The Medical journal of Australia
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A locally-relevant "market basket" has been devised to help to assess the cost of usual food purchases for Aborigines who live in the Kimberley region. The range of foods in the market basket is relatively restricted, especially for fresh vegetables. ⋯ A food-voucher system is proposed as one possible way to help to overcome serious nutritional imbalances for pregnant women and their infants and young children who are especially vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies. This proposal is likely to be politically unpopular, so other ways should be sought to help to improve the health of Aboriginal mothers and their children.
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Although breast cancer is a rare event in pregnancy, the consequences of a delay in its detection and of late-stage disease are tragic for the young woman who presents in her childbearing years. Therefore, all pregnant women with breast problems should undergo a careful assessment. Pregnancy is not a contraindication to orthodox investigations for breast cancer, provided that special care is taken to reduce the risk to the developing fetus. ⋯ The prevention of subsequent pregnancy is not an indication for a prophylactic oophorectomy. A decision for further pregnancies must be made by the patient and the family after sound advice is given as to the prognosis and consideration of the social, economic and spiritual factors. There is no evidence that the termination of a subsequent pregnancy will affect beneficially or adversely the prognosis of a patient with breast cancer.