http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/15/AR2006051500875_pf.html
Forever Pregnant
Guidelines: Treat Nearly All Women as Pre-Pregnant

By January W. Payne
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 16, 2006; HE01

New federal guidelines ask all females capable of conceiving a baby to
treat themselves -- and to be treated by the health care system -- as
pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime
soon.

Among other things, this means all women between first menstrual period
and menopause should take folic acid supplements, refrain from smoking,
maintain a healthy weight and keep chronic conditions such as asthma and
diabetes under control.

While most of these recommendations are well known to women who are
pregnant or seeking to get pregnant, experts say it's important that women
follow this advice throughout their reproductive lives, because about half
of pregnancies are unplanned and so much damage can be done to a fetus
between conception and the time the pregnancy is confirmed.

The recommendations aim to "increase public awareness of the importance of
preconception health" and emphasize the "importance of managing risk
factors prior to pregnancy," said Samuel Posner, co-author of the
guidelines and associate director for science in the division of
reproductive health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), which issued the report.

Other groups involved include the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists, the March of Dimes, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, the
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention's Division of Reproductive
Health and the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities.

The idea of preconception care has been discussed for nearly 20 years,
experts said, but it has drawn more attention recently. Progress toward
further reducing the rate of unhealthy pregnancy results, including
premature birth, low birthweight and infant mortality, has slowed in the
United States since 1996 "in part because of inconsistent delivery and
implementation of interventions before pregnancy to detect, treat and help
women modify behaviors, health conditions and risk factors that contribute
to adverse maternal and infant outcomes," according to the report.

Nearly 28,000 U.S. infants died in 2003, according to the National Center
for Health Statistics (NCHS). The infant mortality rate increased in 2002
for the first time in more than 40 years to seven deaths per 1,000 live
births, but it did not change significantly in 2003. Birth defects, low
birthweight and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were the leading
causes of infant death in 2003, according to NCHS.

The U.S. infant mortality rate is higher than those of most other
industrialized nations -- it's three times that of Japan and 2.5 times
those of Norway, Finland and Iceland, according to a report released last
week by Save the Children, an advocacy group.
--
--sexkitten--
I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make
my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it.
-Voltaire

But Women Aren't Just Incubators, Right?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/15/AR2006051500875_pf.html
Forever Pregnant
Guidelines: Treat Nearly All Women as Pre-Pregnant

By January W. Payne
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 16, 2006; HE01

New federal guidelines ask all females capable of conceiving a baby to
treat themselves -- and to be treated by the health care system -- as
pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime soon.

Among other things, this means all women between first menstrual period
and menopause should take folic acid supplements, refrain from smoking,
maintain a healthy weight and keep chronic conditions such as asthma and
diabetes under control.

While most of these recommendations are well known to women who are
pregnant or seeking to get pregnant, experts say it's important that
women follow this advice throughout their reproductive lives, because
about half of pregnancies are unplanned and so much damage can be done
to a fetus between conception and the time the pregnancy is confirmed.