Women’s Health Services
Designed to coordinate prevention and support services for women
68% of our adult patients are women; the majority are mothers or grandmothers who see caring for their families as more important than their own health.
They are the backbone for their family’s health. Many of them are coping with life issues that impact access to care and self care, including domestic violence, social/linguistic isolation, and behavioral health problems.
Family Planning
81% of our adult female patients are of childbearing age (15-45)
- Highest rates of teen pregnancy in the county are in RFHC’s service area.
- Majority of teen pregnancies occurs consistently in adolescent Latinas; increased dramatically from 61.3% in 1990-1994 to 78.2% in 2000-2004 (latest data available)
Source: Community Assessment: Health & Quality of Life in San Mateo County 2008
Every woman of reproductive age is offered information about family planning options. To reduce risks of STD and high rates of teen pregnancy, sensitive services are provided to teens as well.
Members of our women's health care team
Prenatal Care
- Black, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander women have the highest proportions of births receiving less than adequate prenatal care
- Late or no prenatal care in Pacific Islanders is significantly higher (2 times greater than in Hispanics and Blacks)
San Mateo County Community Assessment 2008
Every young woman needs a lot of support during pregnancy.
Of the 442 young women that received prenatal care at RFHC in 2009:
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18% were 19 and younger
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An estimated 40% were unmarried
Comprehensive Prenatal Services:
To prepare women, we provide a comprehensive one-on-one education series that includes
- Education about fetal development, importance of diet, and the ups and downs of pregnancy and how to deal with discomforts
- Preparation for childbirth including a visit to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital where the baby will be delivered
- Breastfeeding and baby care
- Basics of infant safety and prevention of injury
- Referral to Integrated Behavioral Health if needed
Prevention and Early Detection
1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer
Lack of insurance or inadequate coverage is a major barrier to preventive health services and timely treatment. As a result, people without insurance or people that do not have adequate coverage, are much more likely to be diagnosed with advance stages of cancer.
Mammography
Until RFHC has onsite radiology, we draw on our partners to provide mammography.
- Community Mammography Access Project (CMAP), sponsored by Community Health Partnership, provides mobile mammography services
- Gabriella Patser Program offers mammograms for women under the age of 40
- San Mateo Medical Center
Listen to our triage nurse, Tesla Ortega, RN, tell her story about surviving breast cancer.
Women Supporting One Another
Healthy and Strong Women is an educational series that we offer in English and Spanish, teaching women to be as vigilant about their own health as they are about the health of their children.
Funded by the Stanford Hospitals & Clinic Community Benefits Program.