“Breast is best” is familiar advice for new mothers and infant health care providers. But what about mothers of preemies, who often struggle to produce enough milk for their fragile newborns?
How a Human Milk Diet Protects Premature Infants
Government Nutrition Advice Gives Mixed Message to Pregnant Women
Eating fish offers pregnant women nutritional benefits for both themselves and their developing babies. But, looking at newly published advice from the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, you might miss that fact.
The one-page document prioritizes choices based on mercury content instead of emphasizing the nutritional benefits of fish consumption. It also assigns fish to “best,” “good” and “avoid” categories based on distinctions that may be hard for consumers to follow. For example, tilefish is a good choice for pregnant women – unless it comes from the Gulf of Mexico. Likewise, tuna is a “best” choice if it’s canned light; “good” if yellowfin, albacore or white. If it’s bigeye, however, the FDA and EPA advise pregnant women to pass.
RSV Season Takes Toll on Preterm Infants and Senior Citizens
One month into the Respiratory Syncytial Virus season, data shows that the disease is taking its toll. RSV is a contagious seasonal virus that causes respiratory infections and can prove deadly for vulnerable preterm infants and senior citizens.
NCfIH Marks RSV Awareness Month With Release of New Fast Facts
October marks the beginning of both the RSV viral season and RSV awareness month. The National Coalition for Infant Health is taking the opportunity to release a new “Fast Facts” educational resource on the virus, its impact, and its danger for infants, especially preemies whose health plans don’t cover preventive treatment.
New National Coalition for Infant Health Video Introduces the RSV Gap Baby
Most young children encounter what’s known as Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, before age two. It’s a common seasonal virus with flu-like symptoms. But as a new video from the National Coalition for Infant Health explains, premature infants whose health plans don’t cover preventive RSV treatment may suffer – and unnecessarily so.
Infant Health Bulletin Offers "Fast Facts" on Pregnant Women and Fish Consumption
Sensationalized media accounts have misconstrued the facts on pregnancy and fish consumption, explains a new Fast Facts health bulletin from the National Coalition for Infant Health. Entitled “Fish Consumption for Pregnant Women,” the bulletin highlights guidance from the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. Together, these authorities shape a unified message: two to three servings of cooked fish each week offer pregnant women and growing children proven health benefits.
Fish consumption can be a valuable source of iron and vitamin D, the Fast Facts bulletin explains, as well as omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA. These nutritional benefits also translate into a developmental boost for developing babies; fish consumption can boost babies’ IQ by 2.63 points and allow them to reach developmental milestones, such as sitting up, more quickly. Mothers can also benefit in the way of improved mental health, stronger bones and better circulation.
Government Recommendations Overshadow Dubious New Report on Prenatal Nutrition
Many pregnant women embrace eating habits that protect and benefit their unborn babies. But their choices can become complicated when claims from unscientific sources clash with regulatory agencies’ clear, established nutrition guidance. Such is the case with a recent report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) on the value of fish in a healthy pregnancy diet.
Federal Government Emphasizes Postpartum Depression Screening, Treatment
A recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is bringing new attention to postpartum depression and its treatment. The government panel, whose expert members are appointed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, says women should be screened for depression both during pregnancy and after giving birth. The decision means that screening must now be treated by health plans as a covered service under the Affordable Care Act.
The recommendation marks the first time the task force has suggested screening for maternal mental illness. But it reflects a growing recognition of the condition – and mothers’ need for access to screening and treatment. Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) introduced in 2015 the Bringing Postpartum Depression Out of the Shadows Act, a bill designed to help states better detect and treat the condition. She called the task force’s recommendation “a major turning point in how we care for families.”