Archives for October 2016

Teen pregnancy rates in the US have declined drastically over the last 25 years, says Marla Ahlgrimm, a women’s health expert and author of The HRT Solution. In 2015, the number of live births to high-school age mothers was 249,078, which represents a birth rate of 22 in 1000 in this age group; in 1991, that number was 62 in 1,000.

Marla Ahlgrimm says the exact reasons for the sharp drop in teen pregnancy is not clear, though a cultural shift toward delaying sexual activity and widespread availability of birth control may have contributed.

A racial divide

Teen pregnancy rates vary between ethnicities, says Marla Ahlgrimm. Hispanic girls were the most likely to conceive between the ages of 15 and 19 (41 in 1000) followed by African American girls (39 in 1000). Caucasian females had lower numbers (18 in 1000) with young Asian women experiencing the lowest number of teenage pregnancies (9 in 1000). Socioeconomic factors, including access to education, family stability, and income all play a role in the occurrence of teen pregnancies. Marla Ahlgrimm notes that girls in the foster care system are more than twice as likely to have a baby as their peers in a family environment.

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HIV is a virus that affects the T-cells of the body, which work to fight disease. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, women with HIV are more prone to cervical cancer and severe pelvic inflammatory disease.

Transmission

HIV is a virus spread most commonly through unprotected sexual intercourse. Marla Ahlgrimm notes that people who use intravenous drugs may contract the virus if they share a needle with an HIV+ user. In women, HIV is typically contracted during unprotected vaginal sex.
Symptoms

HIV develops in three stages before culminating in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), says Marla Ahlgrimm. Once the virus enters the body it takes approximately two months for symptoms of the primary infection to emerge. These include fever, swollen lymph glands, rash, sore throat, and headache. Beyond the primary infection, swollen lymph nodes are usually the only symptom of the clinical latent infection stage. Marla Ahlgrimm describes the signs of an early symptomatic HIV infection as similar to the primary infection with the inclusion of extreme fatigue, persistent oral yeast infections, shingles, diarrhea, and unintentional weight loss.

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A normal pregnancy results when a fertilized egg develops inside the uterus. When that fails to happen, the pregnancy is referred to as ectopic. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, an ectopic pregnancy is not viable and poses an immediate risk to the life of the mother.

Most ectopic pregnancies take place in the fallopian tubes; however, they may occur in an ovary or, rarely, on another organ. Signs of ectopic pregnancy can mimic other conditions, asserts Marla Ahlgrimm. Vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain of any kind, weakness, fainting, or shoulder pain are all signs of a possible ectopic pregnancy in women of childbearing age. These symptoms may arise before pregnancy is even suspected.

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