Women's Health Archives - Page 26 of 29

Survey Says Moms Want In-Person Care With a Side of Digital Health

by OB/GYN | Dec 9, 2021 | Technology, Women's Health

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Topic: Survey Says Moms Want In-Person Care With a Side of Digital Health

Xealth, the leader in enabling digital health at scale, today announced recent survey findings that examine the digital health expectations of new or expectant mothers compared to the services received from healthcare providers. Results were reviewed against an earlier survey conducted in February 2020, showing how COVID-19 has shaped attitudes.

To better understand how time and COVID-19 have shaped digital health attitudes, Xealth commissioned a survey among more than 1,000 U.S. women who are new or expectant mothers. (Graphic: Business Wire)

According to the survey 1, commissioned by Xealth and conducted among more than 1,000 U.S. women who are new or expectant mothers, a majority (57%) of them have a more favorable opinion of digital health since the pandemic began. Key findings include:

Telehealth appointments with their doctor increased 540%.

83% of survey respondents had in-person visits with their doctor.

The widest gaps in patient expectations versus current state exist related to price transparency (97.6% difference), virtual monitoring/tracking tools (62.5% difference), and electronic refill of prescriptions (58.7% difference).

“Tremendous resources have been poured into digital health, yet a shocking amount of people identify Zoom as a digital health brand,” said Mike McSherry, CEO and co-founder of Xealth. “This research signifies both the opportunity and work ahead in supplementing care delivery with digital resources in a way that meets or even exceeds patient needs. It is not enough to roll out point solutions – a clear digital health strategy is required to make these programs meaningful.”

Healthcare has been shifting towards a more consumer-friendly experience and the pandemic prompted a fast roll-out of virtual care. Seeing the benefit to patient engagement, treatment compliance and patient retention, digital health smashed investment records during just the first half of 2021 with a record $14.7 billion, already more than was raised in all of 2020.

Other notable findings from the survey:

Nearly half (45%) of new moms surveyed were unable to name digital health companies.
Twice the amount of survey respondents would be open to switching doctors if they were not offered a satisfactory digital health experience — 10.3%, up from 5.3% in 2020.

Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Persky on behalf of Xealth from August 28-September 8, 2021, among 1,004 adults ages 18 and older who are new or expecting moms. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About Xealth

Xealth scales digital health programs, enabling clinicians to integrate, prescribe and monitor digital health tools for patients to drive engagement and utilization. Through the secure Xealth platform, clinicians can find and order the right digital health tools and programs for patients directly from the EHR workflow, send these digital health orders to the patient’s email or patient portal, and then monitor activity. Xealth spun out of Providence St. Joseph Health (PSJH) in 2017, and investors include Advocate Aurora Enterprises, Atrium Health, Cleveland Clinic, MemorialCare Innovation Fund, Cerner, McKesson Ventures, Novartis, Philips, and ResMed as well as Providence Ventures, UPMC and the Froedtert and Medical College of Wisconsin Health Network.

Topic Discussed: Survey Says Moms Want In-Person Care With a Side of Digital Health

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Bedtime linked with heart health

by OB/GYN | Dec 6, 2021 | OB/GYN News, Women's Health

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Topic: Winter pregnancy guide: Tips to follow if you are pregnant during winters

Going to sleep between 10:00 and 11:00 pm is associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease compared to earlier or later bedtimes, according to a study published today in European Heart Journal – Digital Health, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

“The body has a 24-hour internal clock, called circadian rhythm, that helps regulate physical and mental functioning,” said study author Dr. David Plans of the University of Exeter, UK. “While we cannot conclude causation from our study, the results suggest that early or late bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock, with adverse consequences for cardiovascular health.”

While numerous analyses have investigated the link between sleep duration and cardiovascular disease, the relationship between sleep timing and heart disease is underexplored. This study examined the association between objectively measured, rather than self-reported, sleep onset in a large sample of adults.

The study included 88,026 individuals in the UK Biobank recruited between 2006 and 2010. The average age was 61 years (range 43 to 79 years) and 58% were women. Data on sleep onset and waking up time were collected over seven days using a wrist-worn accelerometer. Participants completed demographic, lifestyle, health and physical assessments and questionnaires. They were then followed up for a new diagnosis of cardiovascular disease, which was defined as a heart attack, heart failure, chronic ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and transient ischaemic attack.

During an average follow-up of 5.7 years, 3,172 participants (3.6%) developed cardiovascular disease. Incidence was highest in those with sleep times at midnight or later and lowest in those with sleep onset from 10:00 to 10:59 pm.

The researchers analysed the association between sleep onset and cardiovascular events after adjusting for age, sex, sleep duration, sleep irregularity (defined as varied times of going to sleep and waking up), self-reported chronotype (early bird or night owl), smoking status, body mass index, diabetes, blood pressure, blood cholesterol and socioeconomic status.

Compared to sleep onset from 10:00 to 10:59 pm, there was a 25% higher risk of cardiovascular disease with a sleep onset at midnight or later, a 12% greater risk for 11:00 to 11:59 pm, and a 24% raised risk for falling asleep before 10:00 pm. In a further analysis by sex, the association with increased cardiovascular risk was stronger in women, with only sleep onset before 10:00 pm remaining significant for men.

Dr. Plans said: “Our study indicates that the optimum time to go to sleep is at a specific point in the body’s 24-hour cycle and deviations may be detrimental to health. The riskiest time was after midnight, potentially because it may reduce the likelihood of seeing morning light, which resets the body clock.”

Dr. Plans noted that the reasons for the observed stronger association between sleep onset and cardiovascular disease in women is unclear. He said: “It may be that there is a sex difference in how the endocrine system responds to a disruption in circadian rhythm. Alternatively, the older age of study participants could be a confounding factor since women’s cardiovascular risk increases post-menopause – meaning there may be no difference in the strength of the association between women and men.”

He concluded: “While the findings do not show causality, sleep timing has emerged as a potential cardiac risk factor – independent of other risk factors and sleep characteristics. If our findings are confirmed in other studies, sleep timing and basic sleep hygiene could be a low-cost public health target for lowering risk of heart disease.”

Topic Discussed: Winter pregnancy guide: Tips to follow if you are pregnant during winters

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Winter pregnancy guide: Tips to follow if you are pregnant during winters

by OB/GYN | Dec 2, 2021 | Women's Health

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Topic: Winter pregnancy guide: Tips to follow if you are pregnant during winters

Winter is one of the best seasons to be pregnant. Not only the weather is nice and pleasant, you have a variety of foods full of nutrition to choose from. However, the season comes with its own set of challenges considering expecting mothers are at risk of various allergies and infections during this time. Wearing appropriate clothing, keeping warm, taking care of hydration and staying active can turn your pregnancy experience into a marvellous and memorable one.

Give your day a perfect start

Due to the cold winter mornings, you may want to start your day late, but this can affect your health when you are expecting a child. If you are getting up late, there are chances you may want to skip your workout or even breakfast that is an absolute no-no for expecting mothers. It is advisable to begin your routine in a manner that it can accommodate healthy breakfast and suitable exercise regimen for pregnant women.

Another mistake that expecting moms may make is not drinking enough water because of not feeling thirsty due to cold weather outside. Have nimbu paani, chaas, or coconut water if you do not feel like having several glasses of water in a day.

Here are some tips by Dr. Parul Sathe, Consultant – Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospital Kharghar, for pregnant women during winters.

Drink sufficient water: Winter doesn’t mean you should lower your water intake. It is possible to get dehydrated even during winters. Don’t wait to feel thirsty and hydrate yourself with soups, nimbu pani, chaas, or coconut water. But, avoid too much coffee, tea, colas, juices, and other sweetened beverages.

Eat a well-balanced diet: Stick to fresh fruits and vegetables. Resist the urge to have processed, oily, and canned foods. Eating oily foods can aggravate acidity and lead to heartburn.

Take a flu shot: Do this to keep flu at bay. Taking an influenza vaccine is a must. “Apart from this, wash your hands with soap and water, use a hand sanitizer, if required, stay away from people who are sick, avoid crowded places, take medication on time as suggested by the doctor, mask-up, and maintain distance from people,” says Dr Sathe.

Topic Discussed: Winter pregnancy guide: Tips to follow if you are pregnant during winters

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Try these exercises to stay stress-free during pregnancy

by OB/GYN | Nov 29, 2021 | Women's Health

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Topic: Try these exercises to stay stress-free during pregnancy

Hey! You were thrilled to see the second line that showed your positive pregnancy test, a few days ago. Now are you feeling worried at every twist and turn that something might be wrong? It’s a feeling you just can’t separate, and it’s starting to affect your everyday life? Isn’t pregnancy supposed to be a time of joy? If you suffer from stress and anxiety, it can have some complications. Here’s more about stress during pregnancy and some ways you can cope. Pregnancy is a time of enormous change. Some of the feelings and sensations are welcomed, while others are downright uncomfortable and scary. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may affect the chemicals in your brain which in turn can cause stress and anxiety.

*Speak out: If you’re feeling very anxious during your pregnancy, it’s important to tell someone about your fears. It can be anyone, your partner, a close friend, or family member whom you trust the most as they may offer you support. Simply sharing your thoughts and feelings may be enough to keep yourself free from stress in your everyday life. You may also ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist who is trained to help with anxiety if you find it difficult to cope by yourself.

*Deep breathing exercises: Deep and conscious breathing plays a vital role during pregnancy. It ensures efficient removal of waste products as well as an ample supply of oxygen for both the mother and baby. Effective breathing purifies and calms the nervous system and induces a feeling of pleasant well-being. Practice doing deep breathing by keeping your hand on your abdomen as you lie relaxed on the floor. Focus on the hand and on moving it up and down as you inhale and exhale. Count a number in your head, as you bring it up and the same number as you bring it down. This breathing is excellent for pregnancy since it can result in one-third more oxygen being inhaled.

*Exercises: Engaging yourself in various physical activities that help to reduce your stress and anxiety may be a good choice for you. Exercise is considered vital for maintaining mental fitness, and it can reduce stress. Studies show that it is very effective at reducing fatigue, improving alertness and concentration, and at enhancing overall cognitive function. This can be especially helpful when stress has depleted your energy or ability to concentrate. When the brain along with its many nerve connections is affected by stress, the rest of the body feels the impact as well. So it stands to reason that if your body feels better with exercises, so does your mind. Physical activity helps your body in releasing endorphins which are the chemicals produced by the body to relieve pain and stress in your brain naturally and also improve the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress. Moving your body is one of the most recommended ways to manage stress.

Topic Discussed: Try these exercises to stay stress-free during pregnancy

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Pregnancy stretch marks cause stress and emotional burden

by OB/GYN | Nov 28, 2021 | Women's Health

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Topic: Pregnancy stretch marks cause stress and emotional burden

Participants said the lesions caused similar or more distress than skin conditions like acne or psoriasis.

While stretch marks are commonly associated with pregnancy, the permanency of the skin lesions causes pregnant women and pregnant individuals substantial embarrassment that can negatively impact pregnancy and their quality of life, according to a new study.

Researchers at Michigan Medicine surveyed more than 100 pregnant patients with stretch marks who were considering delivery at Von Voigtlander Women’s hospital. Nearly 75% of the participants reported having moderately or prominently noticeable stretch marks, and more than one-third reported “a lot” or “moderate” embarrassment related to the lesions.

“Women were very concerned about the permanency of lesions, which are often met with negative feelings and self-consciousness,” said Frank Wang, M.D., senior author of the paper and William B. Taylor Endowed Professor of Clinical Dermatology at Michigan Medicine. “The women who reported feeling embarrassed were also more likely to report the lesions impacting other parts of their lives like social activities, self-esteem and clothing choice.”

Wang started studying striae gravidarum, or stretch marks of pregnancy, around 15 years ago. He and his team have searched for the molecular mechanisms that cause the lesions, finding they display substantial changes in collagen and elastic fibers, components of the skin that are responsible for strength and elasticity.

For reasons his team is still investigating, these skin components are damaged and never fully reform, leading to permanent lesions. This unsolved problem was a chief concern reported by 75% of the pregnant women surveyed for the paper published in the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology.

“While there are some ways to reduce intense redness or texture of stretch marks, there is very little scientific evidence that any intervention completely prevents or treats lesions,” Wang said. “None of these interventions fully erase stretch marks, and they can get very expensive.”

Stretch marks and the concerns for developing them may be contributing factors for depression or anxiety in the perinatal period, which affect up to one in seven women during pregnancy and postpartum, says Megan Lawlor, M.D., a co-author of the paper and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis.

If uncontrolled or untreated, perinatal depression can lead to adverse pregnancy or neonatal outcomes,” Lawlor said. “Bringing attention to the emotional and psychological impacts of stretch marks on patients can hopefully help in the identification and treatment of mental health disorders during pregnancy and in the postpartum period.”

Topic Discussed: Pregnancy stretch marks cause stress and emotional burden

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‘Mum brain’ is real: Why mothers become forgetful after giving birth and what can help

by OB/GYN | Nov 24, 2021 | Postpartum Depression, Women's Health

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Topic: ‘Mum brain’ is real: Why mothers become forgetful after giving birth and what can help

Call it whatever you want – mum brain, mummy brain, baby brain or even mum-nesia – but postpartum cognitive difficulties are real. If you’ve just given birth and can’t seem to remember the name of an actor from your favourite Korean drama or are struggling to manage your schedule, chances are you’re experiencing “mum brain”.

However, giving birth doesn’t simply make you more forgetful – it’s a lot more than that, and much of it is actually meant to help you be a better parent, experts say.

WHAT IS “MUM BRAIN”?

The “mum brain” phenomenon occurs in women who have recently delivered a baby and essentially describes their trouble with verbal recall, said Dr Charles Siow, a neurologist at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.

Verbal recall memory is, as its name suggests, memory associated with spoken information. This memory diminishes with pregnancy, said Dr Siow, and so women who have recently been pregnant may find it harder to recall names, words or stories.

According to Dr Cornelia Chee, who is the head of the National University Hospital’s Department of Psychological Medicine, there is “clear evidence” that a woman’s brain changes during pregnancy and after, with cognitive changes for the worse taking place during the same period.

These particular changes “probably have a lot to do with the poor sleep that pregnant and postnatal women have”.

Particularly in the third trimester, pregnant women “qualify as having a sleep disorder” due to multiple interruptions to their rest, such as discomfort, needing to go to the toilet at night and the foetus’ movements.

Postnatally, there is interruption from multiple night feeds and baby awakenings, said Dr Chee.

As a result, you may experience worsening working memory, or memory related to more recent events, and may notice symptoms like poor concentration, feeling “fuzz” and slips of the tongue – all “extremely common” among pregnant and postnatal women, she added.

THERE ARE UPSIDES

When you’re struggling to even make basic calculations in your head, it can be impossible to imagine that there may be upsides to this condition, but there are many.

First, while the symptoms are real, your worries about them impacting performance – particularly at work – may not be.

Topic Discussed: ‘Mum brain’ is real: Why mothers become forgetful after giving birth and what can help

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Survey Says Moms Want In-Person Care With a Side of Digital Health

Bedtime linked with heart health

Winter pregnancy guide: Tips to follow if you are pregnant during winters

Try these exercises to stay stress-free during pregnancy

Pregnancy stretch marks cause stress and emotional burden

‘Mum brain’ is real: Why mothers become forgetful after giving birth and what can help

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