CFS and Childbearing

The July/August 2008 issue of the Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health featured a review by Peggy Rosati Allen, CNM, WHNP, of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in childbearing women.

Allen is a clinical instructor with BirthCare HealthCare, the faculty practice for the graduate nurse-midwifery and women's health nurse practitioner program at the University of Utah College of Nursing. Allen’s article, "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Implications for Women and their Health Care Providers during the Childbearing Years," addresses the epidemiology, diagnosis, symptoms and treatment of CFS and shares anecdotal data regarding women with CFS who are anticipating or experiencing pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Although the interaction between CFS and pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period isn’t fully understood, the article provides some guidelines for care and suggests that midwives may be ideally suited to provide the type of compassionate and tailored perinatal care that’s most conducive to a positive childbirth experience for women with CFS.

Further highlighting the importance of CFS education and awareness among midwives, the article prints out that midwives can also “initiate initial diagnostic testing in women presenting with symptoms suggestive of CFS, with follow-up by internal medicine or other specialists as indicated.”

___________________________________________________________________________

Your donations enable the CFIDS Association to fund CFS research, fight for better health policy, educate medical professionals and help families and individuals dealing with this debilitating illness.

Make CFS history! Donate now to support CFS research, education and advocacy.