HPV | Who Should Be Doing Your PAP?

Posted on November 3, 2011 by admin

Should We Do PAP’s Less Frequently
Who Should Be Doing Your PAP?

by Frisco Womens Health on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 12:21am.

The most common cause of Cervical Cancer, squamous cell is directly related to HPV exposure and has nothing to do with family history.  The more types of HPV you are exposed to the higher the risk.  There are over 70 types, some being more oncogenic (likely to promote cancer).  I have seen 21 year olds with cervical cancer due to promiscuity and not getting Pap’s.  The US Preventive Services Task Force is the same federal panel that said women should not get screening mammograms until age 50.  They base everything on the cost of screening versus the additional cases of cancer that would be detected.  For example, if you need to do 2000 extra mammograms to pick up one extra case of breast cancer between age 40 and 50 they decide if that costs too much.  Do you think we should put a certain value on a women’s life?  That is what they are doing.

With Pap’s I have no problem spacing them out in monogamous patients with few previous partners who in the past have had normal PAP’s.  Most of the time it can take 10 years to go from no cancer to cancer on your cervix, but there are exceptions, adenocarcinoma of the cervix can pop up anytime, luckily it is rare and if you have 4 high risk HPV types and smoke you could get cancer in 2 years.

The real issue for me is if I do not remind you to come in every year for a PAP you will likely skip visiting me yearly.  Yes I will miss seeing you and hearing about your family but more importantly you will miss, a yearly pelvic exam which is currently the only way to detect ovary cancer, no yearly clinical breast exam, no reminder to check your own breasts and no opportunity for me to reinforce other preventive measures and testing like a bone density study, colonoscopy, cholesterol check etc.

Of course your FP or Internist may do your pelvic for convenience but, do you know how many months of training they have had in gynecology?  Maybe 2 months and they were the lowest on the totem pole to do any pelvic exams, behind the OB/GYN residents in training.  I did a 4 year residency just dealing with women’s health issues and have been practicing OB/GYN for more than 13 years.  Who is more likely to pick up ovarian or uterine cancer?

Less PAP’s would save a lot of money but the tradeoff is the missed issues noted above.  One thing I should tell you is the pathologists and ACOG want us to get high risk HPV testing on everyone.  I only do HPV testing if a PAP is equivocal for precancer (dysplasia).  If I did HPV testing on everyone that would lead to 28% of people getting the colposcopy and cervical biopsies they mention in the Washington Post article as being harmful.  In addition, being HPV positive is just another thing to worry about that we have no cure for and that usually does not cause cancer.

I am glad we have a vaccine (Gardasil) that prevents 70% of the HPV that leads to abnormal PAP’s and cervical cancer.  Over time we should see a significant drop in abnormal PAP’s as teenagers get Gardasil.  Colposcopy and biopsies of the cervix cause significant pain for 50% of the patients I see.  I hate doing them but they are the only way to insure you do not have cervical dysplasia (precancer) or cancer.

Should We Do PAP’s Less Frequently & Who Should Be Doing Your PAP?by Frisco Womens Health on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 12:21am. The most common cause of Cervical Cancer, squamous cell is directly related to HPV exposure and has nothing to do with family history.  The more types of HPV you are exposed to the higher the risk.  There are over 70 types, some being more oncogenic (likely to promote cancer).  I have seen 21 year olds with cervical cancer due to promiscuity and not getting Pap’s.  The US Preventive Services Task Force is the same federal panel that said women should not get screening mammograms until age 50.  They base everything on the cost of screening versus the additional cases of cancer that would be detected.  For example, if you need to do 2000 extra mammograms to pick up one extra case of breast cancer between age 40 and 50 they decide if that costs too much.  Do you think we should put a certain value on a women’s life?  That is what they are doing.

With Pap’s I have no problem spacing them out in monogamous patients with few previous partners who in the past have had normal PAP’s.  Most of the time it can take 10 years to go from no cancer to cancer on your cervix, but there are exceptions, adenocarcinoma of the cervix can pop up anytime, luckily it is rare and if you have 4 high risk HPV types and smoke you could get cancer in 2 years.

The real issue for me is if I do not remind you to come in every year for a PAP you will likely skip visiting me yearly.  Yes I will miss seeing you and hearing about your family but more importantly you will miss, a yearly pelvic exam which is currently the only way to detect ovary cancer, no yearly clinical breast exam, no reminder to check your own breasts and no opportunity for me to reinforce other preventive measures and testing like a bone density study, colonoscopy, cholesterol check etc.

Of course your FP or Internist may do your pelvic for convenience but, do you know how many months of training they have had in gynecology?  Maybe 2 months and they were the lowest on the totem pole to do any pelvic exams, behind the OB/GYN residents in training.  I did a 4 year residency just dealing with women’s health issues and have been practicing OB/GYN for more than 13 years.  Who is more likely to pick up ovarian or uterine cancer?

Less PAP’s would save a lot of money but the tradeoff is the missed issues noted above.  One thing I should tell you is the pathologists and ACOG want us to get high risk HPV testing on everyone.  I only do HPV testing if a PAP is equivocal for precancer (dysplasia).  If I did HPV testing on everyone that would lead to 28% of people getting the colposcopy and cervical biopsies they mention in the Washington Post article as being harmful.  In addition, being HPV positive is just another thing to worry about that we have no cure for and that usually does not cause cancer.

I am glad we have a vaccine (Gardasil) that prevents 70% of the HPV that leads to abnormal PAP’s and cervical cancer.  Over time we should see a significant drop in abnormal PAP’s as teenagers get Gardasil.  Colposcopy and biopsies of the cervix cause significant pain for 50% of the patients I see.  I hate doing them but they are the only way to insure you do not have cervical dysplasia (precancer) or cancer.

Posted in General, Gynecology, HPV | Leave a comment

The Ups and Downs of Hormones

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

(This article was written by Frisco OBGYN Dr. Jonathan Weinstein for Baylor of Plano)

You blame hormones for your monthly acne breakouts and your mood swings. They lay at the heart of your perimenopausal hot flashes, insomnia and mood swings. However, while they often get a bad rap, hormones are not necessarily as bad as they’ve been portrayed. They are simply chemicals that affect growth and development, your metabolism, sexual function, reproduction and mood.

For women, hormones are particularly important to understand during menopause, a time when your natural estrogen levels are dropping. Together, you and your doctor have decisions to make about how to handle those changes, explains Jonathan Weinstein, M.D., an OB/GYN on the medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano.

Understand the past. “When I graduated, we were told to give everyone hormone replacement,” Dr. Weinstein says. “We were told it would help prevent heart attacks, strokes, Alzheimer’s disease and more.”

In 2002, things changed when the Women’s Health Initiative showed that Prempro®, a common hormone therapy drug that combined Premarin® and progestin, actually increased women’s risks for breast cancer, heart disease and strokes.

“After 2002, nearly every primary care doctor in the country stopped giving patients hormone replacement therapy,” Dr. Weinstein says. “I don’t mind giving hormones as long as people know the risks and benefits. Benefits include a sense of well-being, and the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis among others.”

Know the current data. Women going through menopause are likely to experience hot flashes, irritability, mood swings, bladder problems and more, Dr. Weinstein says. Moreover, the estrogen withdrawal, he explains, causes skin to become less elastic leading to changes of the genitalia that can result in pain during intercourse, vaginal dryness, urinary incontinence and difficulty with bowel movements.

Today, Dr. Weinstein says, “several hormone therapy replacement options that have better safety profiles are available.” Doses also tend to be lower than 10 years ago, he says, and beyond pills, options include patches and gels that contain estrogen and progesterone.

Choose your future. Ultimately, hormone therapy is a choice you and your doctor should make together.

“There are potential risks, but you have to weigh those risks against the benefits,” Dr. Weinstein says. “If women don’t take hormones, they’ll make it through menopause, but they’ll have an increased risk for mood swings, anxiety and depression.”

Those who are opposed to hormones, he adds, might consider anti-depressants to help with mood and hot flashes as well as other medications for osteoporosis prevention.

Posted in General, Gynecology | Leave a comment

Endometrial Ablation

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

In the following article Dr. Weinstein of Frisco Women’s Health covers his concerns regarding endometrial ablation for his Frisco and McKinney patients.

Endometrial Ablation without Permanent Sterilization (Vasectomy or Tubal Blockage) = Recurrent Abortion and Serious Risk of Patient Complications

Endometrial Ablation: What You Need to Know

I’ve met several patients over the years, now two in Frisco, that have had an endometrial ablation done by their physician without ensuring the patient or husband has been sterilized.  Ablation only helps with heavy vaginal bleeding it does not prevent pregnancy.  Essentially these patients are getting pregnant, the egg and sperm get together in the fallopian tube and then the hostile environment created by the ablation prevents implantation of the fetus.  The result is a normal period containing the embryo.

Sterilization via Adiana & Endometrial Ablation

If you know anyone in this situation, she should seek hysteroscopic sterilization via Adiana or vasectomy by her partner, as soon as possible.  Eleven years ago, my then partner took a woman to the surgery center for Dilation & Curettage (D&C) because she had had an ablation performed by another physician and started bleeding profusely at home.  Her pregnancy test returned positive and an ultrasound revealed a dead ten-week baby.  When he performed the D&C in attempt to stop her bleeding it would not stop, the woman required four units of blood and an emergency hysterectomy because the patient had never had permanent sterilization.  The baby tried to grow into the muscle of the uterus instead of the endometrial lining because it had been removed with the ablation.

Edometrial Ablation Policy & Procedures

For those considering endometrial ablation, our office policy is to either perform hysteroscopic sterilization or have the husband get a vasectomy before the ablation.  This avoids any potential for the issues not above.

Remember, Endometrial Ablation is not a form of birth control.

Jonathan Weinstein, MD, FACOG

Posted in Childbirth, Gynecology, Pregnancy | Leave a comment

Adiana: The Evolution of Permanent Birth Control

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

Initially, when women wanted permanent sterilization Obstetricians and Gynecologists performed tubal ligation (“having your tubes tied”). That procedure involved either general or regional anesthesia in a hospital setting and anywhere from 1-3 incisions, with at least 2-3 day downtime to recover.

With the desire to decrease recovery time, avoid incisions and with the added benefit of significantly cutting patient expense and missed work, hysteroscopic sterilization was developed.  A camera views the openings of your fallopian tubes through your cervix, the opening of your uterus, and then a device is used to block the tube causing your body to complete the process of complete obstruction over a 3-month period.

What is Adiana?  By stimulating your body’s own tissue to grow in and around, tiny, soft inserts that are placed inside your fallopian tubes you will achieve permanent sterilization.  The inserts are the size of a grain of rice or 3.5 mm.  The computer informs the operator when proper placement has occurred.  The procedure itself takes less than 12 minutes including the anesthesia given in the office.  Most patients go home within one hour of arriving for the procedure and return to work the next day with minimal if any pain medication required.

-        It’s permanent

-        It’s safe

-        It’s effective

-        Uses no drugs or hormones

-        Recovery is quick

-        Leaves nothing in your uterus

The initial device brought to market for this procedure used a metal coil that needed to spring open to block the tubes (ESSURE).  I have used this device to block tubes on several patients.  As a gynecologic surgeon, I am always open to the use of new products that benefit the patient, which is why our office is such a big proponent of daVinci Robot Assisted surgery.

My issue with ESSURE has always been two fold, one it leaves two metal springs permanently inside the patient and two limits your ability to perform other needed procedures in the future that use electrocautery (a tool used to limit bleeding when performing other surgery).  Let me give you real life examples of how these issues come into play.

A new patient comes to see me with the sudden onset of severe doubling over pelvic pain on the right side, her pelvic sono shows nothing but she cannot stand up.  Her only surgery was gallbladder removal 6 months earlier.  I take her to the operating room for Laparoscopy and only find a small metal surgical clip right where she describes the pain.  The clip fell off or was dropped during her previous gallbladder surgery and landed on a nerve inside her lower abdomen.  I removed the clip and she woke up completely pain free.

A patient operated on by another surgeon has had significant post-operative pain following removal of an ovary and tube.  This leads to two additional surgeries in attempt to relieve pain that was not present before the first surgery.  I ordered a CT scan, which revealed multiple surgical clips at the site of her previous surgery.  It is true that many physicians believe metal clips are harmless to the patient, despite the fact we have other ways to doing the same surgery.  I removed 14 clips from the patient via laparoscopy and the pain resolved.

What I am saying, is why use metal when other surgical tools can do the same thing?  My colleague told a story of a patient here in Dallas who had ESSURE performed and then had persistent pelvic pain afterwards.  The surgeon chose to go in and remove the ESSURE, which is no easy procedure as the spring expands inside the uterus and thru the tube.  That surgeon used electrocautery to remove the ESSURE.  As a result the electrical current traveled along the metal coils and then into a nerve in her leg.  She has permanent nerve damage in her leg.

If you are interested in more info on Adiana, feel free to go to our website, where a patient video and other information can be found.  You may schedule an in office consultation, with me to discuss any questions regarding this or any other women’s health issue you may have.

Please note, currently only a handful of physicians in Collin County have been trained in the placement of Adiana.

Jonathan Weinstein, MD, FACOG

Posted in Birth Control, Gynecology | Leave a comment

How To Avoid A Cesarean Section (C/S)

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

In Collin County and the Dallas/Fort Worth area the average Cesarean Section (C/S) rate is between 35-60%.  That means if you deliver at a local hospital, you have a good chance of getting surgery.  That is not what I would want for my wife, Judy or anyone’s wife and so I present you with this information as a form of education to the layperson that may be planning to have a baby in the future.

What is required to achieve a successful vaginal delivery?  Here are some tips.

Breech (Buttocks First) Presentation Is Correctable.

1)           In the few weeks before 36 weeks, be sure your baby is head down, after that time it is unlikely to turn on its own.  In the weeks before this, you can perform breech exercises to help your baby turn.  This is a simple position that involves getting on all fours with your buttocks in the air to help get the presenting fetal part out of your pelvis and allow your baby to turn naturally.  15 minutes a day is all the time required.

2)           At 36 weeks, your physician should offer to perform an External Cephalic Version (ECV).  This is a simple procedure where your physician meets you in Labor & Delivery places an IV, administers medication to relax your uterus then gently rotates the baby using some ultrasound gel placed on your belly.  Some babies will summersault forward, some go backwards but in the appropriate patients, a good OB/GYN should have a 50-80% success rate.  Please note that not all OB/GYN’s are comfortable performing the procedure and will just tell you that you need a C/S.  This is just not true ECV, is a widely accepted practice supported by the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Excerpt from ACOG Practice Bulletin #13:

“Because the risk of an adverse event occurring as a result of ECV is small and the cesarean delivery rate is significantly lower among women who have undergone successful version, all women near term with breech presentations should be offered a version attempt…

Patients should have completed 36 weeks of gestation before attempting ECV.

Previous cesarean delivery is not associated with a lower rate of success; however, the magnitude of the risk of uterine rupture is not known.

There is insufficient evidence to recommend routine tocolysis for ECV attempts for all patients, but it may particularly benefit nulliparous patients.

Evidence is inconsistent regarding the benefits of anesthesia use during ECV attempts.

Cost-effectiveness depends upon utilization of vaginal breech deliveries and costs of the version protocol at a particular institution, but at least one decision analysis suggests the policy is cost effective…

Fetal assessment before and after the procedure is recommended.

External cephalic version should be attempted only in settings in which cesarean delivery services are readily available.”

Twins, Does NOT Mean Automatic C/S

For some obstetricians, twins means C/S and they will tell you all kinds of reasons why.  In short, if the first baby is head down you have a very good chance of delivering vaginally.  The second baby if breech can be turned in the uterus after the first one is delivered, or if the doctor has been trained in breech vaginal deliveries, the second baby can be delivered in the breech position.

The Elective Induction, Buyer Beware

This has to be the biggest reason for the rise in C/S rate in the United States, likely only second to your doctor’s fear of being sued despite trying to do the best thing for you and your family.

Elective induction can be convenient for both the mom and the doctor but buyer beware.  If your cervix is not ripe (dilated and thinned out) prior to an attempted induction of labor you have up to a 90% failure rate for your induction which usually translates to you getting a C/S.  Now, if you are dilated to 3 cm at 39 weeks and want to have your baby by the afternoon then go for it!  I have no problem with electively inducing you because the success rate is high.

However, if your cervix is closed just wait.  I will wait up to 41.5 weeks before some intervention is required.  After this point, studies show your baby can have a poor outcome.  Of course, we monitor you in the office after 40 weeks to make sure your amniotic fluid level is normal and the baby’s heart rate is reassuring.  While we wait, most patients go into labor spontaneously or dilate enough to allow for successful induction and vaginal delivery.

Once A Cesarean, Always A Cesarean, The Myth

The Vaginal Birth After A Cesarean Section or VBAC does exist.  You just need to know the criteria and the risks.  Of course, you have to find a doctor willing to stay with you during your labor in case a C/S is needed.  Unfortunately, the VBAC is becoming less frequent as a result.  I have had very good success with VBAC’s the key is to follow the rules.  This is an article in itself.  Needless to say, one of the keys to a successful VBAC is patience.  The mom has to go into labor on her own and cannot receive any medication to induce or augment labor.  I discuss all this with you at your initial visit and then you and your significant other get to go home and discuss it.  In addition, you can change your mind at anytime and say Dr. Weinstein I just want a C/S and I say, “no problem.”

Herpes, You Need To Be Screened At The Beginning of Pregnancy

It amazes me how many people are still getting a C/S because they have a herpes outbreak when they go into labor.  There is a simple blood test to see if you have ever been exposed to the virus most commonly associated with genital herpes.  On a regular basis I see OB patients in monogamous relationships with no history of Herpes come back positive for prior exposure.  In fact, 1 in 5 adults, more women than men, or 45 million people have Herpes.  You might not know the symptoms or maybe you have outbreaks that are in your vagina or you are just asymptomatic.  Maybe you got it three partners ago and have been married for five years.  Men do not have outbreaks as often or bad as women.  My point is there is a single pill that can be taken daily from 36 weeks on that almost always prevents you from having an outbreak when you deliver.

When you are pregnant your immune system is suppressed so your likelihood of an outbreak is higher, which by the way is the same reason your cold lasts twice as long as everyone else’s when you are pregnant.  So please ask your doctor to test you.  Herpes exposure to a newborn can be life threatening.  A blood test and a simple pill can prevent a C/S and ensure a healthy baby

Summary

As you can tell, I am a big fan of the vaginal delivery.  I have seen what multiple cesarean sections can do to a women’s anatomy, it triples your blood loss compared to a vaginal delivery, results in emergency hysterectomies because the placenta of this pregnancy decided to grow over your last scar so it won’t detach, among countless other unpleasant things.

Now some people just need a C/S whether it be for fetal distress, failed ECV, medical reasons, the baby is too big to fit through your pelvis etc.  Moreover, if this is the case, in an emergency a good OB can deliver a baby by C/S in 1 minute from skin to birth.

My Philosophy

I would not suggest or agree to anything that I did not feel comfortable with for my own family.  This applies to everything I do as a women’s health physician and in life.  Whether it is gynecology in the office, surgery at the hospital, treatment of a cold or urinary tract infection, recommendations for preventive care, counseling on depression, anxiety or smoking cessation or delivering your beautiful child.  I want you to feel comfortable speaking with me, I want to hear about your family and I want you to be healthy and happy.

Thanks for your time.

Jonathan R. Weinstein, MD, FACOG

www.friscowomenshealth.com

Posted in Childbirth, Pregnancy | Leave a comment

Whooping Cough Health Alert

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

Our ObGyn practice has just experienced our first patient whose 3 month old baby developed Whooping Cough (Pertussis) here in Frisco, TX. For those not familiar with this condition, it is a scary bacterial infection that initially starts out like any other cold but quickly leads to coughing spells that in children can cause them to stop breathing or turn blue, these same symptoms can apply for infected adults. It also can progress to pneumonia and require hospitalization. Medically, up until 3 years ago, there was no vaccine for adults, just for children.

The childhood vaccine requires 5 injections and takes 6 months to establish immunity. The Tdap vaccine for adults should be given to significant others and caregivers who are around current or future newborns. A booster is given every ten years to adults. Our office will gladly administer the vaccine to anyone in contact with your baby, just call. Children receive their last booster at 9-10 years of age.

Look for a more detailed article on the website soon.

Posted in General, Pediatric | Leave a comment

Well Woman’s Annual Exam

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

Are you overdue for your dreaded yearly exam? I like to remind people that a gynecology visit is often the only time most women take the opportunity to see a doctor. It is your opportunity to address your physical and emotional well-being.

It is not just a pelvic & breast exam. It is a chance for me, as your ObGyn doctor, to evaluate for high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, vitamin D deficiency, anemia, cancers such as uterine, cervical, ovarian, breast and colon cancer (in women over 50 years old). The purpose is to prevent disease not torture you.

Call us at Frisco Womens Health (972)668-8300; take the time to get yourself checked out so you can be there to enjoy your spouse, children and grandchildren. We also offer a variety of vaccinations to prevent cervical cancer & genital warts (Gardasil), Hepatitis A and B (Twinrix) as well as tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Boostrix).

Do not wait until you develop a problem, preventing one is the way to enjoy your life for years to come. My patients have come to expect that I will be their healthcare partner, providing crucial health updates and cutting-edge technology to take care of them!

Posted in Gynecology | Leave a comment

Why Do You Need The HPV (Gardasil)?

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

Why Do You Need The HPV Vaccine (Gardasil)?

For years, women have been subjected to multiple Pap smears, colposcopies with cervical biopsy and Conization of the cervix (removal of a large part of the cervix) because of a sexually transmitted disease, the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

This disease is passed from men to women with no effect on men but devastating effects for women. Unfortunately, HPV is the ‘gift that keeps on giving’; men have unprotected sex then pass one of at least seventy strains of the virus onto women who then carry it for life until stress or anything that suppresses their immune system creates genital warts (condyloma acuminatum) or pre-cancer of the cervix (dysplasia) form.

All along, men often will live symptom free, but women are stuck with the stigma of HPV potentially causing a problem at any time. The HPV vaccine does not cause paralysis, cervical cancer, or for you to contract the HPV virus, this is just internet non-sense. If everyone in the United States got the vaccine before becoming sexually active, cervical cancer would be eradicated.

Best of all insurance currently covers the vaccine from age nine through twenty-six years old. It is even helpful for women who already have experienced Pap smear problems to come in for a consultation.

Posted in General, Gynecology | Leave a comment

Surgical Advancement Vinci Robotic System

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

NOW THAT’S SURGICAL ADVANCEMENT

Yesterday I removed an 11 cm ovarian mass from a 68 year old woman, using the da Vinci Robotic System at Baylor Medical Center at Frisco. What’s the big deal? Her largest incision was 1.5 cm, she lost less than 50 cc of blood while removing her uterus and ovaries (Robot Assisted Total Vaginal Hysterectomy, Bilateral Salpingoopherectomy) and she went home in the morning. Ninety-nine percent of OB/GYNphysicians in America would have cut her open (laparotomy) from her pubic bone to her belly button and she would have stayed in the hospital for at least 3 days with easily 6 times the blood loss.

Moral of the story, keep up with the latest training and your patients will benefit immensely.

Posted in Gynecology | Leave a comment

Flu Vaccine Recommended During Pregnancy

Posted on October 19, 2011 by admin

Flu Vaccine during pregnancy recommended.

In the wake of the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, there has been a lot of concern regarding the safety and effectiveness of the flu vaccine, especially in relation to high risk groups like pregnant women and infants.  For most healthy adults, the flu is a significant illness that will often cause a person to feel miserable and miss several days of work, but the risk of serious illness or death is rare.  However, for certain populations, the risk of serious illness or death is a very real possibility. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that “people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), pregnant women, and young children are more likely to get complications from influenza.”  According to the CDC, 36,000 people (on average) die from the seasonal flu every year, and most of these deaths occur in people who would be considered high risk.

Unfortunately, with increased concern and awareness about the flu, has come increased concern and speculation about complications from the flu vaccine.  This concern and reluctance to receive the vaccine has been most prevalent among pregnant mothers and parents of young children.  Concerns about the effects of the flu vaccine on a developing fetus or small child have resulted in many parents deciding to avoid the vaccine and roll the dice that their child won’t get sick.  This is an unfortunate occurrence as we have very clear evidence that the flu vaccine is very safe for pregnant mothers and their fetuses, as well as children older than 6 months.  In fact, a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine suggests that babies born to mothers that received the flu shot during pregnancy may have added protection against flu themselves.  Even if this initial observation does not hold up to further scientific scrutiny, we know that the vaccine is safe for pregnant mothers and that the best way to protect a newborn child from the flu is to have the parents vaccinated so that they do not get the flu.  This is especially important since the flu vaccine is only approved for children over 6 months of age which means that the children who are most at risk are not able to get the vaccine.  If you are considering the flu vaccine for yourself or your children and you have questions about the vaccine, please discuss them with your doctor. You can also visit www.Flu.gov for more information.

Michelle Kravitz, M.D., a board certified pediatrician and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, shares her recommendation with Dr. Jonathan Weinstein regarding the need for pregnant women, fathers, family members and caretakers to get the flu vaccine.  Doctor Kravitz is part of the experienced team of six pediatricians at Forest Lane Pediatrics with offices conveniently located in Presbyterian Hospital Plano, TX and Medical City Dallas Hospital.  http://www.forestlanepediatrics.com/

Posted in General, Pregnancy | Leave a comment