Heart Disease
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, causing 1 in every 4 female deaths.1 Although 1 of 4 women in the…
Women With Disabilities and Obesity
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen Health care for people with disability is not commonly discussed in health education, particularly in medical education, despite the increasing prevalence of people with disability within…
Pregnancy and Obesity in Social Context
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) noted that the dramatic increase in obesity in the United States in the later part of the 20th…
Economic Costs of Obesity
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen This chapter provides an overview of the economic costs of obesity in the United States with a particular focus on the costs of obesity related to…
Biological and Genetic Determinants of Obesity
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically in recent decades. Increased body habitus correlates with enhanced availability of low-cost, high-calorie foods. A mismatch in caloric intake…
Ineffective Pain Management
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The first twelve hours of my labor were easy. I had prepared well for my labor and all the tools I learned were really effective. However,…
Holistic Postpartum Care: Recognizing the Fourth Trimester
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen When I got home from the hospital, my wife and I felt like we had been dropped on a desert island. The first few days everyone…
Holistic Antepartum Care: The Foundation of a Natural Birth
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen At each new pregnancy consultation, I ask my patient if they have any ideas about the way they would like to birth their baby. Most new…
Special Cases: Indicated Induction, VBAC, and High-Risk Patients Wanting a Natural Birth
BABY CONNOR’S BIRTH Print Section Listen Connor’s mother found herself in a common predicament; she was approaching 42 weeks gestation and showed no signs of labor. She had tried every…
Integrating Medical Intervention into a Natural Birth Plan
INTRODUCTION Print Section Listen The expression “life is what happens while you are busy making other plans,” often applies in both life and labor. Labor is frequently the initiation for…
