Pregnant Women Who Contract Valley Fever Have To Choose Between Risk To Baby, Own Health
There's little information on the the effects Valley Fever medication could have on a developing fetus, which puts women who are afflicted with the illness in a tough position.
The Bakersfield Californian:
Valley Fever Medication Poses Added Risk For Pregnant Women
As with the general population, most pregnant women who contract valley fever overcome the disease with no symptoms and no need for treatment. But what worries epidemiologists is a handful of rare, severe cases, in which five babies were born with skeletal defects. Their mothers had all been taking the antifungal drug fluconazole during their first trimester. ...Left untreated, the disease can in rare cases spread throughout the body or lead to fatal meningitis. That’s why some women with especially severe symptoms, or who are already in treatment when they become pregnant, may be willing to take fluconazole despite the risks. “It just means you’ve got to have a discussion about pros and cons — what are the risks, are there alternatives, are those alternatives feasible?” said [Dr. Daniel] Boken. (Klein, 10/14)
In other public health news —
The California Health Report:
Smart Inhaler Project Aims To Reduce Asthma Attacks Among LA's Low-Income Children
A new pilot project in Los Angeles County aims to reduce the burden of childhood asthma in low-income communities and on the public health system by putting “smart” inhalers in the hands of kids. Led by the recently formed non-profit group SmartAirLA, the project will distribute inhalers with Bluetooth sensors to about 150 low-income, asthmatic children. The inhalers will remind children when it’s time to take their medication and help parents and doctors track whether kids are following their medication regimen correctly. The inhalers will also collect information about when and where children experience asthma attacks, allowing researchers to identify asthmatic hotspots that can potentially be mitigated through government and community action, such as rerouting traffic or planting trees. (Boyd-Barrett, 10/11)