May is National Women's Health Month, and experts are reminding women to prioritize their health and well-being.

Brenda Shelton-Dunston, executive director of the Philadelphia Black Women's Health Alliance, said the worst of the pandemic showed that Black women's health was at the top of the curve as far as health disparities.

She said her organization works to help improve healthcare outcomes and reduce disparities for women of color through awareness.

"We provide education and increase knowledge," said Shelton-Dunston. "First, explain what a health disparity is. Health disparities are basically preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence or opportunities to achieve an optimal health status."

Shelton-Dunston said they provide strategies and approaches that can be used to prevent chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

She said the Office of Minority Health reports that - per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - African American women are nearly 50% more likely to have high blood pressure, compared with non-Hispanic white women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that women who are caregivers are at greater risk for poor physical and mental health.

Shelton-Dunston said it is important for women to focus on their mental health and to take time out for themselves while they are caring for their loved ones.

"You have ultimate responsibility for you and for your self-care," said Shelton-Dunston. "How do you accomplish that? Making that a priority, making you a priority."

She added that their Prime Time Sister Circle program helps women understand that they won't be able to take care of anyone else unless they take care of themselves first.

Dr. Donna O'Shea is an Obstetrician/Gynecologist and the chief medical officer for population health at UnitedHealthcare. She said as younger women begin adulthood, it's important to take preventive steps so chronic health issues don't begin to take hold.

"It still is important to eat a balanced diet, and perhaps even more; and to have a consistent strength and cardiovascular training routine, that can also help minimize the stress," said O'Shea. "As you know, stress hurts us in many ways."

O'Shea urged women to make appointments for any screenings they may have put off during COVID, such as a mammogram or screenings for cervical or colon cancer.

She added that the good news is that colon cancer screening is an excellent way to catch it early, so it can be treated and cured.

Florida's new law banning fluoride in public water systems has drawn sharp criticism from dental professionals, who cite decades of evidence supporting its safety and effectiveness in preventing tooth decay.

Dr. Jeff Ottley, president of the Florida Dental Association, warned that the change will lead to a rise in cavities, particularly among children and underserved populations.

"Over the next two to three years, we will see an increase in the number of cavities, particularly in children and older adults who take multiple medications, which cause dry mouth," he said. "Those older adults will start getting cavities along the roof surfaces of their teeth and under existing restorations, like crowns and fillings."

Backers of the ban, including libertarian groups and some GOP legislators, have argued that "fluoride is a choice" and have recommended topical treatments, such as toothpaste, over what they claimed to be "mass medication."

Ottley stressed that fluoride occurs naturally in water, and the ban eliminates adjustments that allow cities to reach optimal levels for dental health.

He also predicted severe consequences, especially for Florida's Medicaid system and rural communities.

"The Medicaid system in Florida already has the lowest reimbursement rate across the country," he said, "and so you're going to have an influx in the number of kids looking, and parents looking to treat their kids who are on Medicaid, and the providers just aren't going to be there."

Ottley warned that higher Medicaid payments will be needed to attract dental-care providers, which he said could lead to ballooning costs.

His interim advice for parents: Seek prescription fluoride vitamins, and everyone should maintain rigorous brushing and flossing routines, cut their sugar intake and avoid post-brushing snacks before bed.


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California lawmakers are considering a bill to ease regulations on birth centers at a time when maternity wards are closing in many counties. Assembly Bill 55 would streamline the licensure process, which allows a birth center to accept Medi-Cal, making midwifery care available to low-income families.

Sandra Poole, health policy advocate with the Western Center on Law and Poverty, said the bill would also no longer require a birthing center to be within 30 minutes of a hospital but instead rely on a transfer plan to address potential emergencies.

"Of course, if you're in an area where the labor and delivery has closed, that's going to be impossible," she explained. "There are 12 counties in the State of California that have absolutely no labor and delivery wards at all in the county."

Birth centers are non-hospital, homelike facilities for low-risk pregnancies. At least 40% of California's birth centers have closed since 2020, and just four of the 37 remaining centers are licensed, because the current licensing process is unnecessarily burdensome, according to a study published today by the Western Center on Law and Poverty, in partnership with the California Black Women's Health Project and the Black Women for Wellness Action Project.

The study also surveyed patients on the merits of birth centers. Holly Drayton is a mother and former doula from the Santa Barbara area.

"For people to have that option would really give them the opportunity to choose the birth that they want in an environment where they do feel comfortable to labor in the way that they're supported, to make it the best possible outcome," Drayton said.

Sarah Archer, a mother who supports birth centers, said they are an important part of the state's health care system, and are proved to reduce pre-term births.

"People deserve choices in the way they want to give birth, not just in a sterile hospital," she explained. "It's a very safe, very quiet, beautiful, serene environment versus a medical setting."

The bill has passed the State Assembly and is now before the Senate Health Committee.

The Illinois Department of Public Health said the first positive test for West Nile virus in 2025 has been detected in Winnebago County near Rockford.

Health officials warned people in the infected area and elsewhere to take precautions to avoid the mosquito-borne disease, which is expected to spread across the state. Last year, Illinois reported 69 cases of West Nile, with 13 reported human deaths.

Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said evidence of the disease usually emerges this time of year.

"In Illinois, we typically see the first environmental positive test for West Nile in mid- to late May," Vohra explained. "Mosquitoes typically emerge in the spring and are active until the first hard frost of the year."

Vohra noted West Nile virus is an endemic disease in Illinois, meaning it is commonly found in the state. Public health officials are highlighting the importance of taking action to "Fight the Bite" during National Mosquito Control Awareness Week, which runs from June 18-24.

Vohra pointed out most people who are bitten by infected mosquitoes do not contract the disease but one in five will show symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to a serious and possibly fatal illness.

"Right now, there's no treatment for West Nile virus," Vohra emphasized. "But supportive care is really important, especially if you're developing symptoms or you're that one of 150 people that can develop severe illness."

Public health officials have advised Illinoisians to wear long sleeves and pants outdoors, use Environmental Protection Agency-approved insect repellent and stay indoors during peak mosquito hours at dawn and dusk. They also recommend trying to keep mosquitoes from breeding.

"One way to do that is to dump any standing water," Vohra advised. "Examples of that include flowerpots, children's toys, pet bowls, bird baths, buckets, used tires, abandoned swimming pools, any place where you can get standing water."


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