbed clean with soap and hot water.

– Do not bring …