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MDHHS and partners support a continuum of prevention services. The continuum is inclusive of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention activities. Visit this page to learn more.
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Serves as liaison and provides funding to Michigan’s 45 local health departments.
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May 12, 2015
LANSING, Mich. – As part of National Women’s Health Week, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is raising awareness about manageable steps women can take to improve their health. This year, awareness efforts highlight the importance of preconception health and empowering women to make their health a priority.
Preconception health is a woman's health before becoming pregnant. Better health before conception helps lower the chance of prematurity, low birth weight and birth defects in a baby, and helps keep women engaged in their health status.
“A woman’s preconception health will affect the future of both her and her baby, and National Women’s Health Week is an excellent reminder for women to schedule their annual well-woman visit,” said Dr. Eden Wells, chief medical executive of MDHHS. “Regular medical checkups and staying up to date with immunizations are not only part of everyday health and wellness but also play an important role when considering starting a family.”
It is recommended that every woman between the ages of 15 and 45 should take 400 mcg of folic acid daily. Folic acid helps prevent up to 70 percent of certain birth defects of the spine and brain. Plus, it may help prevent birth defects of the lip, palate and heart. The easiest way to get the right amount of folic acid is to take a daily multivitamin that contains 400 mcg of folic acid. Eating fortified foods like grains, pastas, or breakfast cereals is another way to boost folic acid.
Women need a healthy diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean proteins. Regular exercise promotes general good health and helps to reach and maintain a healthy weight, while contributing to the health of bones, joints, and muscles. Exercise can also reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
As nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned, another important step to preconception health is to avoid alcohol and illicit drugs. To prevent developmental disabilities in an unborn baby, a woman should not drink alcohol or consume illicit drugs while she is pregnant, or when she could potentially get pregnant. If a woman is using harmful substances during pregnancy, and because brain growth takes place throughout pregnancy, the sooner a woman stops using harmful substances the safer it will be for her and her baby.
Additionally, women and their partners need to know their family health history because it can affect risk for certain diseases like cancer or diabetes. Women should discuss family history with a healthcare provider to identify the risk of having an inherited disorder. Lifestyle changes, screening or other interventions may help lower risks. For information about women’s overall health, visit www.womenshealth.gov.
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