Common Pregnancy Worries

Even if you are not usually a worrier, being pregnant can turn you into one, at least temporarily. It’s only natural to worry from time to time because you can not exactly see what is going on inside your body as the pregnancy progresses. I’m pretty sure that multiple times during each of my pregnancies I placed my hand on my belly and said “Is everything okay in there?” Worrying can make you feel isolated sometimes. It may be helpful to know that many other pregnant women are concerned about the same things that you are. Here are three common … Continue reading

Insurance Blog Week in Review – May 6 -12, 2012

Once a week, the Insurance Blog Week in Review gives you a brief description about everything that hit the blog in the past seven days. There could be anywhere between twelve and fourteen different blogs appearing in that amount of time. What did you miss? Here is your chance to “ketchup”. Oregon has Insurance for Growers of Medical Marijuana It is similar to a crop insurance policy. This specialty type of insurance is to provide some protection for people who are growing marijuana that is going to be used for medical purposes. It provides some finances to help if the … Continue reading

Favorite Pregnancy Themed Movies

Here is a list of some of my favorite movies featuring pregnancy: Fools Rush In I’m a sucker for dramatic child birth scenes in movies, and I know I’m not the only one! When Salma Hayek goes into labor on the bridge in the pouring rain, Matthew Perry yells, “but we’re on a dam!” as though that mattered! Every time she screams, he screams with her and his face is priceless. I always tear up when they cuddle their new baby girl together for the first time. Knocked Up I love how this movie brought up all the awkward issues … Continue reading

Parents Play a Pivotal Role in Reducing Teen Pregnancy

In the midst of a debate over the best way to lower teen pregnancy rates, whether it is through teaching abstinence or informing teens about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases and methods of birth control, the story of an eleven-year-old girl giving birth to a baby, to me screams, “neither is working!” The fact is, teachers can preach and teach until they are blue in the face, but until parents take initiative in teaching their own children about sex, teen pregnancy is not going anywhere. Teens are constantly being bombarded with images of teen sexuality in television, movies, books … Continue reading

Does Abstinence Only Education Equal More Teen Pregnancies?

According the Guttmacher Institute, a research facility tied to Planned Parenthood, pregnancy among girls aged 15 to 19 rose 3% in 2005 and 2006. This is the first increase since 1990 as pregnancy rates among teen girls dropped 35% between 1991 and 2005. There is a claim that abstinence education is to blame. “Heather Boonstra, a policy analyst with the Guttmacher Institute, was quick to politicize the findings, calling the upward trend “deeply troubling” and claiming that the results coincided “with an increase in rigid abstinence-only-until-marriage programs, which received major funding boosts under the Bush administration.” As far as my … Continue reading

What Would You Like To Ask A Teen Mom?

This past summer I wrote about a series on MTV called “16 and Pregnant,” a show that follows the life of a teen throughout her pregnancy. Each episode depicts a different teen’s trials of dealing with relationships, high school, parents, jobs and becoming a parent. Now MTV is coming out with a new show, a sequel called “Teen Mom.” This series will depict the difficulties of young parenthood. I have had the privilege of previewing the show, which will first air next Tuesday night, and on Friday I’ll have the opportunity to interview one of the cast members. I would … Continue reading

Should We Pay Teens to Not Get Pregnant?

Have you heard about College Bound Sisters? It is a program in Greensboro, North Carolina that is designed to prevent teen pregnancy. The program targets younger sisters of teen mothers who are between the ages of 12 and 16, want to go to college, have never been pregnant and are willing to attend an hour and a half meeting each week. In return, for every day that these teens do not get pregnant, they are paid $1. $7 is deposited into a college fun each week that they attend the meeting, are not pregnant, and are still attending school. When … Continue reading

Teen Vogue Promotes Teen Pregnancy

Who are these magazines for anyway? It was not their intention when they set out, but after the photo shoot with teen supermodel Jourdan Dunn, the magazine learned of the pregnancy and decided to take advantage of a teachable moment. “Teen pregnancy is a difficult, real-life issue that Teen Vogue readers are mature enough to be exposed to,” Astley (Editor-in-Chief)said in a statement. “Teen Vogue felt it was important to support, not punish, Jourdan Dunn, who contributed to a beautiful photo shoot and who will surely have an ongoing and successful career in fashion.” The cover has raised eyebrows among … Continue reading

Pregnancy Rates are Dropping

A report from the latest issue of National Vital Statistics Reports (Volume 58, Number 4, October 14, 2009) shows that pregnancy rates are dropping. The data also indicates a significant drop in abortion rates, which leads me to believe that pregnancy prevention is on the rise. Whether this is a result of increased abstinence among teens or birth control is under debate. The pregnancy rate for young teens dropped by 48%. The total pregnancy rate has dropped by 11 percent. These numbers do not include the recent rise in teen pregnancy since 2006. So why are people having fewer babies? … Continue reading

Pregnancy Tests for Students?

Students in Port Chester, N.Y. may soon be able to get pregnancy tests at school health centers. The clinics, which are in the village’s elementary, middle and high schools, will offer both pregnancy and STD tests, as well as offer counseling and referrals to students who test positive for pregnancy or infection. The clinics are run by Open Door Family Medical Centers and Port Chester is the only school district in Westchester County to host the clinics. Currently, the federally funded program gives immunizations and physicals, as well as mental, vision and hearing screenings. In addition to offering pregnancy and … Continue reading