Story Ideas - 2015

Preventing Birth Defects

About one in every 33 babies is born with a birth defect in the United States each year.  Birth defects are serious conditions that can affect almost any part of the body, such as the heart, brain, spine, or foot. A birth defect can be found before birth, at birth, or any time after birth.  Most birth defects are found within the first year of life. Not all birth defects can be prevented. But, there are things that a woman can do before and during pregnancy to increase her chances of having a healthy baby.

If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, see your healthcare provider. Seeing your healthcare provider before you get pregnant can help you have a healthy pregnancy.  Prenatal care, which is health care received during pregnancy, can help find some problems early in pregnancy so they can be monitored or treated before birth.  There are other steps a woman can take to increase her chances of having a healthy baby:

• Get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day, starting at least one month before getting pregnant.
• Don’t drink alcohol, smoke or use “street” drugs.
• Talk to a healthcare provider about taking any medications, including prescription and over-the-counter medications and dietary and herbal supplements.  Also talk to a doctor before stopping any medications that are needed to treat health conditions.
• Learn how to prevent infections during pregnancy.
• If possible, be sure any medical conditions are under control, before becoming pregnant.  Some conditions that increase the risk for birth defects include diabetes and obesity.

For more information, see related links:

• Folic Acid
• Preconception Health and Healthcare
• Diagnosing Birth Defects
• More Tips to Prevent Birth Defects
• Causes and Risk Factors

Living with HIV

Today, an estimated 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the United States. Thanks to better treatments, people with HIV are now living longer—and with a better quality of life—than ever before. If you are living with HIV, it's important to make choices that keep you healthy and protect others.

It's very important for you to take your HIV medicines exactly as directed. Not taking medications correctly may lower the level of immune system defenders called CD4 cells and cause the level of virus in your blood (viral load) to go up. The medicines then become less effective when taken.

Be sure that your partner or partners know that you have HIV. Then they will know it's important to use condoms for all sexual activity and to be tested often for HIV. Protect your partners by keeping yourself healthy. Take all of your medicines and get tested and treated for other sexually transmitted diseases.

You can avoid spreading the virus to others by making sure they do not come into contact with your body fluids.

• Abstinence (not having sex) is the best way to prevent the spread of HIV infection and some other STDs. If abstinence is not possible, use condoms whenever you have sex—vaginal, anal, or oral.
• Do not share drug equipment. Blood can get into needles, syringes, and other equipment. If the blood has HIV in it, the infection can be spread to the next user.
• Do not share items that may have your blood on them, such as razors or toothbrushes.

For more information, see related links:

• HIV Treatment Works
• Act against AIDS

American Heart Month

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, many Americans are planning something special for loved ones – often involving heart-shaped cards, candy and other gifts. But February is also American Heart Month, a reminder of how important it is to focus on your own heart. Learn about your risks for heart disease and stroke and stay "heart healthy" for yourself and your loved ones.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, is the number 1 killer of women and men in the United States. It accounts for one-third of all U.S. deaths and contributes an estimated $320 billion annually in health care costs and lost productivity. CVD is also a leading cause of disability, preventing Americans from working and enjoying family activities.

CVD does not affect all groups of people in the same way. Although the number of preventable deaths has declined in people aged 65 to 74 years, it has remained unchanged in people under age 65. Men are more than twice as likely as women to die from preventable heart disease and stroke.

Race and ethnicity also affect your risk. An estimated 46 percent of African American men and 48 percent of African American women have some form of CVD. African Americans are more likely than any other racial or ethnic group to have high blood pressure and to develop the condition earlier in life. About 2 in 5 African American adults have high blood pressure, yet fewer than half have the condition under control.

Many CVD deaths can be prevented through the adoption of healthier habits, healthier living spaces, and better management of conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes.

You can control a number of risk factors for CVD, including:

• Unhealthy diet
• Physical inactivity
• Tobacco use
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Diabetes

Related links:

• More About Heart Disease
• Heart Disease and Genetics
• CDC Division of Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

 Top of Page

Preventing Teen Dating Violence with Healthy Relationships

Pre-teens and teens spend a lot of time thinking about, talking about, and participating in dating relationships. Adolescence is ideal for encouraging safe and respectful behaviors and skills.

Healthy dating relationships can have positive benefits, such as practicing communication skills and empathy.

Teen Dating Violence

Certain dating behaviors have a negative impact. For example, teasing and name-calling can become abusive and develop into serious forms of violence.

Teen dating violence can be physical, emotional, or sexual and can also include stalking. Consequences include depression, thoughts of suicide, and victimization later in life. This violence happens:

• in person,
• electronically,
• to females and males, and
• between current and former dating partners.

Healthy Relationships

Teens, families, organizations, and communities can work together to stop dating violence before it starts. School-based programs that give youth skills to build healthy relationships early can help.

In a healthy and safe relationship, each partner:

• Keeps His or Her Individuality. Each partner feels free to spend time apart, enjoy other friends, and keep activities and interests that are important to them.
• Respects Boundaries. Partners give each other physical and emotional space and respect each other’s privacy.
• Listens.  Each partner takes time to get to know the other person and what he/she values.
• Points Out the Positive. Each partner is respectful and encouraging, including pointing out positive qualities and giving compliments.
• Can Agree to Disagree. Each partner will have their own point of view and feelings about the same situations. It is expected that partners, like friends or co-workers, may not always agree. What is most important is how disagreements or conflicts are handled.
• Uses Healthy Communication. Each partner communicates in a healthy way by being honest and by expressing thoughts and feelings using respectful words.
• Is an Equal Partner. Each partner treats the other as an equal, and both make decisions in the relationship.
• Has Fun!

Related Links:

• Understanding Teen Dating Violence
• CDC TV’s Break the Silence: Stop the Violence

Did You Know: 50% of Blindness can be Prevented?

Blindness is severe vision loss that cannot be corrected by glasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery. The major blinding eye diseases among people 40+ years are: cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma.

Blindness and irreversible vision loss cost $139 billion in 2013, making it one of the costliest health conditions in the United States. Blindness and vision loss can severely affect quality of life, daily activities, attaining education, and social interactions.

Who's at Risk?

More than 4 million Americans aged 40+ years are visually impaired, including 1 million who are legally blind. An additional 61 million people are at risk for severe vision loss, and the number of blind and visually impaired people is expected to double by 2030 unless corrective action is taken.

Can It Be Prevented?

Approximately half of all blindness can be prevented. Many blinding eye diseases do not have symptoms in their earlier stages, so screening and early treatment are critical. People with blindness may benefit from vision rehabilitation and assistive devices to maximize their remaining vision and help them maintain an independent, productive life.

The Bottom Line

• Risks for blinding eye diseases include: diabetes, being African-American aged 40+ years, and being 65+ years.
• The risk of blindness can be reduced through early detection and treatment, so regular eye exams are important.
• Rehabilitation and assistive devices can help people with vision loss maintain an independent, productive life.

Related Links:

• Healthy People 2020
• Frequently Asked Questions about Vision Health
• National Eye Institute
• Prevent Blindness America
• The Glaucoma Foundation