Healthy Living

Health Care

Pre‑Pregnancy Health

Pre‑pregnancy health or “preconception health” is the health of a woman before she becomes pregnant. The aim of preconception care is to promote girls’ and women’s health from the beginning of menstruation to menopause, even if they do not intend to become pregnant. This includes improving health and reducing risk factors that might affect future pregnancies. Health literacy, screenings, prevention and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and immunizations are all part of good preconception health.

If you are already pregnant, for more information on what you can do so that you and your baby are as healthy as possible, click here.

Health Literacy

Health literacy is not simply the ability to read – it is a person’s ability to obtain and understand health information and services in order to make health decisions. It includes a set of skills, such as understanding instructions on prescription drug bottles and medical education brochures, as well as being able to use the health care system for you and your family’s health needs. It requires reading, listening, and making informed health decisions for you and your family every day.

To improve your health literacy:

Read every day. This is important for women at all ages. Daily reading, whatever you read, is an important part of helping your health literacy.
Take opportunities for learning throughout your life. Education keeps the mind flexible and open to new information.
Communicate with health care providers. Taking notes, preparing your questions ahead of time, and reading about your condition between appointments may help you to talk to your health care provider. It is your right to ask questions and to learn about your health.

Screening

Screenings are searches for early signs of disease. By catching disease in its early stages, screenings can decrease harm and save lives. The following screenings are recommended for all women:

Screen	Why You Should be Screened
Blood Cholesterol	Having some cholesterol (fat) in your blood is normal. Too much low‑density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, increases risk of heart disease and stroke. High levels of high‑density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, can help protect against heart disease.
Blood Pressure	To protect yourself against strokes and heart attacks, have your blood pressure tested whenever you visit your health care provider, or every two to three years, whichever comes first. Normal blood pressure is around 120/80. If you take birth‑control pills or if you are over 65, you should have your blood‑pressure checked once a year.
Monitoring your Weight	Too much or too little fat on your body can have dangerous health effects. A healthy weight helps protect against problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and osteoarthritis. For more information on monitoring your weight, click here.
Breast Cancer Screening	Breast cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths in women. When breast cancer is discovered early, treatments are more likely to be successful. There are three ways to detect breast changes that might be cancerous: Know your breasts and what’s normal for you. If you are not sure how to check your breasts, ask your health care provider. Have a clinical breast exam once a year from your health care provider. If your mother or a sister had breast cancer before menopause, talk to your health care provider about having a mammogram or other screening.
Cervical Cancer Screening	The Papanicolaou (PAP) smear is the screening test for cervical cancer. Women should start having regular cervical screening when they become sexually active. Women with regular PAP smears with negative results will have a lower risk of developing cervical cancer. Talk to your health care provider about how often you should be screened.
Pelvic Exam	A pelvic exam performed by a health care provider can help detect abnormalities in your reproductive organs, such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs), uterine fibroids, or ovarian cancer. The exam involves an external examination of your genitals, a PAP test, and an internal check of your uterus and ovaries. Talk to your health care provider about how often you should have this exam.

Your health care provider may suggest additional screens for you.

Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Screening

Screenings for STIs are a critical part of maintaining sexual health. If you have been sexually active with two or more partners in the previous year, if you have any abnormal vaginal discharge, or if your partner has had multiple partners, you should request tests for chlamydia, human papillomavirus (HPV), and gonorrhea. There are also blood tests for syphilis, hepatitis B and C, and HIV. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis can be treated with antibiotics. Hepatitis B can be prevented by having a vaccination, but some other diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV cannot and they do not have cures.

You can protect yourself from STIs by using condoms, especially if you are not in a steady relationship. For example, condoms will reduce your risk of catching herpes (an infected partner may have symptoms you cannot see). It is important for your health (and for your baby’s health if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy) that you talk with your health care provider if you have, or think you may have, an STI, such as herpes, hepatitis B, or HIV. There are treatments available. Click here for a chart that provides information on some STIs that could affect a potential pregnancy, be a risk to your baby, or increase your risk of preterm labour.

You can reduce the chance of getting STIs, including HIV, by avoiding high‑risk activities, such as:

having multiple partners
injecting or using street drugs
sharing needles
having a number of sexual partners and not using condoms
engaging in anal sex without condoms

If you suspect that you have been exposed to an STI, talk with your health care provider, public health nurse, or call BC HealthLink at 8‑1‑1.

Immunizations

Your Immunization Status

Many of us think that immunizations (or vaccinations) are only for kids. But immunizations don’t end in childhood. Adults need vaccines to either boost previous immunizations so that they are still effective, or because of new risk factors from travel, work, or new disease conditions. Most adults will have received childhood vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, measles, mumps, and rubella. Take your immunization record to your health care provider to ensure it is updated. If you have no record and believe you may not have received a childhood series of these vaccines, tell your health care provider. Routine recommended vaccines are provided free to all adults in BC.

Immunizations for Women

A booster dose of whooping cough vaccine, called pertussis, is recommended once in adulthood and is best given prior to pregnancy or immediately following the birth of the baby, because adults can get whooping cough and spread it to young infants who are most at risk of complications.
Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are given in a combined vaccine called MMR. Women will be tested for rubella immunity in pregnancy by a blood test because rubella is a serious disease for the fetus and can cause malformations.
Influenza (flu) vaccine is recommended for women who will be in their last trimester of pregnancy during influenza season, and it can be given during pregnancy. Members of households with children under age two should also be immunized to protect those children, including before the birth of a baby.
H1N1 influenza vaccine is recommended for all pregnant women. Pregnant women are at increased risk of complications from H1N1 disease. The risk rises as the pregnancy progresses and is highest in the second half of pregnancy. Immunization helps protect both the mother and the developing baby.

For more information about immunizations, what immunizations are routine and free, and H1N1, visit the Immunize BC website.