Blog #1

One health issue that concerns me is women smokers that take contraceptives. I work in the emergency room and often see complications with this in women of all ages. Smoking and birth control pills do not mix! It is damaging and dangerous in general for women to smoke, especially while taking contraceptives. Smoking while on birth control includes serious side effects such as; heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes, and even blood clots. Nicotine causes high blood pressure and an increased heart rate, which stresses the blood vessels. But in women taking birth control, the extra estrogen in the body makes those vessels more weak and vulnerable (American Association for Cancer Research, 2007). I believe that companies educate and inform women enough to not smoke while taking contraceptives, each pack of birth control pills comes with a brochure on side effects and symptoms.

I asked a 40 year old, caucasian woman I work with what health issue she was most concerned with, which was weight gain in women her age. Weight gain in women leads to many health problems including; hypertension, cholesterol problems, thyroid complications, and depression. During middle age weight gain is often due to menopause. I also asked a friend who is 23 year of age, what health issue was important to her and she was concerned with post partum depression. She had a child two years ago and experienced minor post partum depression symptoms.