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pregnancy
Accutane Linked to Serious Side Effects in Pregnant Women
Accutane is a medication that was commonly prescribed to treat severe acne, typically when other treatments proved ineffective.
Over a period of more than 25 years, Accutane was prescribed to approximately 16 million patients. During this time, Accutane side effects became associated with the development of severe birth defects and miscarriage when taken by pregnant women. It has also been linked to an increase risk of depression and suicidal thoughts in some patients.
Pregnant women should never take Accutane, as the medication may cause life-threatening birth defects that may affect a developing baby's brain, heart, ears, face, eyes, skull or head. These serious defects may develop following just one dose of Accutane.
The strong link between Accutane and the development of birth defects prompted the creation of the mandatory iPledge program. Through iPledge, women agree to use two forms of birth control and take regular pregnancy tests, or completely abstain from intercourse while taking Accutane.
In addition to birth defects, other severe adverse reactions associated with the use of Accutane, include inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. These serious side effects have prompted the filing of approximately 5,000 personal injury suits against Roche Pharmaceuticals, the makers of Accutane. On June 29, 2009, Roche Pharmaceuticals pulled Accutane from the market due to numerous personal injury lawsuits and business costs, though the drug is still available in generic form.
After many years in decline, the rates of teens giving birth and contracting sexually transmitted diseases took a significant jump in 2006 and 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The data presented in this report indicate that many young persons in the United States engage in sexually risky behavior and experience negative reproductive health outcomes," CDC officials say. "Earlier progress appears to be slowing and perhaps reversing." The number of teens contracting HIV and syphilis have increased since 1997. Likewise, gonorrhea infection rates have leveled out after decreasing for more than two decades. [healthnews.com, 7/21/09 - Plugged In Online 7/31/09]
Federal Report Shows Alarming Increase in Teen Birth Rate
A new federal report indicates the first increase in 14 years in the number of teenage births across the U.S. According to the National Center for Health Statistics' detailed data released Wednesday, more than half of the states saw increases in the number of teens giving birth and the rate at which they are having children. The data showed widespread increases for 2006, the most recent year for which data are available. In 2006, the teen birth rate rose 3 percent to 41.9 births per 1,000 women ages 15-19. In the two previous years -- from 2004 to 2005 and from 2003 to 2004 -- only one state in each year (Tennessee and South Dakota) showed a significant increase. "The number of births to teenagers 15-19 years rose 5 percent to 435,436 in 2006, compared with 414,593 in 2005. This was the largest single-year increase in the number since 1989-1990," the report stated. Birth rates rose in 26 states while 21 states remained unchanged; only three states (New York, North Dakota and Rhode Island) plus the District of Columbia reported declines in teen births. Regionally, the South and Southwest showed the highest teen birth rates. Mississippi is highest with 68.4 per 1,000, followed by New Mexico, with a rate of 64.1 and Texas, with 63.1. The lowest rates are in the Northeast. New Hampshire had the fewest teen births with 18.7 per 1,000. Vermont, with 20.8 per 1,000, and Massachusetts, with 21.3 per 1,000, were also low. [SOURCE: 1/7/09 - FOXNews.com] Federal Study Reveals Decline in Teen Pregnancy, Abortions A newly-released study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals record declines in the rates of teen pregnancies and abortion. The results of this comprehensive study indicate abortions and teen pregnancies have been steadily dropping since 1990. Overall, the total number of abortions fell 24 percent to 1.22 million in 2004 from a record high of 1.61 million in 1990. In addition, teenage pregnancies also declined during the same period: only 12 percent of all pregnancies in 2004 occurred among teens -- a drop from 15 percent 14 years earlier. Despite the good news, however, rates continued to be disproportionately heavy among blacks and higher than any other racial group. Nearly 40 percent of pregnancies to black women were aborted, according to the study. [SOURCE: 4/16/08 - www.christianpost.com]
U.S. Teen Birth Rate Increases for First Time in 14 Years A newly-released federal report finds the birth rate among unmarried teens rose last year to levels not seen in 14 years. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control report, released Wednesday, shows the number of 15- to 19-year-old teens having babies increased 3 percent between 2005 and 2006: from 40.5 births per 1,000 in 2005 to 41.0 births per 1,000 in 2006. The numbers come after 14 years of declining rates when the U.S. experienced a high of 61.8 teen births per 1,000 in 1991.
The Family Research Council contends the increase illustrates the failure of contraceptive-based sex education in the country.
FRC President Tony Perkins stated, "So-called comprehensive sex education falsely exaggerates the protective effect of condoms and promotes unsafe behavior. The results could not be clearer -- an increase in STD rates in young people, and an increase in out-of-wedlock teenage pregnancies."
A bright spot in the CDC report was the continued drop in the birth rate among girls 10 to 14 years old. The birth rate in this group fell from 0.7 to 0.6 per 1,000, and the number of births fell 5 percent to 6,405, the CDC reported.
[SOURCES: 12/5/07 - CDC Press Release; 12/6/07 - FRC Press Release] ____________________________________________________________________ Getting pregnant can be one of the scariest things a person or couple has to deal with, even when it is planned. So, when you face an unexpected pregnancy that can be terrifying. Just remember that you are not alone and there is help out there. Need help now? comments?Post your comments!
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