Modoc County Health Services

Every Month Should Be Birth Defect Prevention Month.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause physical and mental birth defects. Each year, up to 40,000 babies are born with some degree of alcohol-related damage. No amount of alcohol is considered safe to drink when pregnant or when a woman is planning to get pregnant.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a number of birth defects, ranging from mild to severe. These include mental retardation, learning, emotional and behavioral problems and defects involving the heart, face and other organs. Consuming alcohol during pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage, low birth-weight babies, stillbirth and increases the risk of SIDS in the young infant.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is one of the most common causes of mental retardation in the U.S. It is known as the “hang over” that never ends for the baby exposed; FAS is completely preventable.

IF YOU ARE PREGNANT, DON’T DRINK

IF YOU DRINK, DON’T GET PREGNANT

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

March of Dimes

Modoc County Public Health provides education and referral for all females of childbearing age residing in Modoc County, regarding the importance of pregnancy planning and early prenatal care. The goal is to increase the chances of a healthy birth outcome, by teaching healthy pre-conceptual behaviors, encouraging early pregnancy screening and assuring early and continuous prenatal care. Pregnancy screens and educational materials are available both in the home and at the health department.

Perinatal services are provided to county residents through three different programs: Perinatal Outreach Education (POE); Perinatal Care Guidance (PCG) and the Comprehensive Prenatal Services Program (CPSP).

Modoc County provides free pregnancy screens every Tuesday from 9 am-10 am or by appointment. Counseling and referral is provided after completion of the test. Any female who thinks she may be pregnant is encouraged to come in for the free test as soon as possible.

If you are pregnant, prenatal care is important. In order to help women get to their prenatal appointments, Modoc County Public Health has transportation grant funds to help defray the cost of driving out of the county for care. Call to ask about this program.

Childbirth education and breastfeeding classes are available in collaboration with other community agencies. The Perinatal Outreach Education program (POE) has a variety of educational materials about pregnancy including videos, informational packets, handouts as well as one on one counseling and visitation. Remember the following:

Recipe: Healthy Baby

Serves: One Family

Pregnancy Planning

Health Life Habits

Early Pregnancy Testing

Early & Continuous Prenatal Care

Good Nutrition

Folic Acid in diet and Vitamins

No Alcohol, Drugs or Tobacco Smoke

Education regarding Pregnancy, Birthing & Baby Care

The perinatal outreach education program also distributes the “New Parent Kit”. This is an informational packet developed by the Prop 10 commission which contains six videos, multiple pamphlets, a parent guide book and a baby counting book to be offered to all new parents in California. This is an excellent resource for parents about a child’s health, safety and development. This educational package is offered free of charge to any California resident who gives birth.

The Perinatal Outreach Education (POE) program encourages all women of childbearing age to take steps even before conception to improve the chances of having a healthy baby. Get informed and do the following:

Get a pre-pregnancy check-up

Adopt a healthy lifestyle

Exercise and Eat a Healthy Diet

Take a multivitamin with 400 mcq of folic acid

Obtain ideal body weight

Have a screening done for infectious diseases

Identify and control chronic diseases

Stop smoking and avoid exposure to 2nd hand smoke

Avoid all drugs and alcohol

Get genetic screening if indicated

Identify and avoid environmental hazards at work and home.