Recent Posts in Women's Health

Centering Pregnancy Group Resumes Post-COVID

Did you know that we recently resumed our Centering Pregnancy groups? Centering Pregnancy is prenatal care in a group setting with other women with similar due dates. During each Centering session, time is split between one-on-one care with a private midwife and group time where wellness topics are discussed among everyone, and the patient is empowered to be an integral part of her own care. ...

Brooke's Beautiful Journey to Motherhood

As the oldest girl among four children and 16 grandchildren, Brooke Wilcox spent most of her life taking care of kids. At age 20, she and her husband John decided to have a child of their own and sought the help of a midwife at Catawba Valley Medical Center Maternity Services. She had heard good things about the care available there and she liked the idea of experiencing childbirth as naturally as ...

Julie Cook Receives a Weight Loss Wake Up Call

After being overweight for most of her life, Julie Cook, age 46, received a wake-up call following a colonoscopy last year that revealed five precancerous polyps. Considering that her mom had recently passed away from colon cancer, Julie’s doctor recommended a colon cancer screening even though she was younger than the recommended age for such a screening. It was then that she decided to ...

Angela Horton Gets Her Heart Back On Track With Healthy Habits

Angela Horton, 44, was feeling run down. But she thought she may need to see a doctor after having to call her mom to help her stay awake one evening while she drove home from work. She wondered if a poor diet and lack of exercise may be why she was feeling so tired. As she put on weight and started having difficulty breathing, her co-workers pulled her aside and suggested she take some time off. ...

Woman to Woman Advice: Don't Ignore Signs of a Heart Attack

When Monica Hopkins was 69, she began feeling breathless and experiencing pain that radiated through her back and neck, she thought it was due to the stress in her life. At the time, she had been caring for her husband who had been involved in a motorcycle accident. Caring for him was her focus and she was determined to offer her support despite her pain and fatigue. But even as he recovered from ...

Ladies, Do You Know the More Subtle (BUT CRITICAL) Symptoms of Heart Attack?

When “heart attack” is mentioned, what’s the first visual that pops into your head? Is it a man grasping his chest in pain then falling to the ground? While that’s what’s portrayed in most movies, it’s important to realize the heart attack victim you’re picturing could just as easily be a woman and the scene may look a little less dramatic. “Women ...

Ladies, Let's Talk Pelvic Rehab

You may find it comforting to know that one in four women, 20 years or older, suffer from a variety of symptoms and conditions that affect the pelvis, bladder and uterus region. Most commonly referred to as pelvic floor dysfunction, these conditions negatively impact the lives of women in many uncomfortable and, sometimes embarrassing ways. “The group of muscles in the pelvic floor help to ...

Roneisha Hackett's Natural Hospital Birth

As a second-time mom, Roneisha Hackett, 29, knew she wanted a more fulfilling and empowering birth experience than she had with her first son, Modest, seven years ago. So, shortly after finding out she was pregnant, she called her maternal aunt Isaline Simms, a midwife living in Crestone, CO – a remote town known for spiritual pilgrimages, ecotourism and many diverse cultures within close ...

Health Screenings Guide for Women at Every Age

We monitor a lot of things in our lives, from our spending habits to the next time our car needs an oil change. It seems obvious that we should monitor our health in the same way. Yet, health screenings are frequently put on the back burner for a number of reasons. One of the most common reasons is the confusion as to which tests are necessary at each age. Catawba Valley Health System (CVHS) is ...

3 Great Reasons to Attend the BIG Latch On

What is the Big Latch On? The Big Latch On is a global event designed to raise awareness of the importance of breastfeeding by inviting nursing mothers to come together at registered locations around the world to nurse their children at the same time. The ultimate goal? To make breastfeeding a normal part of everyday life and educate others on the numerous benefits that breastfeeding brings. How ...