Reproductive Health

US panel: Pregnant women, kids, others should be 1st in line for limited swine flu vaccine

2009-07-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

ATLANTA — Pregnant women, health care workers and children six months and older should be placed at the front of the line for swine flu vaccinations this fall, a government panel recommended Wednesday.
The panel also said those first vaccinated should include parents and other caregivers of infants; non-elderly adults who have high-risk medical conditions; and young adults ages 19 to 24.

More: US panel: Pregnant women, kids, others should be 1st in line for limited swine flu vaccine

Pregnant women 'face increased risk from swine flu' » Health » 24dash.com

2009-07-31T09:38:00.000-07:00

admitted to hospital than members of the general population, new research has shown.
The findings from the US suggest that pregnancy places women at extra risk of serious complications from the virus.
Experts from America's leading public health body, reporting on the research today, said it reinforced the need to treat infected pregnant women with antiviral drugs "as soon as possible".
Fears about the flu threat to pregnant women have been highlighted by the case of Sharon Pentleton, from Saltcoats, Ayrshire, who is now receiving specialist care in Sweden.
She was flown to the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm after no beds were available at the only UK unit capable of treating her. More: Pregnant women 'face increased risk from swine flu' » Health » 24dash.com

Reproductive health management of teenagers

2009-07-30T04:35:00.000-07:00

Girls in their teens in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, brought up to consider menstruation as something that is "unclean", are now educating their mothers about how it is a normal part of growing up. This remarkable change has been brought about by a small sanitary napkin vending machine that has been installed in government schools here.

First of its kind, this machine has given many adolescents the confidence to talk openly about menstruation and menstrual hygiene - subjects that are still kept under wraps in most Indian homes. Even today many Indian mothers are too embarrassed to talk to their daughters about menstruation and many still continue to use pieces of cloth that are washed and re-used. It is a well-established fact that the dropout rate of girls in schools, particularly in villages and small towns, increases after they reach puberty, and the difficulties of managing menstruation is seen as an important contributory factor.

More at: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/07/30/news0375.htm

Circumcision Doesn’t Reduce Male-to-Female Transmission of HIV

2009-07-26T03:34:00.000-07:00

In recent years, the male foreskin—a double-folded tube of skin and mucous membrane that covers the head of the penis—has taken center stage in the battle against HIV. The foreskin is rich in Langerhans cells, immune cells that are particularly easy for the virus to access. Following infection, these cells not only serve as reservoirs for replicating the virus, but also transport it to nearby lymph nodes where HIV spreads to other immune cells. Studies have shown that removal of the foreskin can reduce a man’s risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection by 50 to 65 percent, findings that prompted large-scale circumcision campaigns in countries with high infection rates, such as sub-Saharan Africa, where heterosexual sex is primarily responsible for the HIV epidemic. Studies had also suggested that circumcision could reduce the rate of male-to-female transmission of the virus, but that turns out not to be the case. More at http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/sexual-health/circumcision-doesn-t-reduce-male-female-transmission-hiv-3469.html

Pregnancies & Sexually Transmitted Diseases on the Rise Among Teens

2009-07-26T03:23:00.000-07:00

More teenagers and young adults are having sex, sparking an increase in teen births in both 2006 and 2007, and putting an end to more than a decade of significant decline. In fact, nearly three quarters of a million pregnancies occurred among American females under the age of 20 in 2004 that reversed the downward trend from 1991 to 2004. More at: http://www.healthnews.com/family-health/sexual-health/pregnancies-sexually-transmitted-diseases-rise-among-teens-3478.html

Sexual Health - Pregnancies & Sexually Transmitted Diseases on the Rise Among Teens | Health News

2009-07-26T03:13:00.000-07:00

Sexual Health - Pregnancies & Sexually Transmitted Diseases on the Rise Among Teens | Health News

Planned Parenthood Takes Women's Health Message to Capitol Hill | CommonDreams.org

2009-07-26T03:12:00.000-07:00

Planned Parenthood Takes Women's Health Message to Capitol Hill | CommonDreams.org

2009-06-25T22:25:00.000-07:00

News widgets and RSS feeds

2009-06-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

News widgets and RSS feeds

increase your sex drive

2009-06-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

Excellent Foods That Increase Your Sex Drive

2009-06-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

Healthy diet may boost men's fertility

2009-06-11T02:51:00.002-07:00

You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's: Healthy diet may boost men's fertility

Healthy diet may boost men's fertility

2009-06-11T02:51:00.001-07:00

You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's: Healthy diet may boost men's fertility

Healthy diet may boost men's fertility

2009-06-11T02:51:00.000-07:00

You Can Get Pregnant in Your 40's: Healthy diet may boost men's fertility

Ovulation In Relation To Fertility And Pregnancy » Womens Health Zone

2009-06-10T02:11:00.000-07:00

Ovulation In Relation To Fertility And Pregnancy » Womens Health Zone

Common chemicals threaten reproductive health « The New Food View

2009-06-08T02:17:00.000-07:00

Common chemicals threaten reproductive health « The New Food View

New Teen Sex Survey

2009-06-08T02:13:00.000-07:00

New Teen Sex Survey

IOM Updates Guidelines for Weight Gain in Pregnancy

2009-06-05T04:19:00.000-07:00

IOM Updates Guidelines for Weight Gain in Pregnancy -- AAFP News Now -- American Academy of Family Physicians

Leptin: It's Role in Women's Health

2009-05-25T08:03:00.001-07:00

Leptin: It's Role in Women's Health

2009-05-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

Leptin: It's Role in Women's Health

High Blood Pressure: Hypertension: Factors that can be changed

2009-03-18T09:56:00.000-07:00

High Blood Pressure: Hypertension: Factors that can be changed

www.dr-abed.com

“Sexualization” in media and Mental Health

2009-02-26T21:17:00.000-08:00

Media presentations of sexualized images of girls and young women in advertising, merchandising, and media is harmful to girls’ self-image and healthy development, asserts a new report by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Sexualization was defined by the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls as occurring when a person’s value comes only from her/his sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics, and when a person is sexually objectified, e.g., made into a thing for another’s sexual use.

Details: http://psychcentral.com/news/2007/02/20/sexualization-affects-mental-health/635.html

Talking about sexual health with a doctor

2009-02-26T21:12:00.000-08:00

As we move into adulthood, we begin to take care of our healthcare needs without our parents’ help. When it comes to the area of sexual health, we may not want our parents involved. This means we have to learn to speak up for ourselves to get the sexual health care we need and deserve.

Seeing a healthcare provider can be the best medicine; assuming you’ve been as honest as you can with them, they know you and your medical and sexual history.

Remember, healthcare providers are there to make you well in the immediate sense. It may take time and investment on your end to talk with someone else about more lasting behavior changes to best protect your health.

Starting the Talk
When you call to make an appointment, tell your healthcare provider that you have sexual health questions. That might allow for an “opening” for the provider to ask you questions and start the conversation.
Before your appointment, write down the questions and concerns you have. You can ask any questions you want; they do not need to be related to any physical problems you might be having. Or, do an online assessment such as the one at http://www.stdwizard.org, and print out the results to bring to your appointment to show your provider. You can also include these if you fill out a “reason for visit” or “sexual history” form.
If you don’t feel like you can verbalize your questions, simply hand the provider your list. By communicating that you are uncomfortable discussing this topic, it will allow them to say something comforting to put you at ease.

Role of zinc and folic acid in increasing sperm count

2009-02-24T06:31:00.000-08:00

A contributing factor in male infertility could be as simple as low zinc and/or folic acid levels. Folate-rich foods like green leafy vegetables, beans or orange juice will help a man maintain a healthy balanced diet, but remember the body does not make enough zinc or folic acid on its own, so it must be obtained from one’s diet and/or supplements.

Without the proper levels of these trace minerals, the body does not operate at full throttle; including reproductively. In some cases sperm motility is negatively affected as well as the sperm count.

Recent studies indicate zinc supplements along with folic acid may increase sperm count and improve sperm motility in some men.

One published Dutch study claims men who are having difficulty impregnating their partner may increase their sperm count by up to 74% by taking 5mg of folic acid and 66mg of zinc sulfate a day for 26 weeks. It did caution however, that taken alone, there was no significant improvement in sperm count.

Although zinc is an essential mineral required to operate the human body properly, excessive amounts may be harmful, so always consult your physician before beginning any new regimen.

Physical fitness and sexual health

2009-01-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

New research suggests that physical fitness can also benefit one’s sexual health. Two new studies suggest exercise might be considered “sexercise” for men and women throughout the lifespan. Researchers report that exercise lowers the risk of impotence in men by improving blood flow to the genital region. Fitness primes women for sex in a similar way. With greater blood flow, sexual organs work more efficiently