It’s Women’s Health Week

Yesterday was Mother’s Day, which serves as the kickoff for National Women’s Health Week. It is a weeklong observance coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health.  Women’s Health Week encourages women to put their health first in a variety of ways:

•     Receive regular check-ups and preventive screenings
•     Get active
•    Eat healthy
•    Pay attention to mental health, rest and stress
•    Avoid unhealthy behaviors like smoking

If you’re interested in participating in a Women’s Health Week event, visit the link below to see if there is an event in your area.

http://www.womenshealth.gov/whw/events/

Getting necessary vaccinations is also another way in which women can take care of themselves. The Little Clinic offers these and other vaccines for women:

Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) - Protection against pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is especially important for mothers, aunts, grandmothers and all women who care for or are around children, especially infants. This is important because adults typically spread this potentially fatal disease to children. The Tdap vaccine also includes tetanus, which protects against the nervous system disease that can cause lockjaw, muscle stiffness and spasms and seizure-like activity.

Gardasil – Protection against four types of HPV, a virus that can cause cervical cancer in women. It is recommended that women between the age of nine and 26 receive this vaccine. 

Zostavax – Protection against the virus that causes shingles in adults, a very painful disease that may occur in people who had chicken pox at some point in their life.  . This vaccine is recommended for adults ages 50 and over.

Influenza – Protection against the three flu vaccines that research predicts will be the most common during the upcoming season. This vaccine is available in different dosages for infants, those ages 18-64 and those aged 65 and older.

If you’re not sure which vaccines you might need, please stop by The Little Clinic nearest you and ask the healthcare provider to provide guidance in this matter. Additionally, some vaccinations are a covered benefit under many insurance plans. If you're not sure which ones are and are not covered by your plan, it's recommended that you contact your insurance company to confirm coverage.