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By Philmar Mendoza Kabua, BSN
Women’s health is more than reproduction care – it is a commitment to improve its overall health at each stage of life. From puberty and pregnancy to menopause and healthy aging, each step brings new health needs and presents an opportunity to reflect and take care of its health and well-being.
Preventive care
Preventive care is one of the most powerful tools to stay healthy at any stage in life. Regular examinations, screening and vaccinations can find health problems early, when they are easier to treat and manage. Here are some important steps to take:
- Having vaccinated for HPV can start at the age of nine for boys and girls in order to prevent certain types of cancers.
- Screening of cervical cancer, including PAP smear and HPV tests, should start around 21 years old.
- Mammograms are recommended from 40 years old to detect breast cancer early.
- Regular verification of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar can help prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease.
- Routine vaccinations, including influenza, COVVI-19, RSV and measles, can prevent serious illnesses and protect others.
Reproductive health
Reproductive health is at the heart of women’s health care needs. Access to contraception, prenatal care and postpartum and reproductive health education helps women to make choices empowered to support a healthy lifestyle. Sexual health education also promotes safe practices to help prevent sexually transmitted infections (IST). Here are some key services for reproductive health:
- IST routine test for sexually active people.
- Family planning conversations to explore pregnancy goals and decide whether or when the time has come.
- Education to establish healthy relationships to support positive results in mental health.
Healthy habits
Creating healthy habits is the key to supporting women’s health. Here are some tips for a healthy lifestyle:
- Eat a nutritional diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
- Stay active to reduce stress, manage weight and support heart health.
- Avoid smoking and limit alcohol consumption because both can increase the risk of serious health problems.
- Prioritize sleep by obtaining at least seven hours per night.
- Prioritize mental health by remaining connected with dear beings, doing pleasant things or speaking to a therapist or an advisor.
The UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation offers several programs through Arkansas to support women’s health, including central task, healthy start and mobile reproductive health.
- Centerringpregnancy is a group for group care program where pregnant women can share concerns, experiences and advice. It also connects pregnant women to a health care provider.
- Healthy Start promotes positive birth results and improves the health and well-being of mothers and babies by providing suitable prenatal and health services. Customers are assigned a community health worker to guide them through pregnancy and then, offering clinical navigation, education and head management services.
- Mobile reproductive health implies UAMS mobile health units traveling through Arkansas to provide essential health care, reproduction and prenatal services directly to communities.
Philmar Mendoza Kabua is an educator nurse at the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation, with more than 15 years of work in clinical and public health. For more information on the UAMS Institute for Community Health Innovation, visit Communityhealth.uams.edu.