In the early years of our lives, mothers are the center of our universe. They bring us life, they kiss our boo-boos, they read to us and tell us stories, they support our families emotionally and often financially, they shape us into the functioning adults we are today. Healthy moms lead to healthier children, who grow up to be healthier adults, and then the cycle repeats, building the foundation of our society.

And yet somehow, the health of our mothers has fallen by the wayside. Despite being in one of the wealthiest countries of the world, our maternal mortality rates in the United States are higher (=worse) than most other high-income countries.

Maternal health overall is an indicator of a nation’s overall health, reflecting the strength of the health care system, the status of women, and their socioeconomic well-being. Differences in rates of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes among race/ethnic groups are especially important to address to improve maternal health overall. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 80% of deaths during and after pregnancy are preventable.

January 23 – Maternal Health Awareness Day is a Reminder that Your Health Matters

Whether you are pregnant, thinking about becoming pregnant, just had a baby, or in between babies, remember that your health matters. Take charge of your health and make sure your concerns are heard. You are the most important part in your health journey.  See Every Parent OC: Healthy Habits, Healthy Baby for some tips on how to get started.

• Get regular check-ups with a health care provider.
• Prepare for your visit. See Tips to Improve Health Care Visits to make the most out of every visit.
  • Make a list of your medical conditions, previous pregnancies or procedures, and prescription or over-the-counter drugs or nutritional supplements.
  • Write down anything that is concerning you, parts of your body that hurt, changes in your body or mental health.
  • Bring support to the visit with you! A family member or friend can help you feel more at ease and help you remember your questions and the answers you get.
• Ask questions at the visit. Have an open conversation with your health care provider and ask for explanations if you don’t understand.
  • Are you at risk for preeclampsia? Ask your health care provider and learn more about how to keep you and your baby safe from preeclampsia: Low-dose Aspirin to Prevent Preeclampsia and Related Preterm Birth.
• Know the signs that may indicate you need help.
  • Be aware of urgent signs and symptoms during pregnancy and in the year after delivery and seek medical care immediately if you experience any of them. See CDC HEAR HER Campaign - Urgent Maternal Warning Signs for more information.
  • Feeling blue or anxious? You are not alone. Many pregnant people experience anxiety or depressions symptoms during or after pregnancy. Getting help early can make a difference for you and your baby. See Moms: You're NOT Alone - Make Time for Your Mental Health and Self-Care for more information
• Prioritize your health and well-being. Remember that your health matters just as much as your baby’s. Be sure to set aside time to care for yourself physically and emotionally.
• Ask for and accept help. Recognize you can’t do it alone; let others (for example, partners, family, friends) help you around the house, run errands for you, and take turns with feedings or childcare..
• Connect with local resources:
  • Pregnant or Parenting? See OC HCA Pregnancy and Parenting Support and OC Navigator-Resources for Pregnancy and Postpartum Support

Know someone who just had a baby? You can help make a difference – with just one small thing.  

• Maternal health isn’t just about having a healthy baby. It’s about ensuring moms have the support they need to thrive and feel empowered to prioritize their health at every stage of life.
• Over 60% of maternal deaths occur after the mom leaves the birthing hospital, a time when isolation is the highest and support is the lowest. Loneliness occurs in 42% of new moms and predicts postpartum depression.
• Through simple, everyday acts of care, we can all make a difference in supporting postpartum moms. Learn more at: One Small Thing.

Resources:

• Office of the Surgeon General Campaign to Support Postpartum Moms: One Small Thing
• OC HCA Pregnancy and Parenting Support
• Every Parent OC: Healthy Habits, Healthy Baby
• Office on Women’s Health: Tips to Improve Health Care Visits
• California Maternity Quality Care Collaborative and March of Dimes: Low-dose Aspirin to Prevent Preeclampsia and Related Preterm Birth Initiative
• CDC HEAR HER Campaign - Urgent Maternal Warning Signs
• Every Parent OC: Moms: You're NOT Alone - Make Time for Your Mental Health and Self-Care
• OC Navigator-Resources for Pregnancy and Postpartum Support

About Dr. Michele Cheung

Dr. Michele Cheung is board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases and also completed a Preventive Medicine Residency and a master’s degree in public health (MPH). She is the MCAH (Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health) Medical Director for the OC Health Care Agency where she collaborates closely with the community on initiatives to support perinatal, infant, and child health and wellbeing. She has been working in public health, both local and state, in different capacities for the past 25 years. She also cared for children with infectious diseases in the hospital setting until 2024 and regularly teaches pediatricians-in-training about public health and communicable diseases.

(Santa Ana, CA) – A bat in the City of Rancho Santa Margarita has tested positive for rabies. The bat was found near the gate entrance along the Mesa Trail at O'Neill Regional Park, off El Camino Montana Road between El Lazo and Juniper Lane on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026, at approximately 10:00 am.
 
Anyone who may have had physical contact with this bat or saw someone else having contact with the bat is asked to call the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or (714) 834-7792 after hours to determine the risk for rabies. Owners of pets who may have had contact with this bat should contact their veterinarian.

The rabies virus is found in an animal’s saliva and is transmitted to people by a bite from a rabid animal. Although very rare, contamination of the eyes, mouth or an open wound by the saliva of a rabid animal can also transmit rabies. Most cases of human rabies in the United States in recent years have resulted from bat strains of rabies; bats have very small teeth, and their bites may go unnoticed.

Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal. For that reason, preventive treatment to stop the rabies virus from causing illness is given to anyone who may have been exposed to rabies. Medical assistance should be obtained promptly after an exposure so any wound can be cleaned and preventive treatment can be started. This treatment is safe and effective.

HCA and OC Animal Care recommend the following actions to minimize the risk of rabies:

• Avoid all contact with wild animals.
• Vaccinate all cats and dogs against rabies.
• Do not sleep with open unscreened windows or doors.
• If bats are seen inside the house or other structure, close off the area and contact animal control. Once the bat(s) have been removed, close off any areas allowing entrance into the house.
• Do not leave pet food outside where it will attract wild animals.
• Immediately wash all animal bites with soap and water, being sure to flush the wound well, then contact your doctor.
• Report all animal bites to OC Animal Care.

Potential exposure to a bat or other wild animal should be reported to HCA Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180.

To report a bat in your home, or an animal bite, contact OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848. Find out more at OC Animal Care Wildlife Information.

You can download a flyer that contains information on what to do if you come in contact with a bat and who to contact by clicking here.

More information about rabies is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/rabies.

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Source

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to share information and notify clinicians, public health authorities, and the public about recent New World screwworm (NWS) animal cases in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, which shares a border with the U.S. state of Texas. No NWS infestations related to this outbreak have been identified in people or animals in the United States as of January 20, 2026. However, given the potential for geographic spread, CDC is issuing this Health Advisory to increase awareness of the outbreak and to summarize CDC recommendations for clinicians and health departments in the United States on case identification and reporting, specimen collection, diagnosis, and treatment of NWS, as well as guidance for the public.

Full Advisory: New World Screwworm: Outbreak Moves into Northern Mexico | HAN | CDC

Key Messages

• Kratom has a complex pharmacological profile with the potential for sedative, stimulant, and opioid effects. 7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly known as 7-OH, is a potent opioid that usually makes up a very small percentage of the kratom leaf, but can be concentrated and added to products to increase their activity.
• Because they affect the body's opioid receptors, both whole-leaf kratom products and 7-OH have a high potential for addiction, particularly among people with substance use disorders.
• Concentrated 7-OH products, in particular, have been implicated in multiple fatal overdoses. Overdose risk is substantially elevated when 7-OH is taken alongside other intoxicants, particularly alcohol, benzodiazepines, and/or unregulated street drugs.
• Other side effects of these products may include constipation, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness/sedation, dry mouth, weight loss, anxiety, hallucination, itching, fatigue, insomnia, tremors, vomiting, liver damage, high blood pressure, and seizures.
• Although kratom and 7-OH products are widely available and advertised, they are illegal to sell and manufacture for consumption.​​

Background

Kratom is the common name for the leaf of a tropical tree, Mitragyna speciosa. Kratom has a complex pharmacological profile with the potential for sedative, stimulant, and opioid effects due principally to the presence of mitragynine, which is metabolized to 7-hydroxymitragynine, (commonly known as 7-OH), a potent opioid. 7-OH and other kratom derivatives may lead to addiction, serious harm, overdose, and/or death. The use of 7-OH was linked to six recent fatal overdoses in Los Angeles County. More info...

Key messages: 

• The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is issuing an update to its December 5 health advisory as an outbreak of amatoxin poisoning continues across California.
• This outbreak is linked to the consumption of wild foraged mushrooms and has caused severe liver damage in children and adults.
• As of January 6, 35 cases, including three adult fatalities and three liver transplants, have been linked to the ongoing outbreak.
• Recent rain contributed to widespread growth of Death Cap mushrooms in California. CDPH is again urging Californians not to pick or eat wild mushrooms as the risk of potentially deadly amatoxin poisoning is high.
• Since Death Cap mushrooms are easily confused for safe-to-eat, lookalike mushrooms, all mushroom foraging should be avoided. 

More info...