My doctor says that I should try to get my weight down before I get pregnant. Why is that important?
Starting out your pregnancy at a healthy weight will also help you have an easier pregnancy, labor and delivery. An obese woman has a higher chance of having a miscarriage or a stillborn baby and developing other serious complications during pregnancy. Two of these complications are gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. An obese woman is also more likely to develop preeclampsia, a dangerous condition that can lead to premature birth and lifelong disabilities in a baby. Also, women in this category are more likely to need a cesarean section. It isn’t easy to lose weight, but the reward is great — a healthy pregnancy.

Is there such a thing as bifocal contact lenses?
Yes. Like bifocal eyeglasses, these contacts correct for presbyopia, a form of farsightedness that is common in middle age. This condition affects the ability to focus on close objects, especially in dimmer light. Bifocal contacts come with the two vision corrections, which are either segmented or blended together. With segmented lenses, the top half corrects for distance and the bottom half helps close up vision. Simultaneous contacts are designed with the vision corrections in concentric rings, like a bull’s-eye. This allows the eye to focus on close and far objects at the same time. Getting a proper fit is important, and it may take a few visits with your eye doctor to get the right fit.

Who should get the new whooping cough vaccine?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved two new booster vaccines to help protect against pertussis, or whooping cough, a contagious respiratory infection.

Whooping cough can start with symptoms similar to those of the common cold, such as runny nose, mild fever and dry cough. In one to two weeks, however, the coughing spells may become severe. Whooping cough is on the rise in the United States, and adolescents are at special risk for getting it. The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that adolescents due for a tetanus booster receive this vaccine as part of a combination booster called Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis). The ACIP also recommends that adults ages 19 to 64 get the new adult booster Tdap vaccine to help prevent the illness and avoid spreading it to children.

Back to Top