Pregnant and breastfeeding women have so many things to think about when it comes to what they put in their bodies, to protect their health and the health of their babies. But women carrying, birthing and nursing babies during the COVID-19 pandemic have had a new challenge to consider: Should they be vaccinated against COVID-19…
It’s unsettling but true: You can have gonorrhea without knowing it. This sexually transmitted infection often doesn’t cause any symptoms. And if symptoms do appear, they can easily be confused for another health issue. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, gonorrhea was on the rise; cases had increased 92 percent since 2009. While social distancing and stay-at-home…
Children ages 12 to 15 can now get a COVID-19 vaccine. The United States administered COVID-19 vaccinations to around 600,000 children ages 12 to 15 the week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents under an emergency use authorization (EUA). Families all over country are signing their adolescents…
Parents and guardians of adolescents are breathing a sigh of relief now that COVID-19 vaccinations have begun for 12-to-15-year-olds. Now, parents of children younger than 12 might be asking, “When will my child be able to get the shot?” The short answer is that we don’t have an exact answer right now. But there is…
Talk of vaccines is everywhere—in the news, on social media, during Zoom meetups with friends and chats in the driveway with neighbors. With all this buzz about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, you may be wondering what other vaccines you should have. If you have children, you’re aware of the many childhood vaccines that…
Millions of people across the United States have already been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a critical step toward ending this deadly pandemic. The more people who get vaccinated, the more lives we can save and the sooner we can all get our lives closer to normal. Unfortunately, there has been a lot…
After you’ve settled on an OB-GYN and know where you will be delivering your bundle of joy, you’ll probably have a lot of questions. Even if you’ve given birth before, things may have changed due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A good time to ask questions is during your maternity hospital tour, most of…
Childbirth is life-changing: Not only is a new baby born, but also a new mom. Many women experience a flood of emotions, some happy and some not, and the postpartum period can be a difficult time for mental health. Most people have heard of postpartum depression, but there are other postpartum mood disorders, too. We…
Women are told many stories about how they will or should feel after childbirth: overjoyed, blissful, totally in love with their new babies. These expectations can cause pressure on new moms and ignore the reality that every woman will feel different, and not all emotions will be positive. In fact, many women feel sadness and…
CenteringPregnancy is a national program offered at UNC Health that brings together women and their partners who are expecting babies at the same time. Through this program, patients experience better health outcomes, more time with their provider, learning, support and friendship. What is CenteringPregnancy? CenteringPregnancy is offered through the UNC Midwives practice in Chapel Hill.…
When you imagined the day (or night) you give birth, you probably didn’t envision it would be in the midst of a pandemic. Parents-to-be have extra concerns and challenges because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but rest assured that your medical team is prepared to deliver your baby safely. Some of what you planned for…
Taking an antidepressant is incredibly common—more than 1 in 10 Americans do. But despite their prevalence, these drugs are often misunderstood, in part because of stereotypes and stigma around mental health. That may keep some people who could benefit from an antidepressant from learning more, says UNC Health psychiatrist Elizabeth Cox, MD. “Medication is an…
