Washington Times Examines Proposed Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative In Obama Budget Plan
The Washington Times recently included a two-part series examining President Obama"s proposed reallocation of abstinence-only sex education funding in his 2010 budget plan. The proposal would redirect funding toward a new Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative that uses comprehensive sex education curriculums. Summaries of the series appear below.~ Part 1: Obama"s budget proposal states that funds for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative should go to programs that are proven to help delay first sex, increase contraceptive use or reduce teen pregnancy, though a few advocates of comprehensive sex education say such goals are laudable but too narrow, the Times reports. William Smith -- vice president for public policy for the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States -- and James Wagoner -- president of Advocates for Youth -- wrote in a June 17 blog entry that preventing unintended pregnancy among teens is "incredibly important" but that it is "not the only sexual and reproductive health issue facing our nation"s youth." They continued that it would be more beneficial to "expand the scope" of the initiative so it can serve "all young people in all communities, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, whose needs fall wholly outside of the narrow teen-pregnancy-prevention framework." According to the Times, Smith said in an interview that money allotted for the initiative would be best used if it went to programs focused on "good outcomes" for youth, "not these disaster-aversion silos that don"t serve us well." Wagoner said that advocates have been "very clear in giving the president credit for shifting tracks here in a big way" by ending funding for abstinence-only sex education. However, he added that it is "our job to press for the right destination" and to see the changes implemented into law (Wetzstein, Washington Times, 6/28).~ Part 2: Some supporters of Obama"s proposal argue that it is "exactly the right idea, at the right time," as the U.S. teen birth rate has increased in the last two years after 14 years of decline, the Times reports. Sarah Brown, CEO of the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, said that Obama"s proposal is the "first really focused expenditure on effective teen pregnancy prevention programs." Brown noted that the U.S. has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and birth in the industrialized world. She said that the best programs will address one or more of the three goals of the initiative -- delaying first sex, increasing contraceptive use or reducing teen pregnancy. Last month, about 175 organizations sent a letter to Obama and members of Congress calling for an expanded initiative that would include subjects such as sexually transmitted infections and abusive relationships. However, Brown said that many teen pregnancy prevention programs include discussion of STIs and other areas, "[s]o we really don"t see much tension here" (Wetzstein, Washington Times, 7/5).
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What Is Menopause? What Are The Symptoms Of Menopause?
The menopause marks the time in a woman"s life when her menstruation stops and she is no longer fertile (able to become pregnant). In the UK the average age for the menopause is 52 (National Health Service), while in the USA it is 51 (National Institute of Aging). About one fifth of women in India experience menopause before the age of 41, a study found. The menopause is a normal part of like - it is a milestone, just like puberty - it is not a disease or a condition. Even though it is the time of the woman"s last period symptoms may begin many years earlier. Some women may experience symptoms for months or years afterwards. According to Medilexicon"s medical dictionary, the menopause is the "Permanent cessation of the menses due to ovarian failure; termination of the menstrual life." (menses = shedding of blood during a woman"s menstrual period). The peri-menopause is the 3 to 5 year period before the menopause when a woman"s estrogen levels begin to drop. Let"s recap the meaning of these two words: *Menopause - when periods (menstruation) stop forever. *Peri-menopause - the years before the menopause when estrogen levels start to drop. News on Menopause For the latest news and research on Menopause, and to sign up to newsletters or news alerts, please visit our Menopause News Section. A study revealed that some British women are in denial when it comes to the menopause. What are the symptoms of menopause and peri-menopause? Experts say that technically the menopause is confirmed when a woman has not had a menstrual period for one year. However, the symptoms and signs of menopause generally appear well before the one-year anniversary of the final period. They may include: *Irregular periods - this is usually the first symptom; menstrual pattern changes. Some women may experience a period every two to three weeks, while others will not have one for months at a time. *Lower fertility - during the peri-menopausal stage of a woman"s life her estrogen levels will drop significantly, lowering her chances of becoming pregnant. *Vaginal dryness - this may be accompanied by itching and/or discomfort. It tends to happen during the peri-menopause. Some women may experience dyspareunia (pain during sex). The term vaginal atrophy refers to an inflammation of the vagina as a result of the thinning and shrinking of the tissues, as well as decreased lubrication, caused by a lack of estrogen. About 30% of women experience vaginal atrophy symptoms during the early post-menopausal period, while 47% do so during the later post-menopausal period. There are cases of women who experience vaginal atrophy more than a decade after their final period. The majority of post-menopausal women are uncomfortable talking about vaginal dryness and pain and are reluctant to seek medical help, a study found. Interesting related articles What is osteoporosis? What causes osteoporosis? What is menstruation? What are periods? *Hot flashes (UK term: hot flushes) - this is a sudden feeling of heat in the upper body. It may start in the face, neck or chest, and then spreads upwards or downwards (depending on where it started). The skin on the face, neck or chest may redden and become patchy, and the woman may start to sweat. The heart rate may suddenly increase (tachycardia), or it may become irregular or stronger than usual (palpitations). Hot flashes generally occur during the first year after a woman"s final period. *Night sweats - if the hot flashes happen in bed they are called night sweats. Most women say their hot flashes do not last more than a few minutes. *Disturbed sleep - sleeping problems are generally caused by night sweats, but not always. Sleep disturbance may be caused by insomnia or anxiety. Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep increase as women go through menopause, this study revealed. *Urinary problems - women tend to be more susceptible to lower urinary tract infections, such as cystitis. Having to urinate may also occur more frequently. *Moodiness - this often goes hand-in-hand with sleep disturbance. Experts say that most mood disturbances are triggered by poor sleep. *Problems focusing and learning - Some women may also have short-term memory problems, as well as finding it hard to concentrate on something for long. A very large study found that women may not be able to learn as well shortly before menopause compared to other stages in life. *More fat building up in the abdomen. *Hair loss (thinning hair). *Loss of breast size If left untreated, these symptoms will usually taper off gradually over a period of two to five years. However, some women may experience symptoms for much longer. Most women who experience vaginal dryness, itching or discomfort may find symptoms either persist or get worse with time if left untreated. What causes the menopause and peri-menopause? The hormones estrogen and progesterone regulate menstruation - more specifically, estrogen regulates menstruation while progesterone is more involved with preparing the body for pregnancy. When the ovaries start producing less of these two hormones the peri-menopause will start. In fact, by the time a woman is in her late 30s the ovaries start producing less progesterone and estrogen. By the time she is n her 40s the post-ovulation spike in progesterone becomes less emphasized. A woman"s fertility starts to decline a long time before she may notice any menopausal or peri-menopausal symptoms. As time passes and the ovaries produce less and less estrogen and progesterone the ovaries eventually shut down completely and the woman no longer has any more menstrual periods. The vast majority of women experience a gradual change in menstrual activity, while some go on normally until they suddenly stop. Some women may experience premature menopause - their ovaries fail earlier than they are supposed to (before the age of 45). Ovarian failure can occur at any age - but very rarely - and often the doctor and patient will never find out why. Some women who experience ovarian failure may still have periods and some degree of fertility for a while. Premature menopause may be caused by: *Enzyme deficiencies *Down"s syndrome *Turner"s syndrome *Addison"s disease *Hypothyroidism *Removal of the ovaries (bilateral oophorectomy surgery) *Radiotherapy to the pelvic area *Chemotherapy *Hysterectomy surgery (the uterus - womb - is surgically removed) *Some infections - such as mumps or TB (tuberculosis), malaria and varicella. However, in all cases risk of ovarian failure is extremely small. *Genetic factors - scientists have been able to identify genetic factors that influence the age at which natural menopause occurs in women, as explained in this article. *Being a twin - twins are more likely to have a premature menopause than other women, a study found. How is menopause diagnosed? A GP (general practitioner, primary care physician) should be able to diagnose menopause or peri-menopause if he knows the age of the patient, has information about her menstrual patterns, and receives feedback from her on her symptoms. Apart from a blood test which can measure levels of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), there is no definitive test to diagnose menopause or peri-menopause. FSH blood levels rise when a woman is in the menopause. However, as FSH levels tend to fluctuate a lot during the menopause and peri-menopause, a FSH blood test may provide a little data, but may not be that helpful for a diagnosis. Under certain circumstance a doctor may order a blood test to determine the level of estradiol (estrogen). As hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can cause menopause-like symptoms, the doctor may order a blood test to determine the woman"s level of thyroid-stimulating hormone. What is the treatment for menopause or peri-menopause? According to the National Health Service, UK, only about 10% of women seek medical advice during the menopause. Many women require no treatment. However, if symptoms are affecting the woman"s daily life she should see her doctor. The kind of treatment the patient should have depends on her symptoms, her medical history, as well as her own preferences. Available treatments include: *HRT (hormone replacement therapy) or HT (hormone therapy) - this is very effective for many of the symptoms that occur during the menopause, including vaginal dryness, vaginal itching, vaginal discomfort, urinary problems, bone-density loss, hot flashes and night sweats. HRT tops up the woman"s levels of estrogen. However, as with many treatments, HRT has its risks and benefits: Benefits of HRT *Effectively treats many troublesome menopausal symptoms. *Helps prevent osteoporosis. *Lowers colorectal cancer risk (cancer of the colon or rectum) Risks of HRT *Raises breast cancer risk *Raises ovary cancer risk *Raises uterine cancer risk (cancer of the womb) *Raises coronary heart disease risk *Raises stroke risk *HRT was found to slightly accelerate loss of brain tissue in areas important for thinking and memory among women aged 65 and over, according to a study. Dr. Robert Reid, Professor Ob/Gyn, Chair of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Queen"s University stated that "Not all women need HT, but many with troublesome symptoms were needlessly scared away from that option due to misunderstandings about the actual risks associated with it." Older women who take hormone therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms may get the added benefit of reduced body fat if they are physically active, a study revealed. *Low-dose antidepressants - SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) have been shown to decrease menopausal hot flashes. Drugs include venlafaxine (Effexor), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil, others), citalopram (Celexa) and sertraline (Zoloft). *Omega 3s - Researchers from the Universite Laval"s Faculty of Medicine found that Omega-3s ease psychological distress and depressivePages: [1] 2