Top 10 Foods for a Healthy Pregnancy

By Cathy Norton

Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for both the mother and baby during pregnancy. Here are ten foods that pregnant mothers should eat to ensure that they get all the nutrients necessary for a healthy pregnancy.

1. Eggs – Eggs contain a lot of protein, which help the baby’s cells develop. They also contain twelve vitamins and minerals, including choline, which helps with the baby’s brain development.

2. Salmon – Salmon is another food that contains quality proteins that are good for fetal development. This food also has a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the baby’s brain and vision. While it’s not good to eat other types of fish during pregnancy due to their high mercury content, salmon has lower amounts that are safe for pregnant mothers. Still, they should only eat salmon once a week at the most.

3. Beans – Beans are one of the healthiest foods, since they are full of vitamins and minerals, but also protein and fiber. Fiber is important for pregnant women because it helps with digestion, which can slow down during pregnancy and cause constipation or hemorrhoids.

4. Sweet potatoes – The orange color in sweet potatoes comes from carotenoids, which convert to vitamin A once eaten. Vitamin A is essential for vision development in a baby. Sweet potatoes also have vitamin C, for the immune system, folate, which helps form DNA and RNA, and fiber for the digestive system.

5. Whole grains – Whole grains are high in fiber, vitamin E, and selenium, which helps the immune system function and will help your baby stay healthy in the womb. Whole grains come from a variety of sources, such as whole wheat flour and bread, but also brown rice, oats, barley, rye, and quinoa.

6. Nuts – Nuts are another great source of omega-3 fatty acids and other healthy fats, which help with brain development. Walnuts have the highest amount of omega-3s, but beechnuts, hickory nuts, pecans, pine nuts, and almonds are also good for pregnancy.

7. Green leafy vegetables – Leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard have lots of nutrients. These include vitamin A, for vision, vitamin C, for the immune system, and vitamin K, for blood clotting.

8. Lean Meats – Lean meats with lower fat contentsare a great source of protein for both mother and baby. Whether poultry, pork, or red meat, it’s best to eat meat that has most of the fat cut off.

9. Yogurt – In addition to the protein found in yogurt, it also has a high calcium content. This will help your baby’s bones grow as well as keep yours strong and healthy.

10. Berries – Berries are a sweet treat that are easy to eat when a pregnant mom is suffering from nausea. They are also loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C, which helps the body absorb iron and assists in cell formation.

Cathy Norton is an experienced Registerd Nurse who has worked in the U.S. for over 20 years. She is the owner of Becoming a CNA, which is a site for students who are interested in becoming Certified Nursing Assistants.

GOVERNMENT DRAGED TO COURT OVER LAWS THAT CALL PEOPLE WITH MENTAL DISABILITY AS IDIOTS AND IMBICILES

On 22nd December 2011, the Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development         (CEHURD) together with one of the survivors of mental disability dragged the Ugandan government to court over referring to persons with mental disabilities as idiots and imbeciles which according to them is derogatory inhuman and degrading.

 

The two petitioners in Constitutional Petition No. 64 are challenging the constitutionality of the Trial on indictments Act and penal code Act as they violate the rights of persons with mental disabilities. They argue that the two legislations are archaic and do not conform with the1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to which Uganda is a signatory.

 

“The constitution is the supreme law of the land and any law that is inconsistent with it is null and void to the extent of its inconsistency. Persons with mental disabilities equally have and should enjoy the same rights contained in the constitution; there is no reason as to why they should be discriminated by the two legislations which are colonial and inconsistent with the needs and requirements of Ugandan and international law” Says Mr. Mulumba Moses the Executive Director for CEHURD.

 

In addition to challenging the archaic colonial laws, the petitioners are also aggrieved with the laws that adjudge persons with mental disabilities who are not proven guilty as criminals by referring to them as criminal lunatics. They contend that the practice of detaining them in prisons for years awaiting a minister’s order on whether they are able or unable to stand trial violates their rights guaranteed under the constitution

 

Mr. Yiga Daniel one of the petitioners says “mental illness is not a permanent medical condition and by referring to persons with mental illness as idiots and imbeciles and as criminal lunatics before they are adjudged so, the law itself is being abusive.”

 

CEHURD is a not for profit company limited by guarantee registered in 2009 working towards an effective, equitable, people centered public health system that ensures the full realization of the right to health and promotes respect for human rights.

 

Uganda’s Coalition on Access to medicines meets EU Delegation to Uganda

The meeting was convened to discuss concerns over the Free Trade Agreement being negotiated between India and the European Union. There has been intense activity on this FTA in the past few months and there are concerns world over on the significant pressure being placed on the Indian government to announce “trade-offs” at this Summit.

Coalition on access to medicines meets EU Delegation to Uganda

It was against this background that as a coalition working on access to medicines in Uganda, we requested for a meeting with the EU DELEGATION to Uganda to relay our concerns on the effect of this free trade agreement on the lives of many Ugandans depending on generic medicines imported from India.

The Head of Delegation had a busy schedule but were were able to meet Alex Nakajjo, the Operations Officer Trade and Regional Intergration, European Union Delegation to the Republic of Uganda and the first secretary, Mr. Jose Soler, who is the Head of Cooperation.

Discussions
Jane introduced the purpose for our meeting and also pointed out that we appreciate the good work that the EU is doing in Uganda and in developing countries as a whole. However, we had concerns over the Free Trade Agreement being negotiated between India and the European Union. That the India-EU FTA as currently drafted may have drastic consequences for the accessibility and affordability of medicines in Uganda because the EU is unyielding on the inclusion of provisions on intellectual property that exceed India’s obligations under the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and that, if not corrected, will endanger access to generic medicines—in India as well as in importing countries such as Uganda, where our lives depend on access to Indian generic medicines.

We further explained that if such provisions on intellectual property are introduced in India, the ability of Indian generic companies to produce affordable medicines required not only in India but in Uganda as well would be severely compromised.

We the expressed our demands as being primarily that the EU ensures ELIMINATION OF THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS IN THE EU-INDIA FTA:
• Investment Rules, as they enable foreign companies to take the Indian government to private courts over domestic health policies like measures to reduce prices of medicines.
• Border Measures, as they will deny medicines to patients in other developing countries with custom officials seizing generic medicines in transit.
• Injunctions, as they undermine the independence of the Indian judiciary to protect right to health of patients over the profits of drug companies.
• Other Intellectual Property Enforcement Measures, as they put third parties like treatment providers at risk of police actions and court cases.

AND DO NOT BRING BACK:
• Data Exclusivity, as it delays the registration of generic medicines and will not permit the placing of affordable versions of pediatric doses and combinations of “off-patent” medicines on the market.
• Patent Term Extension, as it will extend patent life beyond 20 years.

It was at this point that Mr. Jose informed us that the Patent term extension and Data Exclusivity had not been eliminated from the Negotiations!

EU Response (Mr. Jose Soler)
Mr. Soler explained that what the EU is trying to do is negotiate and set conditions for how the EU should relate with India. While the process is ongoing, they are doing their best to reach a conclusion that is favourable to both parties. Drugs to developing countries pass through Europe, if while they are transiting through Europe they are found to be counterfeits, substandard or infringing Patents, then they will be ceased. This applies to all products, not just medicines. This is a trade war that will bring conclusions that will bring a win win situation for both sides, i. e India and the EU.

However, it should be noted that the EU Negotiators are taking into account all of the flexibilities and specifics of what Indian law and system accommodates. The intention is not to stop the manufacture but to facilitate the agreement and provide a context in which generics can be manufactured. He re assured us that the EU will not deter production of generic medicines and as such will forward our Letter and concerns to Headquarters so that while they make decisions they are fully aware of what affects Ugandans.

CSO response to above remarks
Much as the EU has legal rights over drug patents and data exclusivity, reality shows that all trade agreements are profit oriented. What we are asking for is a balance between access rights for persons in developing countries like Uganda and commercial profit initiatives of the EU. India has been termed the pharmacy of Africa, if this trade agreement does not uphold the spirit of TRIPS by taking maximum advantage of the flexibilities detailed under the TRIPS Agreement as affirmed by the Doha Declaration and August 30th decision on Public Health, then the lives of Ugandans and many other people from Africa will be more or less traded away.

Mr. Soler Josey Responds
As an institution we also look to seeing that there is a balance between commercial interests and medicinal needs for the developing countries. We will report to the Headquarters and make sure that we convey your information to the commission in charge of these negotiations.

We will be getting back to you with elaborate details of what is taking place in these negotiations, we will attach this letter to the report of our meeting to headquarters, but since there is just a few hours to finalizing this FTA, (It is tomorrow 10th, February, 2012 in principle), please bear with the conditions if no action is actually taken concerning the demands. I assure you that this information will be provided to the Headquarters and the concerns will be taken into consideration during the Negotiations.

Further you can follow up with Alex the Operations Officer Trade and Regional Intergration, European Union Delegation to the Republic of Uganda for future updates.

Side meeting with coalition on a way forward
After meeting the delegation, members were of the view that we set on a mission to advocate for promotion of local innovation in the pharmaceutical industries, we need government to secure a policy on investing in the local pharmaceutical industries so that we can get the ability to make use of compulsory licenses. Dependence on India is not sustainable, we can’t be crying every time India is being pushed to the wall.

RE; India – European Union Free Trade Agreement to deprive Ugandans of access to life saving medicines

TO: H.E Ambassador Dr Roberto RIDOLFI
Head of the European Union Delegation to Uganda

RE; India – European Union Free Trade Agreement to deprive Ugandans of access to life saving medicines
Dear Sir,

We (the undersigned) are writing this Letter as Civil Society Organisations in Uganda working in areas of Health, Trade, Intellectual Property and access to Medicines.

The purpose of this letter is to express our concerns over the Free Trade Agreement being negotiated between India and the European Union. We understand that there has been intense activity on this FTA in the past few months and there is significant pressure on the Indian government to announce “trade-offs” at this Summit. We are extremely concerned that our access to medicines may be traded away in this FTA. It has come to our notice that the India-EU FTA as currently drafted may have drastic consequences for the accessibility and affordability of medicines in Uganda because the EU is unyielding on the inclusion of provisions on intellectual property that exceed India’s obligations under the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and that, if not corrected, will endanger access to generic medicines—in India as well as in importing countries such as Uganda, where our lives depend on access to Indian generic medicines.

If such provisions on intellectual property are introduced in India, the ability of Indian generic companies to produce affordable medicines required not only in India but in Uganda as well would be severely compromised.

It should be noted that almost 90% of drugs in Uganda are imports of which most are generic versions from India. India like Uganda is a party to the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). As per requirements under TRIPS, India today grants product patents for drugs and pharmaceuticals. This has impacted the accessibility and affordability of cheap life saving drugs.

However, as confirmed by the Doha Declaration that all the governments of the European Union are signatory to, several provisions of the TRIPS Agreement can be interpreted and applied in a manner that ensures “access to medicines for all.” The Indian Parliament has accordingly included health safeguards in its patent law by using the Doha Declaration and have ensured that the door has not been completely shut on India’s generic drugs manufacturers. The Indian law uses multiple TRIPS flexibilities like strict patentability criteria, compulsory licence, parallel imports, no data exclusivity and several others to ensure that generic production continues.

Our concern is primarily that you ensure ELIMINATION OF THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS IN THE EU-INDIA FTA:
• Investment Rules, as they enable foreign companies to take the Indian government to private courts over domestic health policies like measures to reduce prices of medicines.
• Border Measures, as they will deny medicines to patients in other developing countries with custom officials seizing generic medicines in transit.
• Injunctions, as they undermine the independence of the Indian judiciary to protect right to health of patients over the profits of drug companies.
• Other Intellectual Property Enforcement Measures, as they put third parties like treatment providers at risk of police actions and court cases.

AND DO NOT BRING BACK:
• Data Exclusivity, as it delays the registration of generic medicines and will not permit the placing of affordable versions of pediatric doses and combinations of “off-patent” medicines on the market.
• Patent Term Extension, as it will extend patent life beyond 20 years.

We note that the European Commission has stated that data exclusivity and patent term extension have been excluded from negotiations—and we are calling on your support to keep your promise.

The India – EU Free Trade Agreement must take maximum advantage of the flexibilities detailed under the TRIPS Agreement as affirmed by the Doha Declaration and August 30th decision on Public Health. As currently drafted, this FTA reverses the TRIPS flexibilities used by the Indian government and as such impedes access to medicines initiatives of Ugandans.

We are therefore looking forward to working with you to address our Concerns in this Free Trade Agreement prior to its being signed.

Sincerely;

1. Action Group For Health, Human Rights and HIV/AIDS (AGHA) Uganda
2. Community Integrated Development Initiatives (CIDI)
3. Health Global Access Project (Health GAP)
4. International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS East Africa
5. Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI)
6. The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO)
7. The Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD)
8. Uganda Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development (HEPS)
9. Uganda National Health Users’/Consumers’ Organisation (UNHCO)

Cc; Lady Catherine Ashton,
Vice President of the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR)

CC; Ambassador Soumen N. Ray,
India’s High Commissioner in Uganda

CC: Hon. Amelia Kyambadde
Minister of Trade, Industry and cooperatives

CC: Mrs.Edith Mwanje
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of East African Community Affairs
Postel Building, 67/75 Yusuf Lule Road, P.O. Box 7343, Kampala

CC: Hon. Eriya Kategaya, Minister for East African Affairs Uganda,

TWN Info Service on Intellectual Property Issues (Feb12/03) 10 February 2012 Third World Network

Dear All,

In an earlier TWN IP Info., a NGO protest letter addressed to Mr. Francis Gurry was sent around. This protest letter is available at http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/AfricaIPSummit2012_0207.pdf

Below are some NGO views on the Africa IP Summit that will take place in April 2012.

Sangeeta Shashikant
Third World Network

NGO views on Africa IP Summit:

Catherine Tomlinson, Treatment Action Campaign, South Africa:
“The proposed agenda for the Africa WIPO Summit clearly shows that the summit is being used as a vehicle to drive the agenda of the US, the EU and the pharmaceutical industry to ramp up protection and enforcement of intellectual property. We urge ours and other African governments to reject the proposed agenda, which puts the profits of pharmaceutical companies ahead of the lives and health of people living in Africa. We call on ours and other African governments to take leadership in developing a balanced agenda which seeks to promote and protect development and affordable access to medicine in our countries.”

Mulumba, Moses, Center for Health, Human Rights and Development, Uganda:
“Its a shame that the Africa IP Forum is putting emphasis on IP enforcement agenda. One would expect the continent to be discussing the Development Agenda in light of its social economic challenges in the areas of health, education and agriculture. Over emphasis on IP enforcement is iniquitous of the continent’s population that still badly needs to utilise the policy space provided for by the TRIPS Agreement”

Andrew Rens, South African intellectual property expert and an academic currently carrying on research at Duke University:
“The event is being marketed as the first ever contintent wide Africa Intellectual Property forum so one would expect the topics discussed to be those issues in Intellectual Property which have been of most concern to Africans. In the years since TRIPS the single most important issue involving Intellectual Property for Africans has been gaining access to medicines. There is no track nor even an single session on access to medicines, but there is an entire track on the management and administration of intellectual property.

The South African government which is co-hosting the event has been a strong proponent of a treaty on exceptions to copyright for education. There is no session on educational exceptions but there is an entire track on enforcement.

Although proponents of ever more ambitious enforcement measures may have been temporarily halted in the United States with the rejection by Congress of SOPA and PIPA they continue to push for these measures in other countries including Africa. South Africa and other African countries have urgent problems that involve access to medicines and access to education. Why are these urgent problems that directly concern intellectual property rights not on the agenda?”

Teresa Hackett, Electronic Information for Libraries (EIFL):
“It’s as if the last five years didn’t happen – no WIPO Development Agenda, no discussion on copyright limitations and exceptions, no proposals in favour of libraries and archives, education, blind and visually impaired people. But they did happen, and we will work to ensure that delegates attending the African IP Forum hear a diversity of opinion and perspective, and have the opportunity to debate these issues that are critically important to libraries in Africa and around the world”.

Dr. Jeremy Malcolm, Consumers International:
“Intellectual property is a highly contested topic in the West, where many feel that governments have been excessively deferential to powerful rights-holder lobby groups, to the detriment of ordinary consumers. But in Africa, there are even bigger questions around the appropriateness the intellectual property paradigm to meet the continent’s health, education, and social and economic development needs. Therefore Consumers International was alarmed that the draft programme for the African Intellectual Property Forum entirely ignores these important questions. Such a forum will be seen by all not as a bona fide attempt at open discussion on the pros and cons of robust intellectual property protection in the African context, but rather as a cynical effort by foreign governments and multinational corporations to control the framing of these issues for African policy-makers.”

James Love, Knowledge Ecology International:
“The world community should be supportive to the development concerns of persons living in Africa whose population is largely comprised of poor persons and avoid unfair exploitation.

By organizing a high level meeting on intellectual property that is dominated by big corporate right holder interests, the US government is taking a step backwards, to exploit consumers rather than to promote development.

On May 10, 2000, President Clinton issued Executive Order 13155, on Access to HIV/AIDS Pharmaceuticals and Medical Technologies, which was designed to protect African consumers from trade pressures on intellectual property and medicine. The 2012 high level meeting shows no recognition of the policy set out in EO 13155, and would extend anti-consumer trade pressures to other sensitive areas for development, such as agriculture, climate change and access to knowledge and culture. Secretary John Bryson and other Obama Administration officials need to take a step back and change the format of the meeting, or cancel the event.”

Sangeeta Shashikant, Legal Advisor Third World Network:
“The US is well known for pressuring developing countries to adopt TRIPS plus standards. The Africa IP Summit is another attempt by the US to advance its aggressive agenda on IP protection and enforcement such as Anti-Counterfeit Agreement (ACTA), that favours the interests of certain powerful multinational companies. The US concept paper and programme totally disregards the numerous developmental and socio-economic challenges facing Africa. Issues of access to affordable medicines, access to knowledge, misappropriation of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, farmers’ rights are totally disregarded. Equally absent is a discussion on the value of public interest flexibilities in the IP system to achieve developmental objectives and address social needs. The US agenda is clear. It is about not about development. It is about protecting the interests of its companies, many of which are sponsoring the meeting, proliferating IP propaganda and misinformation. Unless steps are taken to fully reflect development and public interest considerations, and to eliminate actors only interested in an anti-development agenda, the event should not go ahead.”

Professor Brook K. Baker, Health GAP (Global Access Project) Northeastern U. School of Law
“It is deeply problematic that the Obama administration continues to pursue efforts to strengthen, widen, and lengthen patent, data, and copyright monopolies in African countries that desperately need expanded access to medicines, educational materials, and climate control technologies and that it simultaneously seeks even stronger enforcement of IP protections than what is currently required under international law. Carrying the policy portfolio of Big Pharma and other IP-based multinationals under the guise of addressing Africa’s needs, the proposed African IP Summit is a chilling example of US duplicity and conflict of interest at its worst. However, it is equally problematic if Africa leaders and policy makers, some of whom are already complicit with the US agenda, continue to drink the IP coolaid as they’ve done with proposed anti-counterfeiting legislation and with their long-lasting lethargy in amending their IP laws to take full advantage of TRIPS flexibilities and thereafter to use those flexibilities to access medicines and other essential technologies. Africa needs to develop innovative capacity focused on its unique needs, but it also needs to remain vigilant to guard against uncritical acceptance of IP fundamentalism that will ultimately increase foreign monopoly power and decrease Africa’s ability to compete in the global economy and secure the interests of its students, patients, and consumers.”