“Preeclampsia is a serious condition that can happen after the 20th week of pregnancy or after giving birth (called postpartum preeclampsia). Most people who have preeclampsia have dangerously high blood pressure and may have problems with their kidneys or liver. Blood pressure is the force of blood that pushes against the artery walls. An artery is a blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to other parts of the body. High blood pressure (also called hypertension) can stress the heart and cause problems during pregnancy.”

March of Dimes (https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/pregnancy/preeclampsia)

The Box below shows the organs Pre-eclampsia can effect:

What is Preeclampsia?

Preeclampsia is a condition that occurs only during pregnancy. Some symptoms may include high blood pressure and protein in the urine, occurring after week 20 of pregnancy. Preeclampsia is often precluded by gestational hypertension. While high blood pressure during pregnancy does not necessarily indicate preeclampsia, it may be a sign of another problem. The condition affects at least 5-8% of pregnancies.

Preeclampsia, formerly called toxemia, is when a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, protein in her urine, and swelling in her legs, feet, and hands. It can range from mild to severe. It usually happens late in pregnancy, though it can come earlier or just after delivery.

Preeclampsia can lead to eclampsia, a serious condition that can have health risks for mom and baby and, in rare cases, cause death. Women with preeclampsia who have seizures have eclampsia.

If you have a mild case and your baby has not reached full development, your doctor will probably recommend you do the following:

• Rest, lying on your left side to take the weight of the baby off your major blood vessels.
• Increase prenatal checkups.
• Consume less salt
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day
• Change your diet to include more protein

If you have a severe case, your doctor may try to treat you with blood pressure medication until you are far enough along to deliver safely, along with possibly bed rest, dietary changes, and supplements.

The only cure for preeclampsia is to give birth. Even after delivery, symptoms of preeclampsia can last 1 to 6 weeks or more.

You can help protect yourself by learning the symptoms of preeclampsia and by seeing your doctor for regular prenatal care. Catching preeclampsia early may lower the chances of long-term problems for both mom and baby.

For many years preeclampsia has been considered to be a two-stage disease. The first stage comprises poor placentation. The second stage is the clinical expression of the disease namely new hypertension and new proteinuria in the patient.

Who is at risk for preeclampsia?

• A first-time mom
• Previous experience with gestational hypertension or preeclampsia
• Women whose sisters and mothers who had preeclampsia (family history)
• Women carrying multiple babies
• Women younger than 20 years and older than age 35
• Women who had high blood pressure or kidney disease prior to pregnancy
• Women who are obese or have a BMI of 30 or greater
• Complications in previous pregnancy.

How do I know if I have preeclampsia?

At each prenatal checkup, your healthcare provider will check your blood pressure, urine levels, and may order blood tests which may show if you have preeclampsia. Your physician may also perform other tests that include: checking kidney and blood-clotting functions; ultrasound scan to check your baby’s growth; and Doppler scan to measure the efficiency of blood flow to the placenta.

Symptoms:

Preeclampsia sometimes develops without any symptoms. High blood pressure may develop slowly, or it may have a sudden onset. Monitoring your blood pressure is an important part of prenatal care because the first sign of preeclampsia is commonly a rise in blood pressure. Blood pressure that exceeds 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or greater — documented on two occasions, at least four hours apart — is abnormal.

Other signs and symptoms of preeclampsia may include:

• Excess protein in your urine (proteinuria) or additional signs of kidney problems
• Severe headaches
• Changes in vision, including temporary loss of vision, blurred vision or light sensitivity
• Upper abdominal pain, usually under your ribs on the right side
• Nausea or vomiting
• Decreased urine output
• Decreased levels of platelets in your blood (thrombocytopenia)
• Impaired liver function
• Shortness of breath, caused by fluid in your lungs

When to go to the doctor:

“July is recognized as Cord Blood Awareness Month. This month aims to educate people about cord blood donation and storage benefits. Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born.

Public cord blood banking is free and will provide life-saving benefits to a family in need. Once you donate your cord blood, however, you no longer have rights to those stem cells. If your child or family member is in need of cord blood stem cells, there is no guarantee that you or children can use their own cells. With private cord blood banking, there are fees but you own the cells. Your full rights to use it are preserved, and it is always immediately available to you.”

New England Cord Blood Bank – NECBB (https://www.cordbloodbank.com/july-cord-blood-awareness-month/)

“With warmer weather finally arriving, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) wants residents to enjoy favorite activities while also avoiding certain illnesses often linked with summer fun.

“If not done safely, many warm weather activities can sometimes cause unpleasant stomach-related symptoms and occasionally serious illness,” says Courtney Tillman, epidemiologist with WDH.

Diseases such as cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis and shigellosis are diarrheal illnesses caused by swallowing water from pools or outdoor sources contaminated with animal or human feces. These illnesses, along with salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis and E. coli-related illnesses, can also result from direct contact with animals or their feces during animal-related activities such as brandings or petting zoos.

Matt Peterson, another WDH epidemiologist, said, “Every spring in Wyoming, we begin seeing new cases of salmonellosis linked to backyard poultry.” Most of these cases are children under 5 who have touched or held baby poultry in ranch supply stores or whose family have recently acquired baby poultry. Young children are more likely to get sick with Salmonella because their immune systems are still developing and they are more likely to put their fingers or other items with germs into their mouths.

“Do not let young children touch live poultry (including chicks and ducklings) or touch anything in the area where the birds live and roam,” Peterson cautions. “Backyard poultry can have Salmonella germs in their poop and on their bodies even when they look healthy and clean. The germs spread easily to their cages, coops, hay, plants and soil in the areas they live and roam.”

Tillman added, “You should always wash your hands after coming into contact with animals or their habitats. It’s best to clean hands with running water and soap. If you can’t immediately access running water and soap, use hand sanitizer until you’re able to wash your hands.”

“Water sources and animals may look clean, but can still be contaminated,” Tillman said.

Simple things we can do to help protect ourselves and others include:
• DO stay out of the water if sick with diarrhea.
• DO shower before getting in the water. When chlorine mixes with dirt, sweat, pee and poop, there is less chlorine available to kill germs.
• DO take kids on bathroom breaks or check diapers every hour. Change diapers away from the water to keep germs from getting in.
• DO dry ears thoroughly with a towel after getting out of the water.
• DO boil or use a filter or solution designed to remove germs from streams, rivers and lakes before drinking.
• DO wash hands thoroughly after coming into contact with animals and their habitats, before preparing food and before eating and drinking.

Actions to avoid include:
• DON’T swallow swimming water and avoid getting water in the mouth.
• DON’T poop or pee in swimming water.
• DON’T sit or stand on jets at splash pads. Sitting or standing on jets can rinse poop off butts.
• DON’T let children kiss animals or put objects in their mouths after touching animals.
• DON’T touch wild animals or their carcasses. If concerned about a wild animal or animal carcass, contact your local animal control office.

Wyoming Department of Health (https://health.wyo.gov/dos-and-donts-to-help-avoid-common-summer-illnesses/)

“The start of summer is the perfect time to gather with family and friends for good food and fun times. This year, celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence safely. Our July 4th safety tips cover a few key summer safety topics to help keep you and your family safe this Independence Day.

Fireworks cause over 19,000 fires every year. Take the proper precautions when operating fireworks.

• Never disassemble or try to make your own fireworks.
• Don’t point sparklers, or fireworks at yourself or others, especially when lighting them.
• Only light fireworks on the ground and in areas that are dry and fire-resistant.
• Don’t attempt to ignite fireworks at the same time.
• Never allow young children to handle fireworks or sparklers to prevent firework-related injuries.
• Always keep a portable fire extinguisher close by. Also, keep a water hose or buckets of water nearby to put out fires.
• If fireworks malfunction, don’t relight them! Douse and soak malfunctioning fireworks with water then throw them away.
• Resist the urge to bring your dog to a fireworks display. The safest place for them is at home where it’s familiar, quiet and not crowded.

Never allow young children to handle fireworks or sparklers to prevent firework-related injuries. Sparklers are hot enough to cause severe burns if mishandled.”

ADT (https://www.adt.com/resources/4th-of-july-safety-tips)

“The strength of the sun’s UV rays reaching the ground depends on a number of factors, such as:

• Time of day: UV rays are strongest in the middle of the day, between 10 am and 4 pm.
• Season of the year: UV rays are stronger during spring and summer months. This is less of a factor near the equator.
• Distance from the equator (latitude): UV exposure goes down as you get further from the equator.
• Altitude: More UV rays reach the ground at higher elevations.
• Cloud cover: The effect of clouds can vary, but it’s important to know that UV rays can get through to the ground, even on a cloudy day.
• Reflection off surfaces: UV rays can bounce off surfaces like water, sand, snow, or pavement, leading to an increase in UV exposure.”

American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/risk-prevention/sun-and-uv/uv-protection.html)

“The University of Michigan recommends the following: there are very bicycle-friendly communities. It is, however, very important that bicyclists (and motorists) understand the rules of the road and how to stay safe while biking in the city. With an abundance of restaurants and shops downtown and various city parks to explore. Did you know that city ordinances require motorists to stop for pedestrians who are at or in crosswalks?  Walk with a friend, use designated sidewalks or paths, cross at designated crosswalks and don’t just look at signs but use your eyes looking both ways also.As we make the switch from warm to hot weather, it’s important to take the time to review tips for staying safe in the heat.  This means wear sunscreen for skin protection, drink plenty of water, limit alcoholic beverages, dress in loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing, and limit exercise outdoors in extreme heat.Summertime is often paired with grilling outdoors so this means place grills a minimum of 36″ away from your home, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches, set up your grill on a flat, stable surface to prevent tipping, operate your grill safely by checking for leaks and opening the lid before lighting, maintain your grill by cleaning and inspecting it regularly and always have a fire extinguisher nearby.  Of course don’t forget the supervision of children and pets in also establishing a safe zone of at least three feet around the grill, where children and pets are not allowed.”

Division of Public Safety and Security University of Michigan –  DPSS (https://news.dpss.umich.edu/2024/06/1391)

“May sound so basic but not always followed so as a reminder to let the public know the best way to prevent HIV is to understand how the virus is transmitted and take steps to reduce your risk. If you’re living with HIV, understanding these practices can help prevent transmission to others.

HIV can’t be transmitted through saliva or skin-to-skin contact, such as hugging or shaking hands. The virus can only be transmitted by exchanging certain bodily fluids, including genital secretions and blood.

As a result, transmission most frequently occurs during condomless sex or shared use of syringes and other drug injection equipment.

Adopting certain harm reduction strategies, including safer sex and safer substance use or better yet no substance use, can help reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting the virus.

Although you have up to 72 hours to begin PEP, the medication is less likely to be effective over time. Additional medication must also be taken consistently and correctly for 28 days.

If you don’t have a primary care doctor or another healthcare professional to reach out to, you may be able to get a prescription for PEP at your local: health department, sexual health clinic, urgent care center or emergency room.

Know approximately 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, according to HIV.gov. Of those people, 13% do not know they have it.  In 2021, there were 1,086,806 people living with HIV in the U.S. In 2021, 36,126 people were newly diagnosed with HIV.“

healthline (https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/hiv-prevention/hiv-prevention?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_cmpid=20958361886&utm_adgid=156321296365&utm_adid=688286705703&utm_network=g&utm_device=c&utm_keyword=&utm_adpos=&utm_gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8fKFhNj0hgMV-2BHAR2JDwgDEAMYASAAEgL8BPD_BwE&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8fKFhNj0hgMV-2BHAR2JDwgDEAMYASAAEgL8BPD_BwE#takeaway)