Program focuses on women's health, sexual safety issues

Sexually transmitted diseases, eating disorders, smoking and domestic violence were the order of the day at Monday night's "National Collegiate Roundtable on Women's Health." Approximately 100 female undergraduate and graduate students gathered at the Penn Tower Hotel to discuss the many issues affecting their health. "This roundtable series allows us to provide a safe and friendly place to allow women to ask questions about their health, get answers and support each other," said Saralyn Mark, the senior medical advisor to the U.S. Public Health Service's Office on Women's Health, a sponsor of the event. During the program, participants questioned a panel of experts on a variety of topics related to women's health. Many of the questions focused on different birth control methods and their effectiveness. "Having sex using withdrawal is not a whole lot better than using prayer," said panelist Janice Asher, director of the Women's Health division of Student Health Services. Some participants also asked whether they can avoid using birth control by planning their sex life around their menstrual cycle. But Obstetrics and Gynecology Professor Michelle Berlin noted that "it doesn't matter what time of the month it is, you still need to use protection." Other sex-related topics included the availability of "morning-after" contraceptives, which can prevent impregnation if used after sex, and the myth that antibiotics and birth control cannot be used together. Turning the focus to nutrition, Mark criticized the typical college diet. She noted that most students consume too little calcium, which helps prevent osteoporosis, and too much caffeine and protein, which harm the body's ability to absorb calcium. Another side effect of the typical college diet and lifestyle is lack of energy. "You are what you eat, and you're turning into pizzas and beers," Archer said. The program also included an award-winning video called "Get Real: Straight Talk About Women's Health," which focused on the entire spectrum of women's health issues. "I loved the video," College junior Emily Eisenstein said. "I like the way they combined so many aspects of women's health into a coherent and enjoyable presentation." During discussions following the video, students raised and addressed various questions and spoke about issues with their peers. The roundtable was part of a nationwide series, and "Penn was chosen because they were named a National Center of Excellence in 1996 [by the Public Health Service's Office on Women's Health]," Mark said. She added that "Penn has a very active student body committed to the discussion of women's health issues." The Panhellenic Council sponsored the event as part of its initiative focusing on women's health. "I thought the program was very successful," College senior and Panhellenic Council President Jessica Lennon said. "The way we had discussion allowed people to ask honest questions." Other sponsors included Student Health Education Services, the Greenfield Intercultural Center and the Women's Center. Mark said she hoped participants got a sense of how important their lifestyle choices are to their health. "You have opportunities today to make choices about how you will look and feel tomorrow," she noted.

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