New data suggests that the US is facing a teen pregnancy crisis and that national abstinence only programs in schools are not working.  Makes sense when you look at what the media teaches teens. The media teaches that abstinence doesn’t work; that teens need to be safe.

But, confused messages just don’t work, especially when television shows like Gossip Girl and Sex in the City glorify casual sex and show no consequences.

This year the Washington Post reports a clear link between teens who watch a lot of television featuring “flirting, necking, discussion of sex and sex scenes are much more likely than their peers to get pregnant or get a partner pregnant…”

The study tracked 700 12-to-17-year-olds for three years and found that teens that viewed the most sexual content on television were about two times as likely to be involved in a pregnancy as those who viewed the least.

So, what does this mean for your teens?  It means that sexual content on television has actually doubled in the last few years. You’ve seen it because I know I have. I was shocked to see one of the first episode of 90210 include a girl performing oral sex on a boy. Nothing was shown, of course, but it was quite obvious what was happening.

These types of shows highlight only positive aspects of sex but not the risks. But what teen would watch those types of shows?

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Teen Pregnancy Increase

Now, however, one of the teens who got pregnant spoke out and denied that a pact ever existed.

The Mayor of Gloucester also denied these rumors. So instead, the pregnant girls simply wanted to help each other out. This should bring a big sigh of relief to parents of teens.

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"Teen Pregnancy Pact" denied by one of pregnant girls

Image details: Tori Spelling Book Signing served by picapp.com

Tori Spelling and husband Dean McDermott also welcome their second child! !

Stella Doreen McDermott, at 6-pound, 8-ounces, was born June 9, 2008. Most likely we will see the new baby take part in her parents’ reality series “Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood,” under Oxygen. The third season premieres on June 17.

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Junior celebrity health: Tori Spelling gave birth to a girl

Celebs first:

Image details: The Eye – Premiere served by picapp.com

Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren welcome their new baby girl!

Honor Marie Warren was born June 7, 2008. Honor – that’s a really beautiful name, isn’t it? You sort of know the parents thought out the name to give their child.really well. What kind of mom will she be to Honor? Jessica told Fit Pregnancy that she does NOT want to be her child’s best friend. “I want to be a mom. But I do want my child to come to me when they have problems and need to talk, so it’s going to be about treading that line.” Alba and Warren met while filming “Fantastic Four” where Warren worked as the director’s assistant. The couple quietly wed on May 19 at the Beverly Hills courthouse. Congratulations on all fronts to the Warren family!

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Junior Celebrity Health: Jessica Alba gave birth to a girl!

Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream (click for image) is used by nursing mothers to heal and soothe dry or cracked nipples. Immediately seek medical attention if these symptoms are observed in infants whose mothers used the cream:

• decreased appetite by the infant
• difficulty in awakening the child
• limpness of extremities
• a decrease in an infant’s strength of grip
• a change in skin color

The harmful ingredients are: chlorphenesin and phenoxyethanol. Chlorphenesin relaxes skeletal muscle and can depress the central nervous system and cause respiratory depression (slow or shallow breathing) in infants. Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It also can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in infants.

source

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Health alert: Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream has harmful ingredients

I am so excited about this new blog. The writer Marijke Durning, a registered nurse with postpartum experience, is one awesome blogger (in a channel with many greats!). I know she’ll bring expertise and experience to WombWithin, so check it out, ‘K. But I’ll let her invite you in -

Pregnancy is such a unique time in a woman’s life. Some pregnancies are anticipated and enjoyed throughout; others are unexpected and maybe not as welcome as one would hope. However you came to be here to read this blog, I hope that I can make your journey a little easier, a little less mysterious, and – when possible – fun.

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b5media Health and Wellness has a new baby…

An epidemiological survey by UCLA researchers found that pregnant women who regularly use mobile phones are more likely to have children with behavioral problems. What’s more, the study found that the risk of developing hyperactivity and emotional difficulties increase if the children themselves used the phones before the age of seven.

To make things clear, this study did not look at the question if cell phones (or even radiation) causes behavioral problems. Rather, the survey only showed that there was an association or link between children’s behavior and cell phone use by the mom when pregnant. According to the study, possible explanations other than radiation maybe that mothers who are frequently on the phone (two to three times a day; cell phone always on) could be neglecting their children. The researchers say their results should be “interpreted with caution”.

The study will be published in the July issue of Epidemiology and I read the advanced e-published copy. I just find it hard to believe. This could again be about cell phone radiation causing damage to the fetus. But if this were about a pregnant mother’s behavior/activity that results in damage to the developing fetus, then it raises even more questions.

For one, how long were the pregnant women on the phones that the activity resulted to their fetuses being affected so much that behavioral problems would rise years later? There could also be other unmeasured factors that explain the results better than simply too much talking on the phone.

Further investigation is definitely warranted. BUT, if these results hold water, then the implications are going to be devastating today where almost everyone is on their cell phones 24/7.

What do YOU think?

Read the report from the Independent Mail.

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Cell phone use by pregnant women leads to behavior problems in children later

And now, we have FOUR WINNERS! The following numbers-names were randomly drawn -

One Winner of the SPA PACK:

# 983 David

Three winners of the PRIZE PACKS:

# 169 Shannon

# 972 Pamela White

# 489 Megan Gee

Congratulations to the winners! I’ll email you instructions for receiving your prize. If you have a blog, I would appreciate a link-up so I’ll know you’re there.

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Aquafina Spa and Prize Packs Give-away – winners

I didn’t stress, wanted to hit someone, or angered over losing. In fact, I was playing it rather calmly, and absolutely amused by it. Weird? Nope, it’s PopCap.

PopCap Games is the leading developer and publisher of casual games.The audience are primarily middle-age workers seeking diversion during, or as downtime, after work. Or mothers like us who need downtime, and time out away from stress. But hey, your kids will love them too! The PopCap games are a great source of stress relief, cognitive exercise and confidence-building. They are thoroughly nonviolent, uncontroversial and simple. And extremely fun! So this is the kind of video games that are healthy for you.

Now what does PopCap have to do with Mother’s Day? 

PopCap.com will honor Mother’s Day by donating 30% of the price of each game sold on its website to Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®, the global leader in the fight to end breast cancer forever. The monetary goal of the Mother’s Day fund-raising drive is $100,000 – and if that goal is met, all consumers who participated (by purchasing one or more games) will receive a free gift from PopCap. The promotion is site-wide, with the main informational page located at www.offers.popcap.com/holiday/mothersday.

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Healthy gift idea for Mothers – Popcap video games!

A large study from Canada found that folic acid supplementation during pregnancy reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia while another  study out of Cochrane showed that taking anti-oxidants such as vitamins C and E does not reduce the risk of the syndrome or other serious pregnancy-related problems.

One of the most common and dangerous complications of pregnancy, pre-eclampsia results in a rapid rise in blood pressure that is associated with protein in the urine. It may develop anytime between 20 weeks gestation up to six weeks postpartum. So an early detection, as well as taking care to lower the chances of getting it are important for both the mom and baby.

These results of course don’t mean vitamins C and E are not necessary for prenatal health. So make sure you get the right doses during pregnancy and after. Folic acid, especially, as it is found to affect more and more aspects of a woman’s health.

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Of pre-eclampsia, vitamins and folic acid