“Dr. Manoj Jain: Tap talk, programs to cut teen pregnancy - Memphis Commercial Appeal” plus 4 more

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• Dr. Manoj Jain: Tap talk, programs to cut teen pregnancy - Memphis Commercial Appeal
• Alternative to Planned Parenthood moves in - Beacon News
• An unintended consequence of weight-loss surgery: unplanned pregnancy - San Francisco Examiner
• Fewer city mums smoke during pregnancy - Nottingham Evening Post
• Khloe Kardashian Konfirms: Kopious Kourtney Kardashian Pregnancy ... - The Hollywood Gossip

Dr. Manoj Jain: Tap talk, programs to cut teen pregnancy - Memphis Commercial Appeal Posted: 30 Aug 2009 10:00 PM PDT A few months ago, I was asked to see a patient on one of our hospital's labor and delivery wards. As I entered the room I saw a child, the same age as my 13-year-old daughter, sitting on the sofa with a baby in her arms. "How lovely," I thought. "She's already holding her little brother or sister." But a moment later, I noticed that the girl was in a hospital gown with an IV pole at her side. I realized she was the patient, and she was holding her newborn baby. Unintended teenage pregnancies are a product of something gone awry in our society, in our schools and most importantly in our homes. Seven of every 100 teenage girls (ages 15-19) become pregnant every year, or four of every 10 girls become pregnant before they reach the age of 20, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. A third of teen pregnancies end in abortion. The impact of these teenage pregnancies is huge on both the mother and the baby. Pregnant teens are more likely to drop out of high school and even less likely to go to college; most turn to government assistance. The baby is more likely to have developmental disabilities, and a baby girl born to a teen is more likely to become a teen mother herself, according to Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. All in all, teen pregnancies cost the U.S. taxpayers $9 billion dollars each year, the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy reports. I was initially flustered as to how to address my young patient: "Ms. or Mrs. or ..." I used her first name. I asked my usual questions, but there were judgmental questions eating away at me. How did this happen? And a question for her parents, whom I met the next day -- how did you let this happen? And a question for our society -- how did we allow this to happen? The causes of teenage pregnancy are many, ranging from influence of peers, the media, alcohol and drugs, as well as lack of knowledge and availability of contraceptives. I like to blame the media. A 2008 Rand study found teenagers who watch lots of sexual content on television are twice as likely to become pregnant or impregnate someone over a course of three years compared with those who watched less sexual content. But there is more to it. Not too long after I met the 13-year-old mother, I began a difficult conversation with my 16-year-old daughter. I'm not worried that we don't talk to our children about questions of sexuality. My wife covers the ground in routine bedside chats, and I had brought up the teenage mother one evening over the dinner table. But as my eldest matures, I have been feeling an increased sense of urgency that I have these conversations myself. So I began: "Do they teach you about drugs, alcohol ... contraception in your school?'' "Well, in fifth-grade health they did." "Do you think they should in high school ... talk about teenage pregnancies?" "Yeah, I guess they should," she said, rolling her eyes, not sure where I was heading. I didn't know, either, but I kept going. I read up on what type of conversations parents should have with their children about sex. When I was growing up, I recall, my parents had a one-time "big talk" with me after we all sat down together to watch on TV a health special by Dr. Timothy Johnson on sex among adolescents. I listened, had no questions and was relieved when the program and our conversation were over. Now as a parent and a doctor, I'm pretty sure such one-time talks about sex aren't worth much. A recent study by the Rand corporation titled "Beyond the Big Talk" piqued my attention. In a randomized controlled trial, Rand researchers conducted anonymous surveys of parents at 13 workplaces and their teenage children. They found that if parents had repeated conversations about sex with their teenagers, the kids felt closer and more able to communicate with their parents. Why does this matter? Because it is this perceived closeness that is the glue that holds together parent-adolescent relationship. When the glue is tight, the evidence by a number of surveys, such as a 1997 National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health, shows that teenagers are less likely to initiate intercourse at a younger age and more likely to use contraception. In the old days, some, like my parents, feared repeated conversations would encourage or lead to greater sexual exploration or encounters. This is a myth. "The overwhelming weight of scientific evidence suggests that addressing abstinence and contraception does not hasten the onset of sex, increase the frequency of sex or increase the number of sexual partners," according to studies compiled the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. In addition to parent conversations, our schools and federal programs can play a critical role in helping to drop the teenage pregnancy rate. Congress will be debating whether to spend million of federal dollars for abstinence-only programs. The overwhelming scientific evidence is that such programs do not work -- rather comprehensive sex education with abstinence first is by far more effective. Since 1995 the teenage pregnancy rate has been declining, except for a blip upward last year. Researchers attributed the decade-long decline to increased contraceptive use and delayed sexual activity possibly from the fears of contracting HIV. So, on another occasion, I asked my 16-year-old daughter if she had seen contraceptives, like birth control pills or condoms, in any of her science or health classes. "No, not that I can remember," she said. Not surprisingly, some of the states with the highest teen pregnancy rates, such as Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee, also lack mandatory requirements for sex education in school. As we continue to battle teen pregnancies, we must not lose sight of the cultural and demographic factors that play a role, and how we can use the tools of conversation and sex education. Some weeks ago, I was called to see another patient who had just delivered a baby. To my initial relief, this time she was a 17 year old. Then, my patient told me it was her second pregnancy. Dr. Manoj Jain is an infectious disease physician and member of the Healthy Memphis Common Table Council. His previous articles can be found at mjain.net. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Alternative to Planned Parenthood moves in - Beacon News Posted: 30 Aug 2009 10:00 PM PDT Waterleaf Center will strive to counsel, assist pregnant women In a small strip mall a block away from the Planned Parenthood clinic on Aurora's Far East Side, a team of Christian activists plans to start counseling women to avoid abortion. The Waterleaf Women's Center at 2849 E. New York St. should be open for business within a couple of weeks, although the center was dedicated Sunday afternoon by Catholic clergy and about 75 supporters from the community. The center is the brainchild of three local women, who began searching for office space and raising funds for the project in January. Fundraising has gone well, said Waterleaf board president Kelly Gorsky, and the center will be able to offer pregnancy tests and all its counseling services for free. The center's core mission is to urge pregnant women not to have abortions, Gorsky said, with the official goal being to prevent one abortion per week. The center is not a medical facility and has no doctors on staff. Instead, clients will speak to professional or volunteer counselors, who can refer them to services like adoption agencies or financial assistance programs. "We want women to know that there's a whole network of people that can help," Gorsky said, adding that the center will work closely with Project Gabriel, a program run by the Catholic Church that provides needy mothers with anything from cash assistance to free babysitting. Financial hardships are a significant reason women consider abortions, said Waterleaf board member Maura Marcotte, so providing post-pregnancy support will be a key task for the center. "If you're worried about money, we can help you with that," Marcotte said. "If you're worried about finishing your education, we can help you with that." Counselors at the center will also show clients video testimonials from doctors and women about parenting, adoption and abortion "We'll be giving (clients) information about the risks of abortions," said Cyndi Crane, a Waterleaf board member who will work full time as a counselor at the center. She said the counselors will never try to frighten or intimidate clients, but rather provide a comprehensive look at options for dealing with unplanned pregnancy. "We're a resource center that's here just to present the facts and let (clients) know what kind of help is available," Crane said. She added that the center will also offer counseling to women who have had abortions. "I would not abandon (a client) no matter what choice they make," she said. At Sunday's dedication, supporters of the Waterleaf center barely mentioned the presence of the two-year-old Planned Parenthood clinic down the street. However, all the board members acknowledged that proximity to Planned Parenthood, which offers abortions, was a major factor in their effort to open the Waterleaf center. Planned Parenthood officials did not comment on the creation of the center. Planned Parenthood offers many of the same pre- and post-pregnancy counseling services, in addition to contraceptives and abortions. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

An unintended consequence of weight-loss surgery: unplanned pregnancy - San Francisco Examiner Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:17 AM PDT 1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe Subscribe Obesity is one of the most important health epidemics in the United States - an estimated two-thirds of the population is over-weight. Five percent of the population is morbidly obese, 100 lbs over their ideal body weight or a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Fewer city mums smoke during pregnancy - Nottingham Evening Post Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:03 AM PDT Comment on this story THE number of pregnant women who smoke in Nottingham has been cut dramatically with the help of city health and social workers. The smoking rate among pregnant women in Nottingham has fallen from 24% to less than 17% in four years. Of the 4,303 women who gave birth in the city in 2008/9 only 719 smoked during pregnancy. In 2004/5, 826 of the 3,569 mums who gave birth in Nottingham had smoked in the previous nine months. The trend comes despite an increase in smoking rates among the general population which means 39% of adults in Nottingham now smoke. A new integrated system has been introduced so pregnant women have access to support and advice before, during and after pregnancy. Nottingham is the only place in the country where they can get nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches, without having to go to a pharmacy or GP. Other areas which have cut the number of pregnant women lighting up have also seen a drop in overall smoking rates. Indu Hari, lead for Tobacco Control at Nottingham's CitiHealth, said: "It is definitely a step in the right direction but we still need to carry on doing it. "We can't take our foot of the pedal and we need to keep doing the hard work. "Smoking in pregnancy is one of the big issues in terms of infant mortality. "Second hand smoke is very bad for pregnant women and it has a bad effect on babies." Michelle Gergely from Wollaton was given help to quit her 15-a-day smoking habit a month into her first pregnancy. The 38-year-old is now five months pregnant and uses regular nicotine patches and an inhaler to keep cravings at bay. She was helped to access the New Leaf smoking cessation service by her midwife. Miss Gergely, who had previously smoked for more than 20 years, said: "It has been brilliant – I thought it would be much harder than it was. "I have tried to give up before but because of the pregnancy being so important that has a great influence on how much effort I have put in. "The thought of having a baby inside you and you are pumping smoke into its little lungs is worrying." The number of people referred to the city's New Leaf Pregnancy and Family Service increased from 300 in 2005 to 1,000 last year. They will be referred by a midwife who will offer them support in hospital or out in the community. Support such as one-to-one sessions, drop-in groups and home visits are available in settings such as leisure centres, children's centres and GP practices. Help to give up smoking is even given to people who access contraception and sexual health support as part of a 'preconception service'. Despite this success, city health bosses admit smoking rates are not following the national trend downwards. In his annual report, NHS Nottingham City's director of public health Dr Chris Packham said the high rates were "by far the most important threat to the health of our local population". To contact New Leaf Nottingham City free text NEW to 80800 or call 0800 561 2121. robert.parsons@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Khloe Kardashian Konfirms: Kopious Kourtney Kardashian Pregnancy ... - The Hollywood Gossip Posted: 30 Aug 2009 08:39 AM PDT Phew. That was klose. For a few moments, we were afraid we'd never heard about Kourtney Kardashian and her pregnancy ever again. How would we face each day without knowing whether or not the reality TV star has chosen to discover the gender of her baby? It's too unsettling a possibility to even konsider. Fortunately, Khloe Kardashian told TV Guide that her sister's expecting state just happens to koincide perfectly with the upcoming season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The writers have made it a "a major part" of new episodes. "It's going to be everything Kourtney is going through up until the birth," Khloe said. "It's more of a family situation anyway, so I think it's perfect timing." It really is. It's almost as though Kourtney pulled her goalie on purpose in order to give the show fresh storylines. Meanwhile, tonight's episode of Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami features a speed dating session Khloe sets up for her sister. The reason? "At first, I was trying to fight a lot more [to get Kourtney to date], but then I realized she was just so miserable without [Scott Disick]," Khloe said, referring to the man that has implanted his seed in her sister. When did Khloe kome to this realization? When she turned the pages of the script for the next episode. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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