Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health Matters for Women[TM] E-Newsletter Update

Health Matters for Women February 2019

New from CDC Increased Methamphetamine, Injection Drug, and Heroin Use Among Women and Heterosexual Men with Primary and Secondary Syphilis — United States, 2013–2017 Among women with primary and secondary syphilis, reported use of methamphetamine, injection drugs, and heroin more than doubled during 2013–2017. In 2017, 16.6% of women with syphilis used methamphetamine, 10.5% used injection drugs, and 5.8% used heroin during the preceding 12 months. Educational Attainment of Mothers Aged 25 and Over: United States, 2017 Maternal education is shown to be associated with the number of children a woman has during her childbearing years, as well as maternal and infant health. Using 2017 national birth certificate data, this report describes educational attainment of mothers aged 25 and over, overall and by race and Hispanic origin and state, and the mean numbers of live births by mothers’ educational attainment. Higher Breast Cancer Risk Among Immigrant Asian American Women Than Among US-Born Asian American Women Given rising rates of breast cancer in parts of Asia, immigrant Asian American women in the United States may have higher rates of breast cancer than previously anticipated. This study examined breast cancer risk among Asian American women by nativity and percentage of life lived in the United States, accounting for established breast cancer risk factors. Clinical Presentation of Pregnant Women in Isolation Units for Ebola Virus Disease in Sierra Leone The objective of the study was to examine Ebola virus disease symptom prevalence and status among pregnant women in Ebola isolation units in Sierra Leone. Several Ebola virus disease symptoms and complications increased the odds of testing positive for the disease. Some of these were also signs and symptoms of labor/pregnancy complications. The study results highlight the need to refine screening for pregnant women with Ebola virus disease. Leveraging Existing Birth Defects Surveillance Infrastructure to Build Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Surveillance Systems (Illinois, New Mexico, and Vermont) This report describes a pilot project in Illinois, New Mexico, and Vermont to use birth defects surveillance infrastructure to obtain state-level, population-based estimates of neonatal abstinence syndrome. The lessons learned from this pilot project might help inform neonatal abstinence syndrome surveillance efforts in other U.S. states or jurisdictions. CDC Funding Increasing Influenza and Tdap Vaccination of Pregnant Women in Obstetric/Gynecologic Practices in Large Health Systems through Quality Improvement Interventions Department of Health and Human Services (RFA-IP-19-002) Conferences and Learning Opportunities National HIV Prevention Conference, March 18-21, 2019 Native Women and Men's Wellness and Diabetes Prevention Conference, April 22-25, 2019  Advocating for Health Equity 64th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, May 18-22, 2019 48th Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Research on Women's Health, October 23, 2019 Snapshots Percentage of U.S. Women Aged 50–74 Years Who Have Ever Had Breast Cancer, by Race and Hispanic Origin — National Health Interview Survey, 2015–2017 Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years Who Were Prescribed Medication in the Past 12 Months, by Sex and Age Group — National Health Interview Survey, 2017 Upcoming Observances March 2019 National Endometriosis Awareness Month Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - March 10