At The Adler Center, we are devoted to helping you communicate with your teenage daughter. When organizing this seminar, we wanted to provide you with a place that you could come to that is casual so that you both can learn about the changes she is experiencing. Rita-Marie Goudreau, CNM, will host our seminar. She will discuss in detail topics that relate to the menstrual cycle, PMS, menstrual cramps, and issues of sexuality. The focus will be to address any fears that are experienced by teenage daughters. The content will be perfect for girls ages 11-17 and their mothers. Please tell a friend and encourage them to join us with their teenage daughter!

The Adler Center will be holding this seminar on Tuesday, August 24th from 6:30pm-7:30pm at our Woodbridge Office. Light refreshments will be provided.

On July 4th, 2003, my husband and I found out that after trying for 6 months or so that we were finally pregnant! We were so happy! A few weeks later, after some spotting, Dr. Colon sent us for an ultrasound. Imagine our surprise when two babies could clearly be seen on the monitor! When we saw those tiny hearts beating away, we both broke down and cried. I was speechless (probably for the first time in my life).

Through the earlier weeks of my pregnancy, I experienced pretty normal pregnancy symptoms. It was the first time I had experienced morning sickness. I was really glad when that was over! Just about midway through the pregnancy, it was discovered that I had a shortened cervix and I had to go on modified bed rest. The more my pregnancy advanced, the shorter my cervix became. At nearly 24 weeks, I had a scary incident where I was feeling a lot of pressure. I had to go Labor and Delivery to get it checked out. Misti was there and she helped put me at ease.

Most of us have been told that we should have a Pap smear annually. But how many of us actually do? Isn't every two or three years enough? Is it really that important to have one every year? The answer is yes! You should have a Pap smear every year. Why? Well, let's review what a Pap smear is.

A screening tool proven to be effective

The Pap smear is a safe, painless screening tool for cervical cancer. It is easy, quick and relatively inexpensive to perform. The test is valuable because it can detect cancer very early, when it is potentially 100 percent curable.

Since its development in the 1940's the Pap smear has been used regularly by ob/gyns, and the death rate from cervical cancer has dropped by nearly 70 percent. But many women still postpone Pap smear screenings for several years or indefinitely. It is estimated that 500,000 cervical cancers will be diagnosed this year worldwide, representing 12% of all cancers diagnosed in women and almost half will die from their cancer.

Sara Pinkman, CNM, joined our staff in June, 2004. She has 29 years of experience assisting women with pregnancy and childbirth. Sara earned her Bachelor of Science and RN degree from Regent's College of the University of the State of New York. She earned her certificate in Nurse-Midwifery from Education Programs Associates, which is affiliated with San Jose State University in 1993. Sara has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including birth centers, private practices and midwifery services at hospitals in South Florida, Maryland and Virginia. She has two grown daughters and her hobbies include dancing, cooking and holistic health.

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If your baby was delivered by The Adler Center, and you would like to share your experience on our E- Newsletter, we urge you to write an article and email it to us. A picture to go along with the article would be a plus. Before we publish your article, we would ask for your permission to do so.