The panelists explore the issue of empowerment, some defining it as telling women about what is happening to
their bodies and providing information on reproductive health. Empowerment means very different things in different societies as it
relates to women’s health.
Responding to questions about physiology, panelists explain that the birth weight of both the mother and the child reveal
the likelihood that the child will suffer certain diseases. In addition, immune function plays a role in the production of progesterone.
Long-term studies involving both mothers and children are necessary on this topic.
Question: There's a tension in thinking about science and politics. Is the very individualistic American way of understanding
things also very moralistic? What can we do about it?
Question: Could you say more about empowerment in the context of your areas of study?
Question: Given that one's own birth weight is somewhat related to the birth weight of one's children, are there independent
pieces of information in relating birth weight to risks of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension? If so, what is it
getting at?
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