News in Women's Health

by Paulette Avery, RN, MSN, IBCLC

Two articles caught my attention recently, and both pertain to women's health. The first addresses a recent change in guidelines for performing Pap smears, and the second provides new findings on the effects of high doses of vitamin D during pregnancy to reduce the incidence of pregnancy complications. Read on for the details of these two important developments.

Based on guidelines released in November 2009 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), women should begin getting Pap smears to screen for cervical cancer beginning at age 21, rather than three years after their first sexual experience. This change was recommended because cervical cancer is rare in women under 21 and treating lesions in this age group more often causes harm than benefit. Research found that cervical lesions in younger women often heal without treatment, and that women under 30 who are treated are more likely to deliver babies who are premature or underweight.

Additionally, the new guidelines from ACOG state, "at age 30, if a woman has no history of cervical cancer and has had three normal Pap tests in a row, she can be screened every three years, rather than every two to three years." Of course, depending on your individual history, your doctor may make other recommendations. Remember also that decreased need for Pap smears doesn't change the recommendation for an annual exam by your gynecologist.

The second article reported on the results of giving pregnant women a daily dose of 4,000 IU (International Units) of vitamin D. The study, done in South Carolina, included about 500 women and found that those receiving the higher daily doses had half the rate of pregnancy complications when compared with women taking only 400 IU each day. The reduction in complications included lower rates of gestational diabetes, prematurity, and pregnancy-related high blood pressure.

These findings don't surprise me at all, for as those of you who are regular readers of this column know, I am convinced by the volumes of recent research that higher doses of vitamin D have many benefits. Women taking the higher doses of vitamin D are more likely to have normal blood levels of D and to give birth to babies with higher levels as well. But be aware that many people, including many doctors, may not yet be aware of the research on vitamin D and may consider this higher dose unreasonable and possibly even dangerous. Should you encounter this problem, I recommend that you do your own research on the issue and present your findings to your doctor. A great place to begin your research is www.vitamindcouncil.com where Dr. John Cannell has posted hundreds of articles along with his recommendations for daily supplementation for all of us, getting tested for vitamin D levels, and other helpful information.

May you all be well and have a wonderful summer!

Paulette Avery is a registered nurse and a freelance writer specializing in health issues.