Early deliveries, from induced labor or C-sections, has been on the rise for more than a decade. One reason is that we’ve come to expect that babies born “a little bit early” will be fine. But babies born even a bit early are at risk for a variety of problems.
Many mothers and children qualify for WIC nutrition help. With just a phone call, parents get an appointment in one to two weeks, and will receive WIC checks at their first appointment.
C-section boom in Boston. A virus stalks the NBA. A hospital apologizes to actor James Wood. Personhood at conception? Judge-directed malpractice settlements. GOP missing the boat on health care reform?
Women who have private insurance plans can now get any contraceptive, including sterilization procedures, with the insurance plan picking up the entire cost.
Anti-abortion groups oppose the decision, arguing that contraception is against the religious beliefs of some Americans, and that some forms of emergency contraception, including Plan B, are akin to early abortion.
The influenza vaccine can not only protect pregnant women against the flu, it can also protect their newborn infants, health officials say.
Most individual polices don’t cover maternity care,
Since 1989, when the state’s rate peaked at 96 pregnancies per 1,000 teenaged women, the rate has halved to 46.6 per 1,000 last year.
Alternate birthing rooms cut use of epidural and anesthesia 18%, the need for drugs to speed labor 22% and the likelihood of Caesarian section surgery by 11%.
Some insurers treat pregnancy as a preexisting condition, charging pregnant women higher premiums, or refuse to cover childbirth costs.
Despite a decline over the past decade in the number of women who smoke during pregnancy, smoking is still a major cause of newborn deaths, early births and babies born with low birth weight.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first generic version of the “morning after” emergency contraceptive pill. Previously the only version of the pill on the market was Plan B, which was available without a prescription for women 18 and older and with a prescription for those 17 and under. The new [...]
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Lost in translation: Lack of trained interpreters can lead to medical errors
Interpreter services at hospitals and other medical settings are often inadequate, forcing family members, including children, to step in, or the task falls to medical staff members who may not speak the language well.
Some insurers deny ER coverage to people who have been drinking
Laws in more than half the states permit insurers to deny payment for medical services related to alcohol or drug use. Faced with the prospect of not getting paid for care, some ER personnel sidestep the problem by simply not testing patients’ blood or urine for alcohol.
Travel insurance can protect your wallet — and your health on vacation
Think your regular health insurance policy will cover you if you get into medical trouble overseas?
Don’t bet on it.
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