Health Relevant Differences:
Ethnic, racial, gender and cultural
Preconception
- Preconception health is defined by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, as interventions that are aimed to identify and modify biomedical behavioral and social risks to a woman’s health or pregnancy outcome through prevention and management (North Carolina Public Health, 2008)
- Preconception helps women of all backgrounds to think about how their behaviors, lifestyles and medical conditions affect their health and having healthy children.
- Reducing infant mortality starts through education and promotion of a healthy lifestyle for women during preconception and childbearing years.
Males and Preconception
- Male fertility factors contribute to approximately 50% of all infertility cases, and male infertility alone accounts for approximately one-third of all infertility cases
- Exposure to chemical fertilizers, mercury, and traditions should be avoided to avoid affecting the sperm quality and quantity in particular working environments.
- Healthy eating habits and avoiding alcohol and drug usage also plays a role in effect of fertility and sperm quality. Zinc is an important nutrient that facilitates in healthy sperm production. Zinc rich foods include meat, wholegrain products, seafood and eggs.
Females and Preconception
Helpful tips in preconception women includes avoiding:
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Stress
- Herbs
- Caffeine
- Eating healthy
- Plenty of rest
- Exercises - walking, yoga, swimming
- Monitoring prescription medications
- Scheduling a visit with a health care provider before pregnancy
Pregnancy
- Proper medical care during pregnancy is vital not only to a woman’s health, but also to the health of the fetus.
- As we know, eating a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is vital to the both the fetus and the mothers health. Eating a nutritional diet is essential to the development of a healthy baby.
- However during a woman's pregnancy many unexpected health issues can arise affecting the mother and the unborn. Health issues such as cancers, diabetes, hypertension and sexually transmitted diseases, may all be conditions that a woman may already have or may develop during pregnancy.
- Have routine prenatal visits with physician
- Drink plenty of fluids and eat a healthy diet
- Get plenty of rest and sleep
- Perform routine exercises
- Avoid smoking, drinking and using drugs
- Most importantly, remember to call your healthcare provider for any problems or concerns during pregnancy
Cultural Considerations
Hispanic / Latinos
- For many Hispanic women prenatal care is often also delayed due to lack of insurance, language barriers, cultural differences, and fear of discrimination. Hispanic women often refuse to get a pap smear in the beginning of their pregnancy out of fear of losing the baby.
- Latinos are challenged by higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Moreover, Latinos face many barriers to good health. Nearly one-third of Latinos do not have health insurance creating a barrier to the resources needed to promote a healthy pregnancy.
- High risk of diabetes could lead to the development of gestational diabetes.
- Cultural and language barriers can keep Latinos from explaining symptoms they are having or understanding the doctor's advice.
Asian
- Studies have shown that lower rates of several cancers, heart disease and obesity are presented amongst Asian cultures. The typical Asian diet consists of important nutrients needed for fetal health such as folate from greens, beans and fish.
- The Asian health diet is mostly based on plant foods such as grains, vegetables and nuts placing the fetus at lower risks for fatality during pregnancy and preconception.
African American
- African American women are disproportionally affected by poor health experiencing higher rates of almost all conditions including breast cancer, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and heart diseases.
- They are at greater risk for infant mortality due to inadequate prenatal care and aid to resource.
- As a minority, more African American women are unemployed and lack medical insurance than Caucasian women causing a lack in the resources need to promote a healthy lifestyle during preconception and pregnancy.
- African Americans are two times more likely to develop diabetes than Caucasian Americans. Obesity tends to be one of the major risk factors for developing diabetes in African Americans. Gestational diabetes may be 50 percent to 80 percent more likely among African-American women than among Caucasian women.
- Type 2 diabetes is one of the biggest health challenges facing African-Americans, placing them at higher risks for gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. Women with poorly controlled blood sugars are at higher risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and stillbirth. So therefore it is important to monitor and have their glucose under strict control before conception and during the pregnancy.