With Mother’s Day, National Women’s Checkup Day, and National Women’s Health Week all in the month of May, it is a great time to cover women’s health. UNI Urgent Care supports women of all ages advocating for themselves and preventing disease through health education. We will be featuring 3 age groups this month: Preconception, Child Bearing, and Pre & Post Menopause.
Preconception years represent the years before pregnancy. Whether you plan to eventually have children or not, all women can benefit from preconception health. A priority in this age group is helping people get and stay healthy overall. It is at this age that UNI wants to help women take good care of themselves. Eating well and exercising is important during this phase of life, and with every phase of life, but there are some specific habits for women in this age group.
First and foremost, it is important to avoid unplanned pregnancies in the future by creating a birth control plan and a timeline for if/when you would like to conceive. From the ages of 18-20, it is important to see a doctor yearly for checkups and to discuss medical conditions, family health history, lifestyle, behaviors and important vaccinations. Oftentimes, this discussion may help ease you seamlessly into your family planning.
While preparing for the most fertile years of your life it is imperative to also have proper nutrition and supplementation. The CDC suggests women in this age group begin taking Folic Acid (a B vitamin) for proper cell regeneration. This can positively affect hair, nails and skin health. If you were to get pregnant during this phase of life, Folic Acid may help avoid birth defects as well. Your UNI Urgent Care doctor will also suggest cutting out the use of any harmful drugs or alcohol to achieve optimal health. Women should eat healthy and also be aware of their daily toxic load that could affect their ability to get pregnant in the future. This means staying away from toxic substances such as synthetic chemicals, metals, fertilizers, bug spray or cat/rodent feces. In general, detoxifying your home and workplace at any age is a good way to avoid disease!
As the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense, especially when it comes to your health and the eventual health of your offspring. UNI Urgent Care wants to help you make a plan, get healthy and face the years to come with confidence. Want to have control over your health? Give us a call today: (443) 656-0306
https://www.cdc.gov/preconception/overview.html