Pregnancy is a time when people tend to focus intently on what they are putting into their bodies and how that might affect their baby’s growth and health. There are many recommendations on what constitutes a healthy pregnancy diet – eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, lean protein, and whole grains, avoid too much fat or sugar, and take a folic acid supplement. There are also guidelines for what…
Patient Care
Patient Care
Protecting children from illness is a priority for any parent. But some children have extra challenges when it comes to preventative care. This past year, members of the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) at University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital launched a clinic to overcome sensory disorder issues to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to nearly 30 children—something they plan…
After years of rigorous testing and planning, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics is launching an extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) program for patients experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. “We are uniquely equipped to be the first to launch this program in Iowa,” says Pete Georgakakos, DO, emergency medicine physician. “To launch a successful program like this, you need…
Twist. Pop. Pain. It’s a combination that any athlete—young or old, professional or weekend warrior—knows and dreads as a likely indication of a torn ACL. Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which stabilizes the knee joint, is an extremely common injury, affecting between 100,000 to 200,000 people in the U.S. every year. It is also a significant injury, often requiring surgery and…
Keeli Frerichs had her sights set on her soccer team at St. Ambrose University repeating as conference champion and returning to the NAIA national tournament, until a disturbingly slow heart rate derailed her career—and threatened her life. How fortunate for her, though, that less than an hour from her school in Davenport, Iowa, was a University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics cardiac…
The Carver Rural Iowa Scholars Program is preparing doctors to serve the smaller-size communities where they are needed most, closing health care gaps in Iowa. It’s no secret. In rural America, physician demand continues to outweigh physician supply. The Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians across the U.S. by 2034, with some of the hardest-hit…
Just a few months before Keagen Kopp walked across the Fairfield High School stage to receive his high school diploma, his mother, Molly Kopp, wondered whether her son would even live to see that day. On the day before New Year’s Eve 2022, Keagen was pulled from a horrific car accident in Fairfield, Iowa. His mother, who worked nearby, will never forget the scene. “Every major part of his body…
During late fall and winter, the days get much shorter, grayer and definitely colder. It's almost enough to make you want to stay in bed forever. This may be a common thought for many of us, but for some, the winter months can bring on a serious depressive state. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a major depressive disorder with a seasonal component. People with SAD experience depressive…
Measles, a highly contagious disease, has been making headlines in the United States due to the recent increase in reported cases across several states. To learn more, we talked to Melanie Wellington, MD, PhD, associate hospital epidemiologist, in this Epi Explains.