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Page 6
December I, 2010
H E A LTH MATTERS___________
A Safer Pregnancy Ahead
by D r . R ichard
No woman should die as a result
of being pregnant. Yet each day in
the U.S., one to two women die from
complications related to pregnancy
and childbirth. The rate of maternal
mortality— deaths in women within
a year of the end of a pregnancy
from a cause related to or made
worse by pregnancy — is too high.
And the situation may be even worse
than estim ates suggest because
some deaths are not reported as
related to gestation.
For many years, medical ad
vances, safer deliveries in hospi
tals, higher standards of living, im
proved environmental and living
N. W aldman
conditions, a lower
national birth rate, and an increased
focus on prenatal care helped
steadily reduce maternal death. But
recently, maternal mortality has been
on the rise.
The leading causes o f p re g
nan cy -related deaths are h em
orrhage, blood clots, high blood
pressure, infection, stroke, am
niotic fluid in the bloodstream ,
and heart disease.
Some factors that may contrib
ute to maternal mortality include
more women getting pregnant later
in life and more starting pregnancy
with preexisting medical conditions
such as diabetes and obesity. Black
women also experience a signifi
cantly higher number of pregnancy-
related deaths than white or His
panic women— a disparity which
needs more study and has yet to be
explained.
M aintaining a healthy lifestyle
before becom ing pregnant and
finding appropriate prenatal care
are integral elem ents in lowering
the risk of dangerous com plica
tions. In fact, as many as half of
the annual m aternal deaths could
be prevented if women had better
access to health care, received
more quality care, and improved
their health and lifestyle habits.
The Am erican College of O b
stetricians and G ynecologists en
co u rag es all rep ro d u ctiv e-ag e
women to meet with their doctors
before pregnancy to discuss pre
conception care. This allows your
doctor adequate time to review
personal health information that
could affect a future pregnancy
and treat any preexisting m edical
conditions that you may have
such as high blood pressure, sei
zures, heart disease and substance
abuse problem s.
If you are pregnant, it is impera
tive that you visit your doctor on a
regular basis, and the sooner you
start, the better. Prenatal visits al
low your doctor to closely watch
y o u r h e alth and y o u r b ab y 's
progress while providing you with
any special care you may need dur
ing your pregnancy.
If you are uninsured and don't
have regular access to a doctor,
there are programs in every state
that provide low- or no-cost medical
and dental insurance coverage for
children and pregnant wom en
(insurekidsnow .gov). N on-preg
nant women can find free or low
cost health care clinics by state at
findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
Dr. Richard N. Waldman is presi
dent o f the American Congress o f
Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
H ealth W atch
Families with Mental Illness - A free, 12-week course for people whose
family members live with mental illness is offered at Emanuel Hospital, Mt.
Hood Medical Center and Providence Medical Center. The course has
been described as “life-changing” by former participants. Registration is
required by calling 503-203-3326.
Managing Chronic Hepatitis C - Third Wednesday of each month at 5
p.m. The informative session is led by a registered nurse to help you
manage side effects of medications and dosage preparations and admin
istration; doctor referral required. To register, call 503-251 -6313.
Better Breathers - An asthma educational support group meets on the
1 st Tuesday of the month from 1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at Adventist Medical
Center. For information, call 503-251 -6830.
Cancer Resource Center - Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and
the American Red Cross have joined forces to create the first in-hospital
resource center providing books, printed material, computer access and
more for individuals and families dealing with cancer. The center is open
Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
At
My Father's House Ministries
2511 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. Portland
(corner of NE MLK Blvd. and Russell)
503.488.5481
Event for Children accompanied by an adult only.
Limited Quantities
"Bendiciones Navideñas"
i
•
Regalos para ñiños con adulto
presente solamente
Sabado, 18 de Diciembre 2010
De 9.am.-12 p.m.
En la Iglesia
My Father's House Ministries
Preguntas: Rosy 503.473.5733
Lead Poisoning Prevention - Learn how to protect your family from lead
poisoning. Ideal for folks in live in older homes with children or pregnant
women. Qualified participants receive a free kit of safety and testing
supplies. Call 503-284-6827.
Parenting Classes — Newborns don’t come with instruction manuals but
parents and parents-to-be can learn about a variety of topics from pain and
childbirth to breastfeeding to infant CPR and much more. For a schedule
of events, call 503-574-6595 or visit: providence.org/classes.
Cardiac-Rehab Exercises — A medically supervised exercise program for
people dealing with heart conditions. For information, call 503-251 -6260.
Stroke Alert Screening — Check your carotid arteries with a painless
ultrasound to assess your risk. Fee $40. To schedule a screening, call 503-
251-6137.
Empowerment through Relaxation - Free informal meditation classes that
address breathing techniques, some gentle ancient African yoga poses and
mental balancing techniques - People have left these classes joyful and with
a peaceful view of their lives. Call Dr. Marcelitte Failla at 503-228-6140.
Powerful Tools For Caregivers - 6-week educational series designed to
help family caregivers take care of themselves while caring for relatives or
friends with chronic illness. Class size is limited, and registration is
required. Call 503-413-8018.
Leg Alert Screening - Check for peripheral arterial disease with this safe,
simple screening using ankle and arm blood pressure. The fee is $40. To
schedule an appointment, call 503-251-6137.
Smoke-Free Support Group — Meets Mondays, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. For
information, call 503-256-4000.