5.16.2006
doctors who do little
A report out today from the CDC recommends that women of any childbearing age--puberty to menopause--approach their medical care as though they could become pregnant at any time. Like many public health proclamations, it goes too far for most of the population--most 13-year-old girls aren't going to get pregnant (though 84 out of 1000 will, according to the teen sex package also in today's Post). And one could argue that it assumes women aren't in control of their reproductivity enough to plan their pregnancies. (Come to think of it, if the Republicans have their way, this is exactly what will happen.) Still, it is a very good idea to encourage potential parents to have an in-depth pre-conception doctor's visit--and to make sure that insurance companies pay for it.
But these visits are currently far from standard procedure. In fact most women I know who call their doctor's office to say they think they're pregnant are told to schedule an appointment for weeks later, even though
[r]esearch shows that "during the first few weeks (before 52 days' gestation) of pregnancy" -- during which a woman may not yet realize she's pregnant -- "exposure to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; lack of essential vitamins (e.g., folic acid); and workplace hazards can adversely affect fetal development and result in pregnancy complications and poor outcomes for both the mother and the infant," the report states.
Women are already plenty concerned about this--we find out that we're finally pregnant after months of trying, and then remember that the previous week we shared a bottle of wine at dinner. Or we learn that the seemingly harmless over-the-counter decongestant we took after we knew we were pregnant has been known to cause birth defects in the first trimester. There's clearly a knowledge gap here. Maybe now doctors will try to fill it.
But these visits are currently far from standard procedure. In fact most women I know who call their doctor's office to say they think they're pregnant are told to schedule an appointment for weeks later, even though
[r]esearch shows that "during the first few weeks (before 52 days' gestation) of pregnancy" -- during which a woman may not yet realize she's pregnant -- "exposure to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; lack of essential vitamins (e.g., folic acid); and workplace hazards can adversely affect fetal development and result in pregnancy complications and poor outcomes for both the mother and the infant," the report states.
Women are already plenty concerned about this--we find out that we're finally pregnant after months of trying, and then remember that the previous week we shared a bottle of wine at dinner. Or we learn that the seemingly harmless over-the-counter decongestant we took after we knew we were pregnant has been known to cause birth defects in the first trimester. There's clearly a knowledge gap here. Maybe now doctors will try to fill it.
