Women’s Health Advisory Group Plans Statewide Video Conference

By Robin Pilus

 “Health Equity for Women” will be the topic of the first Women’s Health Advisory Group scheduled for March 23 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

 This statewide video conference is being organized by the Healthy Mothers, Healhy Babies Coalition of Hawaii (HMHB).

 The meeting will be conducted via teleconference at various State Video Conference Centers throughout Hawaii.  Active Maui County locations for the conference include the Wailuku Judiciary Building and Molokai General Hospital.

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawai’i (HMHB) initially was established as a statewide steering committee and became a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization in 1992.   This local nonprofit agency is part of a national network of organizations and individuals committed to improving Hawaii’s maternal, child and family health through collaborative efforts in public education, advocacy, and partner development. 

“I believe this meeting is important because we can begin to develop a broader understanding of the health challenges facing women in Hawaii and develop strategies to assist them,” said Jackie Berry, Executive Director for HMHB.   “The participants at the meeting come from many different professional areas but all share their concern for women.”

HMHB issued the following information regarding women’s health to lay the foundation for the discussion planned for the conference:

• Like most of the U.S. Hawai’i has witnessed a disturbing upward trend of low birth weight babies and preterm birth.  Both  are associated with poor birth outcomes.
• 45.3% of pregnancies in Hawai’i are unintended, with 13% being “unwanted.”  Unwanted pregnancies typically have higher rates of poor outcomes.   When pregnancies are intended and planned, there is greater opportunity and motivation for women and their partners to adopt or maintain positive health behaviors. 
• Approximately 6.3% of women report using alcohol during their pregnancy in 2008.  This is almost a two-fold increase from 2002.  No amount of alcohol consumption is considered safe during pregnancy.
• Heart disease and stroke rates incidences are dramatically increasing in women.

To register for the conference email [email protected], or visit Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Hawaii.