Planned Parenthood and ACLU File Lawsuit in South Dakota to Protect Women’s Health and Safety

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (PPMNS), represented by attorneys from Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and joined by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a lawsuit today in federal district court against a new law that severely restricts abortion access.

The lawsuit charges that HB 1217, which passed the South Dakota legislature in March and is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, is unconstitutional because it requires a woman who is seeking an abortion to first prove that she has received so-called “counseling” from an unlicensed, unaccredited and unregulated crisis pregnancy center. Further, it imposes a 72-hour mandatory delay for an abortion after a woman’s initial consultation with her doctor and requires her doctor to obtain written proof from her that she sought counseling at a crisis pregnancy center. The mandatory delay would be the longest in the nation.

“The voters of South Dakota, by resounding measures at the ballot box, twice have told their legislators that the decision to have an abortion is between a woman, her family and her doctor and the government should not intrude on that decision,” said Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. “This law goes farther than any other in the country in intruding on the doctor-patient relationship and putting women and families at risk.”

“The Act has both the purpose and the effect of severely restricting access to health care, and violates patients’ and physicians’ First Amendment rights against compelled speech and patients’ right to privacy in their personal and medical information,” said PPFA attorney Mimi Liu.

“It is demeaning for the government to force a woman to visit a non-medical facility with a political agenda when she is making one of the most personal medical decisions of her life,” said Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. “We hope the court will stop the law from going into effect.”

In addition to the 72-hour mandatory delay and counseling requirements, the act requires a physician to identify every article that mentions any ostensible risk factor associated with abortion published in the past 40 years and to discuss with women seeking an abortion all manner of so-called risk factors and complications related to abortion discussed in these articles, no matter how questionable, out of date or refuted by the medical community they may be.

South Dakota’s abortion regulations are the most burdensome in the country. The state already has a 24-hour mandatory delay in place. In addition, a woman must be offered the opportunity to view a sonogram and her responses must be recorded as part of her permanent medical records. She must also receive a government-dictated message from her doctor that is designed to intimidate and dissuade her.

“We will muster everything in our power to counter this law and to protect the health and well-being of South Dakota’s women and families,” said Stoesz. “The voters have made their wishes clear. It’s a travesty that their lawmakers have ignored them.”

Pro-RH groups celebrate International Women’s Health Day

MORE than 10 booths from government and non-government organizations were set up inside the Davao Recreation Center Friday as RH Network Davao celebrated the 15th International Women’s Health Day.

The International Day of Action for Women’s Health was started in 1987 during the 5th International Health meeting in Costa Rica.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, in her speech read by Councilor April Marie C. Dayap, said the celebration is timely in the wake of heated debates on the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

“But here in Davao City, we have always advocated for the sexual and reproductive rights not only on women but of all the members of the society,” Duterte’s speech read.

She added that the fight for reproductive justice goes on until all can be assured that no woman loses her life due to abuse or sexually transmitted disease, or gives up her life as she gives life.

Lyda Canson, RH Network Davao convenor, cited the different struggles of the women and children have encountered, adding it is about time to push for the approval of the RH bill.

“Gusto ba nato magpadayon ang kalisud sa mga kababaihan labaw na ang mga nagbubuntis o ang mga pagdaghan sa mga bata nga nagasakit kay may kakulangan financially sa pamilya. Pwes, dapat na ipasa ang RH bill,” Canson said.

Different barangay women’s groups displayed their livelihood products to the public while Talikala — a center for abused women – also showcased the creations of children in their care.

Non-government organizations who were present include Gabriela, Lawig Bubai, Iwag Davao,Tambayan, Public for RH, Kaugmaon, Alagad, Luna, No to Coal-Davao, City Integrated Gender and Development Division and Catholic for RH.

The Brokenshire Women’s Center, Department of Health, Family Planning Organization of the Philippines and City Health Office set up booths to accommodate queries about family planning.

The Office of City Councilor Leah A. Librado also put up a booth to give free legal services.

Optimistic that the RH bill will be passed soon, everybody in the gymnasium showed their support in saying “RH Bill Ipasa Na. Now Na” and sang a revised version of “Lagkaw” with lyrics changed, depicting the urgency to pass the RH bill.

Guest Column: The Case for Family Planning Funding

This session we have seen an all out assault on women’s health driven by the erroneous assumption that family planning is synonymous with abortion. This narrow construction ignores the comprehensive nature of family planning, which is central to women and children’s health before, during and after pregnancy. Eliminating these services will have huge repercussions on the demand for (i.e., the cost of) state services, access to care and the number of unintended pregnancies.

Let’s be clear about what family planning actually means. According to the Department of State Health Services, the state’s family planning budget — which is a combination of state and federal dollars — helps fund more than 300 sites across the state. Most of this money goes toward reducing expenditures for Medicaid-paid births and providing reproductive health care to low-income and uninsured women who are U.S. citizens. Family planning services are offered by a range of providers and can take many forms, whether it’s providing contraception, screening for breast or cervical cancer or conducting a postpartum evaluation.

Probably the most well-known program is a family planning waiver called the Medicaid Women’s Health Program (WHP). Texas ranks highest in the nation in the number of its residents who are uninsured women between the ages of 18 to 44, creating a huge need for this program, which matches $9 from the federal government for every $1 the state contributes. During the first two years of its implementation, Texas saved $37,640,727 and served 141,506 clients. If the Legislature does not reauthorize the WHP this session, as it appears will be the case, these women will lose access to family planning and basic health services, and the state will leave significant federal dollars on the table — meaning other states will get the money set aside for Texans.

According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), 26 other states had Medicaid waivers for family planning services as of June 2009, and studies comparing the various waivers have found that the WHP is structured to include several design features that are considered best practices. In fact, the LBB recommended expanding eligibility for the WHP and establishing an outreach program to encourage pregnant women in the Medicaid program to enroll before their post-partum coverage expires.

Much of the rhetoric surrounding the family planning budget cuts appeared to be an effort to defund Planned Parenthood. However, most amendments debated on the House floor would have significantly reduced family planning funding altogether for local health departments, medical schools, hospitals, and community and rural health centers. This is the proverbial throwing the baby out with the bath water.

While Planned Parenthood’s non-profit health centers do serve almost half of the women participating in the WHP, none of the funds they receive are used to pay for abortions because the law already requires that Medicaid providers must be legally separate organizations from abortion providers. To clarify this mandate, a ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has defined separation requirements for Medicaid providers that include audits to ensure compliance. In addition, WHP providers are paid on a per patient, per procedure basis and are only reimbursed for certain, specified family planning healthcare services.

The fact is that Texas already has a shortage of health care providers who are willing to accept Medicaid patients and half of all births in the state are covered by Medicaid. Each Medicaid birth costs taxpayers more than $16,000 in Medicaid coverage for prenatal care, delivery and first-year health coverage for the child, while care provided through the WHP costs approximately $250 per patient.

Eliminating funds for family planning services is not a responsible or compassionate choice. It will shift the burden of care to our already overloaded local hospitals and leave the women who depend on these services with few options. Unfortunately, fewer options can mean unintended consequences for these women and their families and, ironically, unintended consequences for those pushing the funding cuts: an increase in the number of abortions.

The Fight Against Cervical Cancer During National Women’s Health Month

Cervical cancer (CCA) is one of the most common cancers among women. Despite being easily prevented and highly treatable and curable, it persists as one of the oldest, most stigmatized and deadliest illness among women, worldwide.

Women in the Inland Empire have some of the highest cervical cancer rates in California. It is estimated that 1,495 women will be diagnosed with CCA and 430 women will die of CCA in California by 2011. Recent reports show an increase in CCA cases, illness and deaths among specific communities in California, including the Inland Empire. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be an estimated 860 new cases of cervical cancer and an estimated 150 deaths in the Inland Empire in 2011.

Also African- and Latina- Americans have higher rates and poorer survival. CCA is one of the most preventable cancers since the Papanicolaou (PAP) test can effectively, safely and cost effectively detect cellular changes even before cancer develops.

What is Cervical Cancer?

Cervical cancer is one of the more common cancers of the female reproductive system. Most cervical cancers are linked to infection by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Cervical cancer may cause vaginal pain and bleeding, however, a woman can have cervical cancer and not know it since there may be no symptoms.

How to prevent cervical cancer:

A PAP test can find abnormal cervical cell changes before they can become cancerous. A PAP test can also show if cervical cancer is present. If cancer is found early, it’s easy to treat and highly curable. A PAP test is a healthy habit for women and a healthy habit for you.

Preventing an HPV infection with a new vaccine called Gardasil is now possible. The vaccine provides protection against the four types of HPV that cause most cervical cancers and genital warts. The HPV vaccine is recommended for 11 and 12 year-old girls, and young women age 13 – 26 who are not yet sexually active. The HPV vaccine is available at your doctor’s office, clinic, and local health department or student health services.

This women’s health information is sponsored by a study at City of Hope National Medical Center. City of Hope is a biomedical research and treatment center dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

City of Hope is a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest distinction awarded by the National Cancer Institute, signifying the breadth, depth and quality of the institution’s research and clinical care.

City of Hope mailing address: 1500 E. Duarte Road Duarte CA, 91010; 626-256-4673 or visit www.coh.org — Center of Community Alliance for Research and Education (CCARE), 866-704-0474 or 626-256-4673 Ext 63345 Phyllis Clark, CEO, Healthy Heritage Movement, Inc., 3637 9th Street, Riverside, CA 92501 or visit www.healthyheritagemovement.com, 951-288-4375.

Texas Should Cut Planned Parenthood From Women’s Health Program

The Women’s Health Program (WHP), a Medicaid reimbursement program for family planning services, was established by the Texas Legislature as a five-year demonstration project in 2005. The program is set to expire this August unless authorized by new legislation. When the 2005 bill to establish the program originally passed, language was added to restrict the program from abortion providers, but the Health and Human Services Commission was unable to implement the restrictions in the program’s operations due to federal Medicaid rules.
Very recently, Attorney General Greg Abbott released opinions ruling that our state’s Health and Human Services Commission could adopt rules for this program, and more importantly, that adopting rules does not conflict with federal Medicaid rules. Thus, legislators interested in renewing the WHP have incorporated stricter requirements for participation in the WHP, excluding abortion providers from the program while being mindful not to step outside federal Medicaid rules.
By its own admission, Planned Parenthood (PP) serves almost half of the clients enrolled in the WHP, receiving tax dollars through Medicaid reimbursements for each client served. Understandably and predictably, the bills to renew the program would indeed disqualify PP from the participation in the program since Planned Parenthood is America’s largest abortion provider. Planned Parenthood Federation of America just issued a requirement that all clinics affiliated with its brand must now provide abortion or release affiliation with the PP brand name.

The language to restrict abortion providers or agencies that are affiliated with abortion providers from the WHP is now more important than ever.
Like all family planning funds, the WHP has become yet another funding stream for the abortion industry. TRTL’s legislative team has worked closely with members of both the House and the Senate to ensure that the WHP’s reauthorization would exclude the abortion industry and its affiliated clinics.
State Senator Bob Deuell (R-Greenville) redrafted his bill, Senate Bill 1854, to address concerns about the funds to the abortion industry. The new language ensured that Texas women have adequate access to preventative care and family planning services while simultaneously excluding abortion providers and affiliates from participation in the WHP. In fact, Senator Deuell’s new language is so well done that PP now opposes the bill since PP will no longer be eligible for participation in the WHP.
SB 1854 now stipulates if the law is challenged in court and found to be unconstitutional, then the WHP will altogether cease. This provision guarantees that no agency or clinic that provides or refers for abortion or affiliates with such an agency or clinic will receive any tax dollars through the WHP. Texas Right to Life commends Senator Deuell for his leadership on restricting the program to agencies and organizations that provide a full spectrum of health care services and that are not colored by participation in the abortion industry.
Desperate to keep every cent of blood money flowing into their coffers, the abortion giant’s leadership is crying foul. Even Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and daughter of former pro-abortion Texas Governor Ann Richards, came to Texas last week to protest the exclusion of PP from the WHP. Ms. Richards spoke at a sparsely attended gathering of nags on the steps of the Texas Capitol, calling for sympathetic legislators to kill SB 1854. If PP cannot kill SB 1854—in a surprising twist of the WHP drama, PP will pursue litigation.
Ironically, the program needs renewing legislation to continue. PP does not like the renewing legislation because it is excluded. PP will sue, but the language says that the program is cancelled if challenged in court. So, PP is out either way, which is a major victory for life.
Texas Right to Life has identified over 300 health care clinics and agencies that provide a very wide spectrum of services; these are clinics in real need of the funds. A boost from WHP reimbursements could enhance their other services and expand their client base. Contrary to what PP officials chant, SB 1854 will still enable women to be served, but women will be served at hundreds of Federally Qualified Health Centers, Community Health Centers, and county and city health centers around the state that are not involved in the deadly abortion business. HOWEVER, women and teens, regardless of their income level, should not be going to facilities that are also in the abortion business for their reproductive health care.

The state budget allocated $166,030,952 to family planning. Estimates are that PP receives approximately $30 million a year in tax-payer funds in Texas, and its own annual report confirms $363 million received nationwide (on top of the $600+ million from private donations and “services”). An organization that is plagued with failed inspections, maiming women, harboring sexual predators AND with $1 Billion in assets (that’s Billion with a “B!”) should not be given ANY public funds. PP does not need to participate in the WHP!

Maternal deaths still high in Nigeria – Expert •Malaria kills 4,500 pregnant women in Nigeria yearly -Ogun Health Commissioner

A reproductive health expert, Dr Ejike Oji, says maternal mortality rate is still high in Nigeria and requires urgent attention to check the trend.

Oji is the Country Director of IPAS Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation that protects women’s health and advances women’s reproductive rights.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, that in spite of efforts made by government and stakeholders, maternal mortality rate was still high in Nigeria.

He said that Nigeria was second to India in maternal deaths in the world.

“If you look at the maternal mortality rate, which is an indicator of maternal health in any country, a few years ago, our maternal mortality was one thousand one hundred.

“But the last check has now put it at 545 maternal deaths for every hundred thousands live births.

“But you can see that 545 is still huge, is still very, very high when you compare it to some countries who have maternal mortality of about five, four.

“And that means , it is translating to about fifty something thousand women dying annually in Nigeria.

“That is a lot of women dying. In fact, Nigeria contributes second largest maternal deaths in the world after India.

“And you know, India is 1.2 billion and we are just about 152 million. So, India is 10 times our size and we are second to them in terms of total maternal deaths in the world,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Isiaq Salako, has disclosed that about 4,500 pregnant women die of malaria in the country annually.

Salako spoke during a symposium to commemorate this year’s World Malaria Day, which took place in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday.

Describing malaria as a major public health problem which ravages Nigeria’s population, the commissioner lamented that the scourge affects the growth and development of the country.

He also estimated that 50 per cent of the population had at least one episode of malaria each year while children below five years of age had two to four attacks of malaria each year.

Malaria, he stressed, remains a great threat to the survival of the young African children, accounting for 30 per cent of all childhood deaths.

The commissioner, who addressed participants at the symposium, stated that the major burden of diseases in the African region, including Nigeria, is attributable to vector-borne diseases.

He said: “The disease malaria is no respecter of age, sex or tribe. People of all ages have regular attacks throughout their lives.

“However, young children and pregnant women are most at risk of severe malaria and death.

‘’Malaria also contributes to other children deaths by affecting immunity to other diseases. Successful malaria control measures could therefore result in a large reduction of deaths more than that due to malaria alone.”

‘’We must all be concerned in malaria in pregnancy, whether we are still within the child-bearing age or not. It is our responsibilities to make sure that we do everything humanly possible to prevent and control the menace of malaria in our society.

‘’For us in Ogun State, we believe that prevention is better than cure. It is not only better to prevent malaria, but it is also cheaper. He urged pregnant women not to hesitate to always go for ante-natal.

According to him, it was estimated that 80 per cent to 90 per cent of global clinical malaria cases (300 million) and malaria-related deaths (one million) occur on the African continent in Nigeria.

He added that about 40 per cent of the population of the world is at risk and about 300 to 500 million cases occur globally every year.

Women’s Health Week in Retrospect

Looking back over this past Women’s Health Week, it’s important to remember that paying attention to our health is a daily job for life, not just for seven days.

According to the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, “improved public health, medical care, and prevention efforts” have increased the life expectancy of women in the United States, and on average, women are living longer than men.

But health and life expectancy can be compromised by the increase in chronic conditions seen in women of Los Angeles County. Depression, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes have been identified as contributing to many of the leading causes of death and premature death in adult women. A 2007 women’s health survey conducted by Los Angeles County, found that the percentage of women with chronic conditions increases with age, but poor diet, obesity, and smoking cigarettes are major contributors to these conditions.

Accoreding to the survey, in Los Angeles County, the number one cause of death and premature death in women is coronary heart disease, caused by the narrowing of artery walls due to the build up of fatty materials that causes plaque. This narrowing causes blood flow to the heart to slow down or even halt. Coronary heart disease can increase a woman’s risk of stroke and heart attack.

“We often think of heart attacks as a men’s problem,” Sharon Soper, RN, and Parish Manager ofQueens Care Family Clinic in Hollywood said. “But it actually kills six times more women than breast cancer.”

Soper also noted that learning the early warning signs and symptoms of stroke and heart attack is essential for both older and younger women, who may recognize the symptoms in those they care for as well as themselves. The American Heart Association website provides more detailed information. “Being educated and aware can save lives.” Soper noted.

Queens Clinics also offer $10 osteoporosis screenings at their Hollywood clinic and regularly at churches throughout the neighborhood. While usually associated with older women, Soper explained that osteoporosis screenings can be practical for women as young as their 30s. “We only build so much bone,” she explained, noting the importance that younger women eat healthy diets and exercise to promote bone mass. “Bone density peaks at about age 30,” Soper said.

Dr. Rita Singhal, Medical Director, Office of Women’s Health, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, notes that for younger women, issues relating to reproductive health may be “more imminent.” Singhal pointed to information from the US Department of Health and Human Services on proper screenings for women, including pap smears every one to three years for women aged 21 to 65, and STD testing for sexually active women. Pap smears can help detect cervical cancer. For women aged 18 and over, blood pressure screenings are recommended every two years, as well as screening for diabetes and depression.

Many local clinics, such as the Hollywood Sunset Free Clinic and Queens Care Clinics, offer sliding-scale options for women who lack health insurance, and also offer many free screenings and educational programs in the community. Many programs are offered in Spanish as well as English.

The Department of Public Health recommends that women eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins like fish. Regular exercise, including walking 30 minutes per day, and not smoking are also key to good health.

“Best advice for women of all ages” Singhal said. ”Be active, eat smart, stay active, don’t smoke, and get checked – prevention matters.”

Why it’s the weather that makes South Australia women happiest in the nation

NT women are the most sexually satisfied in the country, while South Australians the happiest, a study shows.

Western Australian women get the most sleep – with at least seven hours of shut-eye a night, according to Women’s Health magazine’s Biggest Health Check survey.

Victorians are the least likeliest to suffer diet-related illness.

However, it is in SA where the nation’s healthiest and happiest women reside.

Our residents are an unstressed bunch and are 27 per cent less likely to have high blood pressure than other Aussies.

Adelaide is rated the friendliest city in the nation and we are the most concerned about fat levels and our diet.

Woodville West is also said to be the best place for a woman to find a male partner, with a ratio of three single men for every single woman.

A lack of sunlight is blamed for causing higher-than-average rates of depression in Tasmania, with women there 40 per cent more likely to experience depression.

Women’s Health, which publishes the full results of its research today, surveyed 25,000 Australians to examine trends in lifestyle and physical and mental health.

“It’s important we recognise the importance of healthy living and this guide is an opportunity for everyone to reflect on their personal health and happiness,” editor Felicity Harley said.

Women’s Health Programme On Its Way Out

Insufficient votes in the Senate for bringing up a bill for renewing the family planning and preventative care programme, may see the Women’s Health Programme on its way out.

According to Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, the measure is opposed by many Democrats, as it would formally ban the participation of Planned Parenthood.

A cash strapped budget has GOP lawmakers opposed to keeping money for family planning, unless the programme gets amended into another bill, or renewed with a special budget provision.

Democratic Rep. Garnet Coleman’s House Bill 2299, containing the same anti-abortion elements is the programme’s remaining hope, Deuell said. However, Coleman said HB 2299 locked up in the Calendars Committee will not be able to make it to the floor for being voted on.

Coleman’s passing of the first Women’s Health Programme bills in 1999 and 2001, saw both of them vetoed by Gov. Rick Perry. He does not think the Women’s Health Programme is dead, but feels it is on life support.

The Women’s Health Programme had explicit restrictions, such as, no abortions or promotion of them by participating clinics, including no affliation with clinics that did. However, Planned Parenthood that has provided abortions at some of its clinics for the last five years, without receiving state or federal dollars, has been the biggest participant in the Women’s Health Programme.

In renewing the Women’s Health Programme, Deuell’s bill, would have written out all ‘specialty family planning clinics’ like Planned Parenthood in favour of clinics providing comprehensive health care, including a measure for eliminating the Women’s Health Programme, if Planned Parenthood sued the state successfully.

National health-care law benefits women

Last Sunday, Americans across the country said thank you to their moms with flowers, cards and phone calls.

This week, as we celebrate National Women’s Health Week, you can show your appreciation for the women in your life by making sure they know about the important new protections in the Affordable Care Act, leading to better health and lower costs.

Here are four things about the law all women should know:

First, pre-existing conditions will no longer keep you from getting affordable private insurance. Because of the work we do, women are less likely to have jobs with health coverage than men.

That meant we often had to look for a plan on the individual market where insurers were free to deny us coverage because of a breast cancer diagnosis or even because you had been a victim of domestic violence.

If your daughter had diabetes, they could deny her coverage, too. But that’s changing.

Today, insurers are prohibited from denying coverage to children because of their pre-existing health conditions. And in 2014, this protection will extend to all Americans.

The second thing women should know is that being a woman is no longer a pre-existing condition in the insurance market. We all know women have different health needs than men. Before the health-care law, insurers could charge women up to 50 percent more for exactly the same health insurance, even if it didn’t cover women’s basic health needs.

But that’s changing too. Starting in 2014, if you buy your own insurance, there will be a new, competitive marketplace where you can see all the available plans in one place and pick the coverage that best suits your needs. And these plans will be forbidden from charging women more than men and required to cover newborn and maternity care.
Medicare continues to get stronger

A third key change is that it’s now easier to get preventive care. Over the years, too many women have gone without potentially life-saving cancer screenings such as mammograms because of expensive co-pays.

Now, anyone who joins a new health plan will be able to get key preventive care from pap smears to mammograms without paying a co-pay or deductible. And that also applies to preventive care such as vaccinations for your children.

Finally, Medicare is getting stronger. The health-care law addresses gaps in coverage by gradually closing the Medicare prescription drug doughnut hole. This year, seniors in the doughnut hole will get a 50 percent discount on covered brand-name drugs. By 2020, the doughnut hole will disappear.

At the same time, the law provides new tools and resources to crack down on fraud, which drains billions of dollars from the Medicare trust fund each year.

And it includes new support and incentives to help doctors and nurses across the country adopt best practices that can improve care and lower costs.

The health-care law won’t fix all the problems for women in our health-care system.

But it’s a big step in the right direction.

So this National Women’s Health Week, give the women in your life the gift of better health and make sure they know what the health-care law is doing for them.

Get serious about personal health for women’s health week

Popular culture often portrays American mothers as busy models of efficiency — appointment coordinators for their families’ trips to the doctor, dentist and school-related events.

But while mom often becomes Dr. Mom when cold-season or the flu bug hits the family, studies have shown that many American women tend to neglect their own health.

The “It’s Your Time” theme of National Women’s Health Week, celebrated in these days following Mother’s Day, encourages women to make their own health a top priority.

“Women are the caregivers for their families, yet oftentimes they forget or are simply too busy to take care of themselves,” said Morgan E. McGill, director of the Office of Women’s Health at the Indiana State Department of Health.

Her statement probably rings true for many busy mothers. It certainly does for a certain Tribune-Star journalist, who found herself hospitalized for six days after a nagging medical concern turned into a debilitating gall bladder attack. Two surgeries later, this journalist received a thorough scolding from a physician appalled that my last physical occurred more than, let’s just say, five years ago.

Husband and friends exacted a promise to take better care of myself.

So, when Women’s Health Week came onto the newsroom radar, getting a mammogram this week at the Clara Fairbanks Center for Women became my first step in that transition from caregiver to care receiver.

The recommended age for a women to receive her first mammogram is age 40. I missed that milestone. Not that I was unfamiliar with the procedure. I have driven my own mother-in-law to her annual mammogram appointments many times. In fact, 15 years ago, a mammogram detected my mother-in-law’s first sign of breast cancer, and she credits her annual checkups with adding years to her life.

Having enjoyed generally good health most of my life, aside from a few sports-related injuries, it has seemed to me that submitting to annual health screenings would be an admission of potential weakness. And my family genes contain no medical tendencies other than diabetes after age 60, so why worry?

I don’t smoke, still play softball and occasionally shoot hoops with my kids, and I don’t consume alcohol near as often or as much as I think appropriate for my profession. So what health concerns could I possibly have?

Well, I won’t know until I get screened, will I?

A sign in the waiting area of the Clara Fairbanks Center notes that the center has diagnosed 565 breast cancers since 2005. Of those, 98 have been in women younger than 50. That got my attention, along with the admonishment that delayed or late diagnosis may lead to more drastic and expensive treatments, anxiety and harm.

But there was no anxiety associated with the process of getting the mammogram. Radiology technician Leslie Voils specializes in the testing.

“Breast exams are totally different than anything because we are looking at tissue, not bones,” Voils said. “It’s one of the hardest exams for radiologists to read.”

Every person’s breasts are different, she explained, so what may appear normal in one person’s test may not be the same in another person’s test.

A visual exam is conducted to mark any moles or scar tissues, because those spots can show up in the mammogram as a lump. And then, one side at a time, a digital image is made of the breast tissue from a couple of different angles.

Now, many times, I have heard complaints from women who have said that their mammogram felt like their body part was being smashed. I can’t say I agree. It was painless. A bit awkward maybe, but nothing to fuss about.

Leslie told me that the center’s radiologist specializes in reading mammograms, and should read the films within 72 hours. I will receive a letter about my report, and my family doctor will receive a detailed report to add to my medical record.

So with that milestone now behind me, I will move on to other general screenings and immunizations for women. But which one to do next?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a chart online that gives guidelines for women’s health testing based upon ages. You can access recommended screenings for women at www.womenshealth.gov/prevention/general.

McGill from the state’s Office of Women’s Health said state leaders are making a big effort to raise awareness of women’s health in the state. The top three cancers for women in Indiana are breast, lung and colon cancer, she said.

Looking at the screening chart, I shamelessly breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that colorectal health screening should begin at age 50. That is one test I will admit to dreading. But I’ve promised to be screened on time.

Among the steps McGill’s office recommends that women can take to improve their health are:

• Get at least 2 1/2 hours of moderate physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both, each week.

• Eat a nutritious diet of foods, including vegetables and fruit.

• Visit a health-care professional for checkups and preventive screenings.

• Avoid risky behaviors such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt.

• Pay attention to mental health, including getting enough sleep and managing stress.

Eye doctor, you are next on my list.

Lisa Trigg can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or lisa.trigg@tribstar.com.

Five important facts to know

The American Cancer Society lists five important facts to share with friends about breast cancer.

• All women can get breast cancer — even those who have no family history of the disease.

• The two most important risk factors for breast cancer are being a woman and growing older.

• Women diagnosed with breast cancer early, when the cancer is small and has not spread, have a high chance of surviving it. Getting a mammogram is the best thing you can do to help fight breast cancer early. If you notice any breast changes, tell your doctor without delay.

• You can help reduce your chances of having breast cancer by doing regular physical activity, keeping a healthy weight and limiting the amount of alcohol you drink.

• Through early detection and improved treatments, more women than ever are surviving breast cancer.

DOH-CHD Caraga to strengthen women’s health teams in every barangay

The Department of Health – Center for Health and Development (DOH-CHD) Caraga headed by Regional Dir. Leonita Gorgolon will strengthen the Women’s Health Teams (WHTs) in every barangay being chaired by the barangay captains and co-chaired by Rural Health Midwives that is also supervised by doctors in the Rural Health Unit (RHU).

According to Dr. Grace Lim of DOH-CHD Caraga, the WHTs guarantee an efficient support system in the implementation of the Maternal Newborn Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) strategy.

Lim said that among the functions of the WHT are, to wit: 1) track every pregnancy in the community; 2) assist pregnant women in accomplishing the birth plan; 3) provide quality maternal care, family planning, STI prevention and HIV control and adolescent and youth health services appropriate at community level; and 4) make accurate recordings.
She also emphasized that their priorities are as follows: 1) to ensure every pregnancy is wanted, planned and supported; 2) every pregnancy is adequately managed throughout its course; 3) every delivery is facility-based and attended by physicians; 4) every mother and newborn care secures proper postpartum and postnatal care with appropriate package of services.

With this initiative, DOH-CHD looks forward to the full support of barangay officials for this program.

Members of the WHTs also include Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Nutrition Scholar, Day Care Center Workers, volunteers and others. (PIA-Caraga)

Hispanic women sought for research

Hispanic women in Illinois fare worse than others on many health measures, and Northwestern University doctors are trying a new tactic to address the problem.

This week, they’re launching a Spanish-language version of a women’s health registry website to encourage Hispanic women to participate in local medical research.

Cardiovascular disease, obesity and new AIDS cases disproportionately affect Hispanic women in Illinois.

Candace Tingen, research programs director at Northwestern’s Institute of Women’s Health Research, says including Hispanic women in research is important to help explain the disparities.

Women’s Health Week: Small Steps Yield Healthy Results

This week (May 8-May 14) is National Women’s Health Week, which is a week-long health observance, designed to promote women’s health. National Women’s Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages them to take steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases.

Top 10 things women can do to keep themselves healthy:

1) Get regular physical activity. This means at least 2 ½ hours of moderate physical activity, 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or a combination of both, each week. For women of all ages, physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, breast cancer and colon cancer. It also helps women maintain healthy bones as they age. Regular physical activity also decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression, something women are more likely to experience.

2) Eat a nutritious diet. For women, a diet focused on eating whole, plant-based foods provides protection against heart disease, certain types of cancer and obesity. Try to find minimally-processed or locally-grown foods whenever possible and make these foods the mainstay of your diet. Especially important for women is a diet rich in calcium, since women are at a greater risk than men of developing osteoporosis. Plant-based sources of calcium like beans, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts and collard greens are a great way for women to get calcium. These types of food choices also ensure that women are getting enough iron in their diets. Foods like lean red meat, lentils, spinach and almonds are iron-rich choices, as well. It is also important for women to be aware of the amount of alcohol and caffeine they consume. Women who consume high levels of caffeine and alcohol are at increased risk of osteoporosis and other chronic diseases. Try to limit alcohol consumption to one glass a day and caffeine to one cup a day.

3) Get regular check-ups. Regular visits to a health care professional to receive regular checkups and all the recommended preventive screenings help women stay healthy. Regular checkups are vital to the early detection of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, mental health illnesses, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and other conditions. Regular mammograms, screening for high cholesterol and blood pressure screening are keys to maintaining good health. To figure out which preventive screenings you are in need of, visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/whw/health-resources/screening-tool/index.cfm.

4) Stop smoking. Smoking is the most preventable cause of early death in this country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking-related diseases cause the deaths of about 178,000 women in the United States each year. On average, these women died 14.5 years earlier because they smoked. Most smokers start when they are teenagers, so the easiest way to not smoke is to never start. If you have a child at home, quitting is especially important, since children whose parents smoke are twice as likely to start smoking.

5) Focus on your mental health. Women are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety disorders throughout their lives. Many women play multiple roles in their families and maintain exhaustive schedules, and while women are often the caretaker of the family, they are not always good at taking care of themselves. It is important for women to recognize when they are having difficulty coping, and when to seek help either from their support system or from a trained mental health professional.

6) Wear a seat belt. The benefits of the cheap, effective and accessible measure are clear. While over 40,000 people die in car accidents each year, the use of seat belts could prevent death in about half of these individuals. This measure is not only important for women’s health, but also the health of their children. Research shows that when a driver is unbuckled, 70 percent of the time children in that vehicle will not be buckled either.

7) Maintain healthy relationships. Healthy relationships, whether they are with friends, family, or significant others, are key to a woman’s health and well-being. Healthy relationships increase self-esteem, improve mental and emotional health, and help women have fuller lives. Good social support, from friends, family and community members can decrease a woman’s risk of depression and other health issues. Being in an abusive relationship has many deleterious effects on women, including an increased incidence of clinical depression, chemical dependency, and suicide. The New Jersey Coalition for Battered Women has resources to help those in need (http://www.njcbw.org/).

8) Get a good night’s sleep. A good night’s sleep has been shown to improve memory, decrease risk of death, improve quality of life, improve school performance, aid in maintaining a healthy weight and lower stress. It is recommended that school-aged children get an average of 10-11 hours of sleep per night; teens get 8-9 hours; and adults get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.

9) Practice safe sex to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancy. Safe sex is important to protect women from a range of sexually transmissible infections (STIs) including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It also allows women to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.

10) Put yourselves first. Women often serve as caregivers for their families, putting the needs of their spouses, children, and parents before their own. As a result, women’s health and well-being becomes secondary. It is important for women to understand that maintaining their own health is a priority, and that following these easy steps will allow them to reach their goal of good health.

Letter: Stop funding failed programs

Wendi C. Thomas uses her May 8 column to carp about those of us who would like to see Planned Parenthood defunded.

So how is it that after the millions of tax dollars Planned Parenthood has collected in the last 50 years, the millions of dollars it has spent in so-called health care services, the millions of women it has “served,” nothing ever gets better?

In Memphis, STDs are still out of control, unplanned pregnancy is epidemic and the infant mortality problem “bests those of many developing nations.” Planned Parenthood has obviously failed at what it says its purposes are. Its programs have failed miserably for those it “serves,” but its programs have certainly been successful in lining Planned Parenthood’s pockets.

Indeed, all their efforts have accomplished is a guarantee of their part of the 9,000-plus abortions that happen in Shelby County every year with the fees they represent and more millions to them at the taxpayers’ expense.

Yet every time they are in jeopardy of losing a cent of public money, Planned Parenthood screams that without them all hell will break loose. “Hundreds of women will be turned away.” STDs and HIV will spin out of control! Women will be forced to have 10 babies before they are 30 years old! Teenagers won’t be able to get “protection” so they won’t get pregnant! Really?

We can do without Planned Parenthood entirely. Many local Christian-based health care providers offer STD testing and treatment, help in preventing unplanned pregnancy, and give prenatal care to prevent infant mortality, along with many other women’s health care services. They do it at no cost to the patient and without expecting taxpayers who don’t agree with them to pay up anyway. They do everything Planned Parenthood does except abortions.

No matter what Thomas says, that is really what it is all about. Protecting abortion.

Planned Parenthood’s failure is all around us. Enough already.

Women’s Health Day encourages females to boost health

Price was no obstacle Monday afternoon when several hundred women were able to take advantage of free health screenings.

The third annual Women’s Health Day at the Sue Mayborn Women’s Center comes at the start of National Women’s Health Week, an observance put together by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health.

The week is coordinated to encourage women to improve their health and lower risks of certain diseases.

“For the screenings, it’s a preventive measure,” said Michelle Demarais, community relations wellness coordinator. “A lot of people who come here are under-insured. I just talked to one woman who hasn’t been to the doctor in five years.”

The event included 15 vendors in the lobby of the women’s center at Metroplex Hospital. Additional rooms were filled with visitors taking advantage of available screenings. Speakers also spread information about diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

“It seemed to me to encompass everything I wanted to have checked at one time at one place,” attendee Ofelia Gonzalez said. “This is the first time I’ve been to an event like this. It’s very nice. I didn’t expect so many different stations and so much information, just about everything you’d want to know.”

The screenings included bone scans for osteoporosis and tests of blood glucose levels, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, height, weight and body mass index.

“It’ll have a very positive impact on the community because someone is willing to do all this for free. And that’s always a good thing for a lot of people and for a lot of places,” Gonzalez said.

Florida bills burden women’s health

In medical school, we learn that the patient comes first. Our Legislature is trying to gut this principle. The House passed six bills meant to separate women from medical care they need; the Senate approved four. I appeal to Gov. Rick Scott: Veto all four bills. They are meant to hurt, not help, Florida’s patients and their families. • All of this legislation targets abortion and abortion only. I am an obstetrician/gynecologist who specializes in medically complex abortions. I treat women who would be harmed if one or more of these bills became law.

I think of Karen: a 37-year-old married woman with a 6-year-old daughter. Karen and her husband wanted another child, and their daughter was excited about a little brother or sister.

Because of her age, Karen had an amniocentesis. The test showed that her baby had trisomy 18: a lethal condition. The baby was going to die in the uterus, during labor or shortly after birth.

Devastated, Karen and her husband visited specialists for second opinions, but the prognosis was the same. They decided, painfully, on abortion.

When she came to me, Karen had had multiple ultrasounds from nearly a month of testing. I didn’t need to do another ultrasound. Karen understood very well what was happening and had thought long and hard about her decision. After discussing her options for how to proceed, she underwent an uncomplicated surgical abortion procedure. She was relieved and finally able to grieve.

One of the bills on the governor’s desk would mandate ultrasounds before abortions. If that bill had been in effect when Karen was pregnant, I would have been required to perform yet another ultrasound. I would have had to offer Karen the opportunity to hear me describe and explain her baby’s appearance during the ultrasound, as well as a chance to see the ultrasound images.

I’m sure Karen would have said no to both; her baby’s deformities were all too familiar. To top it off, Karen would have had to sign a form from the state indicating that she had declined “of her own free will” — as if she didn’t know her own heart and mind.

Nothing in these requirements would change my patients’ minds about abortion. We don’t yet have conclusive evidence on the impact of ultrasound mandates, but some other states have passed similar bills. My colleagues there say that so far, their patients haven’t changed course after viewing or hearing about their ultrasounds.

If Karen’s story has a bright side, it is that her health insurance covered her prenatal care, testing, the specialists and her abortion. Karen and her husband could choose abortion without worrying about how to pay for it — a procedure for a pregnancy like Karen’s can cost thousands of dollars.

But our Legislature has determined that Floridians don’t deserve abortion coverage. The House and Senate passed a bill to prohibit any insurance plan available on the coming state health insurance exchange from covering abortion.

I had a patient, Marie, who carried a doomed pregnancy to term because she didn’t have abortion coverage and couldn’t afford the procedure. Marie’s trauma was exacerbated every day when strangers saw her pregnant belly and made cheerful inquiries about her baby.

The state of Florida must allow women to obtain abortion care when they need it. Like everything I studied in medical school and residency, abortion is safe, legal, rigorously researched, and vital to human health. The governor must not punish the women who need this procedure. I urge him to veto the exchange ban, the mandatory ultrasound requirements and the other pointless burdens on women’s ability to stay healthy.

Christopher Estes is an obstetrician/ gynecologist and a member of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health. He is an assistant professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and practices at University of Miami Hospital.