Vaccinations for Pregnant Women

For pregnant women, getting a flu shot will be extremely important this year. This message comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with particular regard for the H1N1 vaccine. The H1N1 virus, known throughout the media as swine flu, can cause premature labor in pregnant women, and can keep them in the hospital for weeks. Pregnant women are at a high risk for mortality from the virus – they make up about six percent of the H1N1-confirmed deaths in the country, though they only account for about one percent of the population.

Even with all of the information available on the importance of pregnant women getting vaccinated against the flu, only about 1 in 7 will go through with it. This discrepancy may be the result of women who are hesitant to take medications while pregnant, however, the CDC stresses that the vaccination is not harmful to the mother or the fetus. In fact, it is highly beneficial to both.

The antibodies that the mother makes after receiving the flu vaccine can easily cross the placenta and be delivered to the fetus. This gives the infant protection against the virus after birth, until the child is old enough to get a flu vaccine themselves. Babies are not vaccinated until they are six months old.

Interestingly, most obstetricians do not currently vaccinate their patients against either H1N1 influenza or administer the seasonal flu vaccine. This can make it difficult for a pregnant woman to obtain the vaccination, as many are reluctant to go to drugstore or grocery store immunization spots.

Compounding this problem is the reluctance of vaccine providers, mainly pharmacists, to fill a doctor’s prescription for a flu vaccine. There have been several accounts of pharmacists refusing to fill the prescription, though the American Pharmacists Association is urging its members to follow the CDC’s guidelines.

It is the hope of the CDC and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to increase the number of pregnant women to get not only the H1N1 vaccine, but the seasonal flu vaccine as well. Any kind of flu can be a serious detriment to the mother. Surveys conducted by ACOG suggest that more obstetricians will be delivering vaccines to their patients this year.

Drugstores hoping to gain rights to distribute H1N1 vaccinations are jumping on board as well. Walgreen’s, if they are to receive the vaccinations, will have signs up next to pregnancy tests, as well as written reminders for women buying prenatal supplements.

Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Varicose Veins

What are Varicose Veins?

In the legs there are deep veins found buried under layers of muscle, superficial veins that are closer to the skin, and perforating veins which connect the deep and superficial veins. Normally, valves in the perforating veins allow blood to flow in a one-way direction from superficial to deep. This allows all of the blood to be shunted into the deep veins, and then brought back to the heart to be re-circulated through the body.

When someone has varicose veins, there is a problem with the valves in the perforating veins. This causes blood to pool and remain in the superficial veins, which increases the pressure within the veins. The veins are capable of stretching, which makes them visible through the skin. When you’re looking at someone’s varicose veins (maybe your own!) you are viewing the blood within the superficial veins.

How are they treated?

The main goal of treatment of varicose veins is to bring the pooling blood out of the lower extremity. This may include elastic stockings or other compression device to help the veins gather enough pressure to return the blood back to the heart.

Surgical treatment includes stripping the veins, which may or may not include laser therapy. This eliminates the veins, so that the blood is forced to return to the heart through a different vein. This can eliminate a varicose vein that has already formed, but does not prevent new ones from forming.

What are the symptoms? Are they painful?

Varicose veins are usually not painful, especially in minor cases. However, the pressure of blood remaining in the superficial veins can cause discomfort. For this reason, as well as aesthetic reason, many people opt for surgical intervention to remove the affected veins.

Are Varicose Veins dangerous?

Generally, varicose veins are not a dangerous condition. Primary varicose veins are caused simply by faulty valves in the perforating veins. You may be predisposed to varicose veins based on heredity or an occupation that requires you to stand all day. Women are three times as likely as men to develop varicose veins, and they can be brought on by pregnancy as well.

Varicose veins may also be indicative of a more serious condition, known as deep vein thrombosis, or DVT. These are secondary varicose veins that are caused by a blockage within the veins. It is important to show your doctor any new varicose veins, as they should be able to diagnose a more serious underlying condition.

Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com