Video studio setting

Videos

Review our collection of videos covering health information topics

Pelvic health - a conversation with Houston Moms

Dr. Ricshonda "Nickie" Milburn, a nurse practitioner and leader with UTMB Women's Health, joined the latest segment with Houston Moms, along with Haley Georgiades, a pelvic floor physical therapist. The duo discussed with host Meagan Clanahan why pelvic health is important, common conditions pelvic floor physical therapy can treat and ways people can work to improve their conditions on their own.

To learn more, watch the full discussion.

UTMB experts participate in Houston Moms family wellbeing panel

In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, this month's video with Houston Moms included a panel of six moms discussing the ways they prioritize their families' mental wellbeing. Representatives from UTMB included Dr. Angelica Robinson, breast imaging specialist and faculty with the Department of Radiology, Dr. Lauren Raimer-Goodman, a provider and clinical associate professor with the Department of Pediatrics and Dr. Kimberly Gushanas, associate professor and licescened clinical psychologist with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science. Drs. Raimer-Goodman and Gushanas also lent their professional expertise, given their experience working on the frontlines of pediatric primary care and pediatric and adolescent behavioral health.

To learn more, watch the full discussion.

Advocating for your child's health

Jessica Lewis, mom of UTMB Health pediatric nephrology patient Olin Lewis, and Ashley Lewis, UTMB Health nurse practitioner with pediatric Nephrology recently joined Houston Moms for an interview discussing how parents can work with health care teams to advocate for their children.

To learn more, watch the full discussion.

Heart health during & after pregnancy: What women need to know

While still rare, there's a rising number of women experiencing fatal heart issues during pregnancy, delivery and early postpartum.

In an effort to reverse this trend, UTMB Health is championing a cardio-obstetrics program, spearheaded by cardiologist Dr. Danielle El Haddad. Recently, Dr. El Haddad joined Meagan Clanahan, co-owner of digital media platform Houston Moms, to discuss:

  • How the cardio-obstetrics program works
  • Most recent stats on maternal mortality throughout Texas, the U.S. and the world
  • What symptoms or pre-existing conditions make individuals most at-risk
  • How women who are expecting or hope to get pregnant can protect themselves

To learn more, watch the full conversation.  

Cervical cancer 101 with Houston Moms

In honor of cervical cancer awareness month, which is recognized every January, OBGYN Dr. Marisol Carpio-Solis took some time out of her schedule to talk through the disease with our partners at Houston Moms about the disease.

Impacting the lower part of the uterus known as the cervix, cervical cancer is screened through a pap smear. The routine test, which is carried out on a sample of cells from the cervix, checks for abnormalities that may be indicative of cervical cancer.  

If a reading comes back abnormal or showing signs of cancer, a colposcopy is done to make a formal diagnosis.

Early stages of the disease often have no telling signs or symptoms, but individuals with advanced cases may experience abnormal bleeding or pelvic pain. 

Over 97% of cervical cancer cases stem from the human papilloma virus (HPV), so vaccination against the disease is urged in both male and female individuals ages 9 to 45.  

Health care providers follow the recommended number of vaccine doses, based on the individual's age:  

  • Individuals between the ages of 9-14: two shots  
  • Individuals who are 15 years of age or older: three shots 

Should someone be diagnosed with cervical cancer, treatment options will vary. Sometimes it’s curable with a hysterectomy; other times chemotherapy and radiation are required. 

To learn more, watch the full discussion.  

Breast self awareness and screenings

Breast health radiologist Dr. Angelica Robinson and OBGYN Dr. Crystal Alvarez joined Meagan Clanahan, co-owner of Houston Moms, to discuss the latest guidelines surrounding screening mammograms, as well as the recommendation for patients to be "breast self-aware."

During the conversation, the women discussed a variety of topics including: 

  • The role OBGYNs play in helping a patient stay on top of their breast health
  • What "breast self-awareness" means
  • Screening mammography guidelines
  • Tips for women with dense breast tissue
  • 3D mammograms

To learn more, watch the full video interview. 

Sense of community comforted new mom

Nervous first-time mom Audrey Solomon found out her OB-GYN doctor was leaving—something that did not help her concerns in the moment.

Audrey, an organized human resource manager, processed the news then asked for a random pick of another OB-GYN at UTMB Health, figuring she could make it work.

The random doctor turned out to be perfect for Audrey and her concerns.

“She made me feel right at home,” Audrey said. “She heard everything I said.”

Audrey has a rare genetic condition, something she needed this new doctor to understand from the beginning. Her doctor researched the condition—nail patella syndrome— to know what to look out for, then set Audrey up with numerous precautions to follow. The doctor monitored the baby a little bit more regularly than normal.

“She made sure that I was comfortable and had exactly the care that I needed to make sure that my baby and I were both safe at all times,” Audrey said.

Nail patella syndrome is an uncommon genetic condition that affects joints and can cause bone deformity. Later, it can cause possible kidney problems or eye problems.

close up of Audrey Solomon's hands placing braces on Maisie Solomon's feet to help with her club foot condition. Maisie has on gray socks & the braces are light blue with brass buckles. They are connected by a metal rod across the bottom of Maisie's feet

It can also be inherited.

“My daughter did inherit it,” Audrey said. “I was the first in my family to have it. It was just kind of a random mutation.”

It wasn’t just this OB-GYN who reassured and cared for Audrey. Many UTMB providers have brought the same level of kindness and attentiveness to Audrey, who describes herself as someone who will be forever grateful to UTMB.

“We've had nothing but great experiences with all of our doctors, and I couldn't be more thankful for it.”

Maisie Solomon was born in 2021 at UTMB Health Clear Lake Campus. Her mom Audrey was born at John Sealy Hospital 30 years ago on the UTMB Health Galveston Campus.

“My daughter and I were both born with bilateral clubfoot,” Audrey said. “I am very familiar with the genetics team and the orthopedics team at UTMB, and we love everybody—all the teams. They're awesome.”

As a child, Audrey spent time in the hospital because of a club foot and other bone-related issues. She saw Dr. David Yngve, a UTMB Health pediatric orthopedic specialist, throughout her childhood.

“My daughter sees him now,” she said. “He doesn't accept new patients that I'm aware of for a case like hers, but he did because she was like a legacy patient. I really couldn't have been more grateful. We love it.”

Dr. Yngve is now chief of Pediatric Orthopedics and Scoliosis Surgery at John Sealy Hospital.

“Mom was my patient as a baby and now her baby is my patient,” Dr. Yngve said. “That is pretty special for a doctor.”

At 16 months old, Maisie started to stand a little bit with support and then took her first unassisted steps.

“She's a little bit more behind with the mobility stuff because of her feet,” Audrey said. “But she's getting there and getting stronger, and she's starting to cruise holding on to coffee table and couches.”

Cory Solomon, Audrey’s husband and Maisie’s dad, kept a close eye on his daughter’s movements around their living room.

“Growing up, I never had a family of doctors that I could always rely on, but as soon as I married Audrey and we started this journey with UTMB, I did,” Cory said. “I never knew that you could have a sense of community with your medical professionals.”

Both Maisie and Audrey have slightly crooked fingers and fingernails as well as bilateral club foot. “She is a carbon copy of me,” Audrey said.

Audrey knows Maisie will face challenges throughout her life. Maisie has already had to wear casts on her feet and a brace for part of the day. Her kneecaps might not develop.

“I've always felt like I could do anything I wanted to do,” Audrey said. “And I hope that Maisie feels the same way. With our care team at UTMB, we are confident that we will have the support we need every step of the way in any challenge she might face.” 

During Audrey’s final performance as a drum major when she was at Texas City High School, the pain in her elbow grew so intense, she told her parents she needed to see Dr. Ygnve right away. A month later, she had surgery on her elbow.

“UTMB is definitely part of my story,” Audrey said. “For me, it's all I've ever known.”

Even in college, when she was away from home, she didn't go to a doctor where she lived at that time. Instead, she made trips home to see family and also to take care of medical appointments.

When she got pregnant with Maisie, Audrey thought she already knew and had done her own research about her condition.

“When Maisie was born, I kickstarted my own self-care that I should have truly been doing all along for nail patella syndrome, and we both started seeing the genetics team,” Audrey said.

One of the first things her doctor did was set up a bone density scan. 

“I didn’t know that bone density was a concern, and I didn’t think anything would come from it,” Audrey said. “My scan showed that I have very low bone density—osteopenia—that is not very common for my age but more common for nail patella syndrome patients at my age.  Most folks don’t find out about bone density issues until they have broken a bone, but my plan of care allowed me to find out now and start corrective action now.”

Audrey will have a new bone density scan at the one-year mark to see if it has improved. 

“To have my daughter join this community and for it to be a part of her journey is all really special,” Audrey said.

“We have such a great care team and the community behind it. I keep saying community, but it really is just like a family. People I've known my whole life, we are now bringing into her life. And there are new care teams. Everybody's great. There's a very, very high level of comfort with UTMB that makes me not want to go anywhere else.”

 

Navigating the stress of big transitions at school

Change is an inevitable part of life, and no one young or old is immune to it.

School-age children (and their parents) in particular experience a significant amount of change as they navigate the educational system going from daycare to preschool to kindergarten, onto middle school, high school, potentially college and beyond until inevitably they grow up and set out on a path of their own.

The fluctuations in routine felt along the way can be hard to process for some children and the adults guiding them, so UTMB psychologists  with  the  Department  of  Psychiatry  and  Behavioral  Sciences Dr. Barbara Calvert,  associate  professor, and Dr. Kimberly Gushanas, assistant professor, share some helpful guidelines on how to manage the emotions and stress that come with change.

Dr. Barbara Calvert is a licensed psychologist and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences