While certain factors can increase one’s risk for Osteoporosis, there are some measures that all women can take to help prevent the development of Osteoporosis. One of these measures is to make sure you are getting enough Calcium in your diet. This infographic will explore how much Calcium women need throughout the different stages of their lives as well as some good sources of Calcium.

For more information about the symptoms, risk factors and ways to detect Osteoporosis, read this blog post. To learn more about the different ways to prevent Osteoporosis, check out this blog post.

High blood cholesterol can signal a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. To have your cholesterol checked, your health care provider will obtain a blood sample. A “lipoprotein profile” is a test run on your blood sample that gives information about your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

LDL cholesterol stands for low-density lipoprotein and is often referred to as “bad” cholesterol because it is the main carrier of harmful cholesterol in your blood. The higher one’s level of LDL cholesterol, the higher risk one has of heart disease and stroke.

HDL cholesterol stands for high-density lipoprotein and is often referred to as “good” cholesterol. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol seem to lower one’s risk of heart attack and stroke. Some recommendations to help raise one’s HDL cholesterol are to quit smoking, lose excess weight and become more active.

Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your body. They come from food and are produced by your body; they serve as a major energy source. Many people who have heart disease or diabetes have high fasting triglyceride levels.

Blood pressure is recorded as a ratio of two numbers. Systolic is the name for the top number and it measures the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. Diastolic is the name for the bottom number and it measures the pressure in the arteries between heartbeats. Managing your blood pressure can result in a lower risk of heart attack and blood vessel diseases, stroke and kidney disease.

For more information about other numbers to track for heart health as well as tips for living a heart-healthy lifestyle, visit the Web site of the American Heart Association.

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Beginning Monday, January 7, 2013, Virginia Women’s Center health care providers will have the Tdap vaccine available for our patients who have never received it before. Pregnant patients who wish to receive the Tdap vaccine will be vaccinated at an appointment after 20 weeks gestation.

What is pertussis? 

Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is a highly contagious disease that causes severe coughing. People with pertussis may make a “whooping” sound when they try to breathe. In newborns, pertussis can be a life-threatening illness. It can be prevented with a vaccine called Tdap.

Who should receive a Tdap vaccine?

• Women who are pregnant and have never received a Tdap vaccine before should receive it after 20 weeks gestation. The Tdap vaccine will protect the mother and baby from serious illness and the complications of pertussis.
• Women who did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy should receive it immediately after the baby is born.
• Women who are breastfeeding and who did not receive the vaccine during pregnancy or immediately postpartum.
• Women who have never received a Tdap vaccine before and who are planning pregnancy or who may become pregnant.
• Family members and/or caregivers of newborns who have never received a Tdap vaccine should receive it at least two weeks prior to having contact with a baby.
• Patients with an unknown or uncertain Tdap vaccination status are considered unvaccinated and are therefore eligible to receive the vaccine.

What are the risks of pertussis in infants?

In 2010, 27,550 cases of pertussis were reported in the United States; 3,350 of those cases were in infants younger than 6 months of age – 25 of those infants died. Studies have shown that when the source of pertussis was identified, mothers were responsible for 30 to 40 percent of infant infections.

Pertussis can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening complications in infants, especially within the first six months of life. In infants younger than one year of age who get pertussis, more than half must be hospitalized. The younger the infant, the more likely treatment in the hospital will be needed. Of those infants who are hospitalized with pertussis, about one in five will get pneumonia and one in 100 will die.

How can pertussis be prevented in infants?

There are currently no pertussis vaccines licensed or recommended for newborns at birth. The best way to prevent pertussis in a young infant is by vaccinating the mother during pregnancy. When a mother is vaccinated with Tdap during pregnancy, her infant will gain pertussis antibodies during the most vulnerable time – before three months of age. Infants are able to be vaccinated against pertussis at two months of age.

Virginia Women’s Center is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com