November 2011
Health Matters for Women
New from CDC
2012 Women’s Health Calendars
View these one-page calendars that promote taking simple steps for a safe and healthy life.
Leading Causes of Death in Females, United States, 2007
One page table formats by age for all females and by race/ethnicity.
Diabetes and Pregnancy
Learn how to control your blood sugar before and during pregnancy to help prevent birth defects and other poor outcomes, such as miscarriages or stillbirths.
Births: Preliminary Data for 2010 (pdf)
The preliminary number of US births was 4,000,279 in 2010, 3 percent less than in 2009; the general fertility rate (64.1 per 1,000 women age 15-44 years) and the total fertility rate (1,932.0 births per 1,000 women) also declined in 2010 (3 percent each).
Lung Cancer Awareness
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. Smoking causes 80 to 90 percent of cases of lung cancer. Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke.
Pregnant Women Need a Flu Shot
If you're pregnant, a flu shot is your best protection against serious illness from the flu. A flu shot can protect pregnant women, their unborn babies, and even their babies after birth.
Teen Birth Rate Hit Record Low in 2010: CDC Report Also Notes First Decline in C-section Rate in Over a Decade
The birth rate for U.S. teens aged 15-19 years hit a record low in 2010. The report also documented the first decline in the rate of cesarean deliveries since 1996. In 2010, the cesarean section rate was 32.8, down slightly from 32.9 in 2009.
Abortion Surveillance - United States, 2008
A total of 825,564 abortions were reported to CDC for 2008. Women aged 20-29 years accounted for 57.1% of all abortions reported in 2008.
Births: Final Data for 2009 (pdf)
The number of births declined to 4,130,665 in 2009, 3 percent less than in 2008. The teenage birth rate fell 6 percent to 39.1 per 1,000. This report presents 2009 data on U.S. births according to a wide variety of characteristics.
Pregnant? Don’t Smoke.
Quitting smoking can be hard, but it is one of the best ways a woman can protect herself and her baby's health. For free help, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).
Update: New Recommendations for Mefloquine Use in Pregnancy
CDC now recommends the antimalarial drug mefloquine for pregnant women both as a malaria treatment option and as an option to prevent malaria infection for all trimesters.
Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2010
Data from the report show a heavy burden in the United States for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis and highlight ongoing health inequalities that drive racial disparities. CDC estimates that there are 19 million new infections each year in the U.S. with an annual cost of $17 billion to the U.S. healthcare system.
Vital Signs: Overdoses of Prescription Opioid Pain Relievers - United States, 1999-2008
In 2008, drug overdoses in the United States caused 36,450 deaths. OPR were involved in 14,800 deaths (73.8%) of the 20,044 prescription drug overdose deaths.
New Hope for Stopping HIV: Testing and Medical Care Save Lives (pdf)
Getting an HIV test is the first step to finding out if you have HIV and getting medical care. Without medical care, HIV leads to AIDS and early death.
Updated Fact Sheet: HIV in the United States
CDC estimates 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection. One in five (20%) of those people are unaware of their infection.
Update on Herpes Zoster Vaccine: Licensure for Persons Aged 50 through 59 Years
In June 2011, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices declined to recommend the vaccine for adults aged 50 through 59 years and reaffirmed its current recommendation that herpes zoster vaccine be routinely recommended for adults aged 60 years and older.
Quitting Smoking Among Adults - United States, 2001-2010
Among those who had visited a health-care provider, women (51.7%) and persons aged ≥65 years (57.1%) were more likely to have received cessation advice.
Vital Signs: HIV Prevention Through Care and Treatment - United States
In 2010, 9.6% of adults had been tested for HIV during the preceding 12 months (range by state: 4.9%-29.8%). Of the estimated 942,000 persons with HIV who were aware of their infection, approximately 77% were linked to care, and 51% remained in care.
Snapshots
