The Life Course Theory

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The important of preconceptual health and management of chronic illness to reduce the risk of neonatal and maternal outcomes.

Due to lack of control of infectious diseases in the 1900s, the infant mortality rate was at an all-time high. Health related issues were a problem during the era of industrialization and immigration. There were poor and unhealthy working conditions, improper hygiene in overcrowded apartments, and people did not have the same amount of access that the generation now has to health providers. With time, the U.S. was able to learn about these infectious diseases and the importance of hygiene to prevent the spread infection. This brought down the mortality rate to what it is now and became a huge accomplishment in public
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This life course theory incorporates time, which plays a significant role when it comes to preconceptual health and managing chronic illnesses. It stresses the importance of early life events in shaping an individual’s health. Of the five principles that fall under the life course theory, neonatal and maternal outcomes can mostly be analyzed under life span development, timing, linked lives, and historical time and place. It can be used to look at the individual’s life course at sensitive developmental stages of life, such as fetal development or adolescence. It calls for interventions to reduce risks and incorporate protective factors in order to improve health …show more content…
One reason is because of the bottom tier. The bottom of the pyramid contains the socioeconomic factors. This focuses on the health of the individual, including income, education, occupation, and household resources. The focuses that involve socioeconomic factors offer a strong foundation in beginning to mitigate the issue, education being the main key. There is a correlation to low socioeconomic status to worse health problems. This tier helps us address and analyze these issues and we can use it to help educate women about the importance of preconceptual care. We can better understand what is contributed to a mother’s chronic disease, whether it be diabetes, hypertension, or obesity, or we can use it to try to better her health prior to conceiving. Also, by looking at the individual’s income, we can see how well prepared they are to support a child. The next level is changing the context to encourage healthy decisions. This will help regardless of socioeconomic status. By little alterations, such as restricting what goes into water and food or taxing sugary beverages, we can help women who suffer from obesity, diabetes, or cardiovascular issues. By promoting smoking-free zones, pregnant women are less likely to have second hand smoke. A huge factor could be restricting sodium levels to help with hypertension. These

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