Are We Being Lied To? Why Women Should Be Angry!

In 1840, up to 30% of all new mothers were dying of something called “childbed fever.” Finally, one lone doctor, named Ignaz Semmelweis, came up with a theory. Maybe, just maybe, the fever was related to a lack of hand-washing by the doctors and nurses delivering the child. He was convinced of his theory, and even saw success when it was tested out. However, for over 30 years all his theory met with was ridicule and disgrace. In the meantime, thousands died.

In our day and age, unfortunately, scientific ignorance cannot be blamed. In the 1800′s, before the development of complex microscopes, germs could not be seen, so their ignorant obstinacy might be excused. In our day and age, the link between breast cancer and abortion is being ignored because it is politically incorrect. Abortion is a sacred cow which must be protected at all costs- even when scientific fact must be denied. The tragic cost? Not only do unborn children continue to be destroyed, but thousands of women will suffer the ravages of breast cancer and many will needlessly die.

I have been attempting to plow my way through the debate on the different types of studies that have been done and the conclusions drawn. I have attempted to understand why organizations like the National Cancer Institute (NCI) or the American Cancer Society (ACS) have rejected all of the research and concluded that there is no proof that induced abortion increases the risk of breast cancer. By 1997, there had been 12 studies done in the United States. Eleven had indicated an increased risk, with eight of them being statistically significant. However, ACS researchers concluded that the research was “inconclusive,” and that they could not arrive at “definite conclusions.”

The information that was the most convincing to me was an examination of the raw data on breast cancer statistics. In 1973, the year abortion became legal in the United States, 82.6 out of 100,000 women contracted the disease. By 1998, the rate had increased more than 40% to 118.1 per 100,000.   And, even more disturbing, the only age range that increased between 1987 and 1998 was the 50-64 age group, those young enough to have had abortions.  Neither the NCI or the ASC have done anything to explain these statistics.

Women need to be informed of the potential danger they are in! I am especially concerned about teenagers. In spite of the black-out among the national cancer organizations, concerned physicians have been continuing to do research. A study was done on women who had abortions under the age of 18. The general group experienced an increased risk of later contracting breast cancer. However, all of the women in this study who had a family history of breast cancer developed the disease before the age of 45.

Let’s set aside the whole abortion factor for a moment. We hear a lot about breast cancer and getting mammograms and watching our weight, etc (and well we should!) However, have you ever heard anyone mention that one of the most effective methods of prevention is having a child before the age of 24 and then continuing to have children and  to breastfeed them?  Rather, most women’s organizations encourage young women to delay their first pregnancy  and to have smaller families (if any family at all!) Now, I am not endorsing teenage motherhood, and certainly not motherhood before marriage. However, women deserve to know all the facts and then be allowed to make a decision for themselves. If you haven’t realized it already, pro-choice is a loaded term: those who claim the title are very exclusive as to what it applies to. In fact, abortion is it. And, obviously, they don’t want anyone to have all the facts about it, so how much intelligent “choice” do women really have?

Let me close with a quote from Lawrence R. Hutoon, M.D., Ph. D: “Sorting out the science and truth of the matter is of the utmost importance so that relevant informed consent information can be provided to women considering an abortion. Consensus and political correctness must not inhibit the open discussion and evaluation of the scientific data.” Amen to that! Lives are at stake- so political correctness be damned!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Is Abortion a Risk Factor in Breast Cancer?

Wow! Are there any more hot-button topics today than abortion and breast cancer?  Yes! If you mix the two it gets very hot indeed!

Now, please let me make something clear: having breast cancer does not imply that a woman has had an abortion. Most victims have not! Also, if a woman has had an abortion it does not automatically imply that she will get breast cancer. As with many medical conditions, there are many risk factors: some which are inherited or genetic and cannot be controlled, and those things, such as diet, which can be effected by behavior. 

I am a person who likes to know all the facts. Before I make a decision (especially if my life is going to be impacted) I like to be able to count the cost.  For instance, back when I was first married, my husband and I decided that I would go on the birth control pill. Then, two years later I discovered that one of the side effects of the pill was that it would cause a fertilized egg to be unable to implant in the uterine wall. Now, I feel very strongly that life begins at conception and that this back-up mechanism of the pill is an early abortion. Not only did I immediately go off the pill, but I felt very deceived that I was not given this information by my doctor. He did not think that the risk was significant enough to mention, but that was not his decision to make. As a patient, I had a right to know all of the facts.

Okay, so getting back to breast cancer. Remember that yesterday I told you all about the link to estrogen. Basically, the risk for breast cancer increases based on the amount of estrogen that a woman is exposed to in her life.  The shorter the time period between the onset of puberty (with the first period) and a woman having her first baby, the better. It also helps to have lots of babies and to nurse them- since during those times the woman will not have a period and she will be exposed to less estrogen.

Before a woman gets pregnant for the first time, her breast cells are primitive and immature and more vulnerable to cancer.  When she first conceives, estradiol, a type of estrogen, causes both the normal and pre-cancerous cells to multiply at a huge rate. This causes the breasts to enlarge. By the 8th week of pregnancy, the level of estradiol is 500 times greater than before conception.

At around 32 weeks of pregnancy, the cells begin to change and mature. They become milk-producing tissue. The cells stop multiplying. Everything enters a new and less cancer-prone state.

When an induced abortion occurs before this stage, the process is cut-off midstream. The massively produced, cancer-vulnerable cells are left in their immature state.  There is an estrogen over-exposure. (So- what about miscarriage? Yes, the pregnancy is cut off early, but usually there has already been a decline in the estrogen levels. In fact, a lack of hormones is often what causes a miscarriage to occur.) 

More than two dozen studies have been conducted around the world which demonstrate this increased breast cancer risk to women. I will go more in-depth about the debate tomorrow. However, many groups, such as the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute,  deny this cancer link, calling the studies “faulty.” However, Dr. Joel Brind, a leader in the field, has estimated that there are “presently an additional 5,000 to 8,000 cases of breast cancer per year due to earlier abortions and that by the year 2020 there will be an additional 40,000 to 50,000 cases of breast  cancer yearly.  That is quite a huge disparity.

I have to be honest with you: I see and hear a lot of disturbing things in my job everyday, but this has shaken me! I am far from being a scientist, but my gut tells me that this is really bad and is going to get much worse. Unfortunately, I have no trouble believing that the same organizations that tell women that their 10-12 week old babies in the womb are nothing but a blob of tissue (see the picture to the left!) would lie about this connection too. To allow millions of women to have abortions, knowing that their chance of later getter breast cancer will greatly increase, and yet, not giving them any warning is nothing short of criminal.

Tomorrow, I will attempt to lay out the test results side-by-side, so that you can make up your own mind. Of course, a lot of it comes down to which group you want to believe. However, as women, I think it is critical for us to cast aside all the politics and begin to think for ourselves.  You need to count the cost for your own life, because I fear that too many people think you are an expendable victim in what they consider  a much bigger war.

Keeping it true!  Barb

How Having Babies and Breast Feeding Affects Breast Cancer

Okay, so I have been reading about breast cancer all morning. Wow. There is a definite reason that I am not in the medical profession. I was never any good at science. And, guess what? I’m still not. However, I was determined to understand the whole link between having babies and getting breast cancer.

Let me begin by saying that people get cancer for many reasons, and, sometimes, for no good reason at all. The percentages will tell you that you are a better candidate for breast cancer if you are white, female, overweight, smoke, drink heavily and have never had children. However, there are women who are tiny, in shape, eat right, never smoke or drink and have several children who die from it.  The blame game is a terrible thing to play. However, it is also good to do whatever one can to avoid getting sick. Knowledge can be power. Unfortunately, it can’t always save you , but I think we still have to try.

Okay, so the way I see it, the main culprit in breast cancer is ESTROGEN.  However, for women, estrogen is a very necessary enemy.  Without it we would not develop normally as a female. We need it for the proper development of our sexual and reproductive organs. We would also not have a healthy heart or bones. The downside is that the more estrogen that we are exposed to, the greater the risk that we will develop breast cancer.

A dangerous period for us is between the time that we start our periods to our first pregnancy. Every month, during our period, estrogen, along with other ovarian hormones, signal the cells in the breast to divide and multiply.  During this multiplication process, there is always a chance that the cells will begin to multiply out of control and mutate. If this mutation becomes permanent and spreads, cancer occurs. 

Now, why is pregnancy (especially before the age of 30) so important?  When breast cells are immature they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cancer-causing agents called carcinogens.  During pregnancy, the cells in the breast undergo a process of maturation which makes them less vulnerable. Therefore, the shorter the period between a woman’s first period and her first full-term pregnancy, the better.

In the reading I did, it seemed that everything came down to a matter of exposure to estrogen. When a woman breastfeeds, it can stop her ovulation, which reduces her exposure to estrogen. (There is also a theory that lactation makes the breast cells more resistant to mutations.)  Alcohol consumption seems to also interfere with enzymes that break down estrogen, increasing exposure, thus increasing the breast cancer risk.

In one article, I read an interesting link to childhood obesity. It seems that when overweight girls hit puberty, estrogen ends up being stored in fat rather than being used and discarded.  Also, the younger a girl gets her period, the greater the years that she will have estrogen exposure, and, thus, the greater her chance of breast cancer.

Yes, it all comes down to estrogen. It really helped me to begin to understand how estrogen worked. Please read this attached article. Hopefully, it will help you too! 

Again, sometimes cancer just happens. However, we also have choices to make everyday about things like exercise and nutrition which can affect our health. We even make reproductive choices which can have a great impact. Tomorrow I will talk about a link between breast cancer and abortion.  This is information that has been largely ignored by the medical community, but which we, as women, deserve to know.

Keeping it true!  Barb

So How Do You Protect Yourself From Breast Cancer?

You know one thing which drives me crazy and amuses me at the same time? When the so-called “experts” keep changing their minds about what is good or bad for us. First, coffee is bad. Then the next year, coffee is good. The same with caffeine, wine, diet pop, etc, etc, etc…..   After awhile I just eat what I want and figure that they don’t really know.

However, with medical procedures, I think that same kind of indecision is pretty scary. Take the article I just read about mammograms, for instance. I think it has been pretty well-drilled into our heads that a yearly mammogram is necessary so that breast cancer can be found early and treated. I remember seeing television ads and billboards reminding me to get in and get tested.

So, now, articles are coming out which disagree with this.  Last fall, the US Preventative Services Task Force determined that women in their 40′s should not get routine mammograms. I guess there were too many false readings, and women were getting biopsies and treatments that didn’t need them. Really? The whole decade of the 40′s should be skipped if one is not at immediate risk? Well, I guess they didn’t say the decade should be eliminated altogether- just that regular mammograms weren’t recommended (whatever that means!) 

Just this last week a Norwegian Study of 40,000 women indicated that women between 50 and 69 may not be helped as much by mammograms as previously thought. Well, that didn’t help me much, since I am no longer certain what the current thinking is. All I want to know is if I should or should not get a mammogram, and how often.  I am actually not considered at risk: I have no family history of breast cancer. So, should I worry at all?  If so, how often should I worry enough to do something? Will every five years do?

In response to this latest study, Dr. Manny Alvarez (found at Foxnews.com) told women that they should direct their own health.  As women, we need to look at our risk factors and family history. We should also talk to our doctor. I’ve done all those things, but I am still not sure what I should do.

So, for my sake as well as yours, I am going to take a look at the issue of Breast Cancer. Actually, this type of cancer is very closely linked to childbearing and breast-feeding and all those things- maybe even closer than you might think.  I will even examine the link of breast cancer and abortion.  Maybe we’ll all figure this thing out together!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Good Words from a Comedian about Keeping Yourself Safe from STD’s!

Just as I do every morning, I was browsing through the internet looking for things of interest for this blog.  I want to keep myself informed on things that are new and interesting about pregnancy and related topics, so that I can keep you informed. Well, today, an opinion piece on Fox News just popped out at me. It is called, “Why NOT Having Sex Might be Good for You.” 

The writer is named Steven Crowder. His bio says that he is a comedian, actor, writer, and Fox News contributor.  After reading his article, I would love to catch his act sometime. I hope you agree.

He begins by pointing out how many comedy acts are full of depraved and explicit sexual references, which often seem to get cheap laughs.  I know what he means. I tried to watch the last season of “Last Comic Standing” and, frankly, found it way too tacky. Actually, I am hooked on the old, romantic comedies that were made back in the days when gross bathroom humor was taboo and they actually had to be clever to be funny. 

Anyway, there are very few topics which are taboo in comedy today. He goes on to say that, “Funnily enough, today there is one area of sex that when discussed, still makes people’s posteriors pucker with discomfort… abstinence.” How true is that? When was the last time you heard abstinence discussed on TV or in the movies when it wasn’t totally ridiculed? Steven goes on to say, “If you’re abstinent, it is either because A) you’re ugly or B) you’re a loser.” 

So, okay, let’s get the ridicule out of our systems. Abstinent people have been the butt of jokes for too long. Plus, if you just take a moment to think about it, saving sex for marriage would certainly make life a whole lot simpler. Steven continues, “Listen, one doesn’t need to be religious (nor a rocket scientist) to see the value of abstinence. Let’s disregard the immediately eliminated risk of increasingly popular STD’s and STI’s. Heck, let’s even discount the statistical data that sexual exclusivity seems overwhelmingly conducive to a successful marriage. Abstinence also brings an incomparable bond of trust in a relationship.”

Wow. I’m going to unpack that a little bit. Okay, so abstinence keeps you free from STD’s- which is great. However, I’ve been harping on that for days (and will continue, since I want you to stay healthy and safe!) Let’s take a closer look at those last two: 1) that having only one partner and saving sex until after the wedding produces a more successful marriages, and 2) being disciplined and self-controlled in sex increases the bond of trust in a relationship.  Or, as Steven puts it, “It is that display of self-control, that tangible example of living your principles through your life’s walk that ensures her that I won’t be jumping on the first well-proportioned opportunity that comes my way.”

How sweet would it be to be able to completely trust your boyfriend or girlfriend? That kind of peace of mind would be worth a lot. And, knowing how tough it is for guys to control themselves with sex, how amazing would it be to have a guy love you enough to be willing to wait for marriage? That is the kind of foundation that can last for a lifetime, as well as providing a lot of happiness.

I talk to girls all the time whose lives are in a mess. They are at the Center because they missed their period. They have had several partners and are worried about having an STD.  In fact, sometimes they are in a panic because they are not certain who the father of the baby is, or whether he will stay and help her out with the baby (much less get married!) I think at that moment abstinence  often seems like a great idea.

Look up Steven’s full article on Fox. I think you’ll really like it. At least it provides a point of view you won’t hear very often. Please let it give you some food for thought.

Keeping it true!  Barb

More Women (even married) are Choosing Not to Have Children (What do you think?)

There was a headline on AOL Health this morning the read, “Number of Women Without Children Reaches All Time High.” I don’t know about you, but that grabbed my attention.  According to the Pew Research Center, 1 in 5 women do not have children, compared to 1 in 10 in the 1970′s. Wow, that seems like quite a jump to me!

This trend of childlessness seems to hold true across racial, ethnic, and educational groups.  Surprisingly, the only group that increased in childbearing were women with advanced degrees (such as a master’s or doctoral level.) However, women with an education still tend to be those most likely not to give birth.  Childless rates have  also increased for blacks, Hispanics and Asians- making it a universal trend.

The article explained this trend in part by the pattern that has been seen of women delaying marriage, and, therefore, the age of beginning their family. Included in these statistics are the women who may want to have a child, but, for one reason or another (often because of age,) discover that they can no longer conceive. Marriage and parenthood have also been delayed because of increased career opportunities and more effective birth control. In addition, many stated that they were having fun and just didn’t want the responsibility.

Of most interest to me in the article were the changing attitudes of society towards childlessness.   Public opinion is showing more acceptance of women without children. In 1988, 61% thought that women without children “lead empty lives.” In 2002, that had decreased to 41%, and today it is even lower. Less and less people also believe that children are important for a successful marriage, or that the childless trend is bad for society.

Personally, I find this whole trend a little sad. Of course, people should have the right to choose to have children or not. I just don’t always think they know what they are depriving themselves of.  I have a friend who was given a lot of responsibility in helping to raise her younger siblings and decided early on that she never wanted to have children of her own. She and her husband have done a lot of traveling and, for many years, her life seemed pretty carefree. However, now that all of her friends have grown-up children and grandchildren, she has a lot of regrets.  I’ve also thought about what my life would be like without my adult offspring and my grandson, and I know that I would have lost a lot.

So, what do you think? Is childlessness by choice a dangerous trend? Or, is it none of our business?  I’d love to hear from you!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Oral Sex and Its New Dangers (or, Clinton’s Misconceptions Can Be Deadly!)

Maybe I am showing my age with the second half of this title. Unfortunately, with this generation, I think the misconception stuck. Somehow, Oral Sex has gotten labeled as “non-sex,” or “safer-sex.” In fact, many who partake of oral sex still consider themselves as virgins.  As unpleasant as this whole subject can be to discuss, the truth needs to be told or the next generation will reap the terrible consequences.

Yesterday I talked about Michael Douglas and his throat cancer. Now, his may very well have been caused by a lifetime of smoking and drinking. However, because of the decrease in smoking that has taken place in recent years, throat cancer had actually been declining…. until recently. As the result of HPV induced infections, it is on the rise once again.

How does oral sex cause cancers of the mouth and throat? Well, during oral sex, HPV infected fluid is deposited in the throat, which is a perfect warm and moist breeding ground for infection which eventually forms tumors.  For some reason, men are at greater risk for HPV  tonsil and tongue cancers than women.

The medical community is very concerned with the increasing risk this will have for younger people. Surveys have shown that up to half of American teens now engage in oral sex. Many of them believe that it is “risk-free sex,” which makes it more common and acceptable.  A study was done in Britain which showed that university students, aged 16-21, who normally used condoms failed to do so with oral sex. 

The HPV virus is one of the most common virus groups. Over 80 types have been identified. A 2008 study has just discovered what could be a significant link between HPV oral cancer and marijuana use. Supposedly marijuana can suppress the immune system. More research is being carried out on this link.

I find the ramifications of all this rather scary. In movies, music, and television, sex is treated in a pretty casual manner. The more popular stars will have several partners over the show’s lifetime. And yet, we don’t see much about STD’s- or the realities of mouth cancer and the other grotesque and deadly consequences of lifestyle choices.  I find this irresponsible and frightening. How about you?

Keeping it true!  Barb

What caused Michael Douglas’s Throat Cancer: Smoking, Drinking, or STD?

I was looking through the internet for an interesting topic for today’s blog when I stumbled across an article on Fox News.  I’d just read an article in Sunday’s paper about Michael Douglas and his fight against Stage 4 throat cancer. As usual, that kind of news makes me sad.  Too many people are lost to cancer every year, and we need to do all we can to find cures and stop it!

However, I don’t remember yesterday’s article mentioning the factors that may have contributed to Mr. Douglas’s condition. Of course, in many ways that does not matter. He is fighting it valiantly, and his family is struggling as they watch him suffer. It is certainly not my intention to point any fingers. However, I also think that if  awareness can be brought to this condition so that others can be spared, that would be a good thing.

Until I read the article at WWW.foxnews.com, I was unaware that the human papillomavirus (HPV) could cause throat cancer. I knew that HPV has increasingly caused cases of cervical cancer in women. However, new findings suggest that HPV now accounts for one in four head and neck cancers.  It now causes more cases of throat cancer than the former front-runners: smoking and alcohol.

An article in the May 10 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine pointed out that having multiple sex partners now tops the list of having an increased risk of oropharyngeal cancer (cancers of the head, mouth and throat.) People in their study who reported having a history of six or more oral sex partners were three times more likely to get this cancer than those who never had oral sex. The rate really climbs for those who have had a previous case of HPV. For them the rate of oropharyngeal cancer climbs to 32 times more likely.

The cause of Michael Douglas’s cancer has not been shown. It could also have been caused by tobacco and alcohol usage. The report of article on Fox News reported that HPV was found in 50% of this type of cancer. However, the article in the The New England Journal of Medicine seems to indicate that HPV was found in up to 72% of oropharyngeal tumors. Both articles stated that the rates of throat cancer are dramatically on the rise because of HPV.

The good news is that if HPV is involved, the rate of recovery is 90% if it is caught early. However, even Mr. Douglas, with Stage 4, was given over an 80% chance of survival. Some have speculated for this reason alone that HPV may be involved.

This is the list that Dr. Gerald Curatola, from the Fox News article, gave for Oral Cancer Prevention:

1. Abstain from unprotected sex, including oral sex, as this is how the HPV infection is spread.

2. Alcohol should be used in moderation

3. Avoid tobacco use

(He also gives some dietary and medical suggestions, which you can find in the article.)

If it is discovered that HPV has played a role in Michael Douglas’s cancer, I’m sure it will be an embarrassing revelation to make. However, the knowledge that oral sex can cause cancer is important for people to know. Unfortunately, sometimes key information like this remains silent unless it strikes someone famous. No one wants to cause his family any more pain- but we also don’t want anyone else to get cancer if knowledge can prevent it.

Keeping it true!  Barb

Testing for STD’s- Critical for Both You and Your Baby!

The last area I am going to deal with (although I’m sure there are many others)  concerning why it is vital to get good pre-natal care covers sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s.) STD’s often strike silently with no symptoms. Since many people are not even aware that they have contracted one of these diseases, all pregnant women should receive testing for a wide array of STD’s: including Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis B, HIV, and Syphilis. 

What is an STD? Also known as sexually transmitted infections (STI,) they are bacterium which can grow and multiply in the warm, moist area of the reproductive tracts of both men and women. They are spread through sexual contact- both outside and inside the body.

Women that are most at risk for an STD are those who have had several sexual partners. As I mentioned once before in a blog, exposure to these diseases occur exponentially. People are not only are exposed to their actual partner but also all the people that he or she has been sleeping with. A person with 2 partners has probably been exposed to at least 3 people. However, a person who has had sex with 4 partners would be exposed to 15 people.  Unbelievably, with 12 partners, the number of people they are at risk from skyrockets to as many as 4095!

Untreated STD’s can be dangerous for anyone, but with a pregnancy they are doubly dangerous! They can be passed to the baby before, during, and after birth. Syphilis, for example, can enter the placenta and infect the baby in the womb. Others, like chlamydia and herpes, can infect the baby as it passes through the birth canal.  HIV is even dangerous with breast-feeding! 

Women should even be tested if they are considering an abortion. Some STD’s, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, can be found in the genital region. If a suction abortion is done, the infection which is outside the body will be carried into the uterus. Of the patients who have a chlamydia infection at the time of her abortion, 23% will develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) within 4 weeks! PID can  then lead to cervical cancer and sterility. (These facts can be found at http://afterabortion.info/physica.html)

Most OB-GYN’s will test for STD’s at one of the first pre-natal visits. However, women in Omaha can also be tested at: One World Community Health Center: 402-502-8988, Renaissance Health Center: 402-354-3198, or Douglas County Health Dept – 402-444-7750.  Or, if you think you might be pregnant,  the AAA Center for Pregnancy Counseling will provide free testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea for  positive test patients.  Call 402-397-0600 to set up an appointment.

There are a multitude of reasons to take good care of yourself, and your baby, when you are pregnant.  Eat healthy, do some light exercise, and get plenty of sleep. And, most importantly, see a doctor, mid-wife, or clinic to receive some good pre-natal care (see yesterday’s blog if you need a listing of clinics who offer lower rates.)  Two lives depend upon it!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Reasons for Good Pre-Natal Care: High Blood Pressure/ Preeclampsia

Our bodies are really quite amazing things if you think about it. The great majority of us can get pregnant, carry the baby for nine months, and then give birth to a totally healthy child. We have some women who come to see us with their second or third baby and didn’t have any problems the first time, so  they don’t see any need for doctor visits this time around either.

Unfortunately, some pregnancies can go very wrong.  That is why most physicians run standard tests at every visit. One of them is for blood pressure. If it is high (top number above 140 and bottom number above 90) there could be problems.

High blood pressure problems occur in 6-8% of all pregnancies. About 70% occur in the woman’s first pregnancy. The effects can be mild or severe. For the mother, it can harm her kidneys or other organs. The baby may also have a lower birthrate and early delivery. However, the greatest risk is a condition called Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia typically does not occur until after the 20th week of pregnancy. It is associated with high blood pressure and increased protein in the mother’s urine (which is a result of kidney problems.) This condition can threaten the health and life of both the mother and the baby.

If the preeclampsia causes seizures it is called eclampsia. Eclampsia is second leading cause of maternal death. Fetal complications, such as low birth weight, pre-mature birth, and still birth, are also possible.  Of course, women with preeclampsia are closely monitored- sometimes with early hospitalization.

There is no single test to diagnose preeclampsia. Signs, beyond high blood pressure and protein in the urine, are headaches, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, and abdominal pain. However, the best way to receive an early diagnosis and proper monitoring is to have regular pre-natal visits which will test for this condition.

I promised you that I would provide a list of places in Omaha which provide low-cost, but excellent, pre-natal care. These are:

 One World Now- 4920 S. 30 St., 402-734-4110

Olson Center for Women’s Health- There are 2 locations in the Omaha area:  UNMC- 4400 Emile St., 402-559-4500 and at Village Pointe- 110 N. 175, Suite 2800, 402-596-4500.

Tomorrow, I will talk about the dangers of undiagnosed sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s) and pregnancy. If you are pregnant, please get pre-natal care! Keep yourself and your baby safe!

Keeping it true!  Barb