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EVERYTHING
Iowa Legislators Say Women Must Produce Eggs. But What About PCOS?
What: From the all-too-frequent Dept. of State Legislatures Doing Bad Science is an entry from Iowa, which is trying to “define females as those whose bodies produce ova and males as those whose bodies are developed to fertilize the ova of a female.” The problem? Women with PCOS keep pointing out that their condition means they don’t always release eggs – so are they not women?
Why it matters: Sometimes public shame is the only answer, so here we are.
Source: KCRG
PREGNANCY
Heart Trouble Can Be a Vicious Cycle Between Mother and Child
What: A study presented at the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting found that children born to moms who had high blood pressure and/or gestational diabetes were themselves more likely to have high cholesterol or be overweight by the time they are 12. The study followed 3,300 mother and child pairs over a decade, and kids of moms with cardiovascular issues were 11 to 16% more likely to have risk factors of heart trouble.
Why it matters: This could change pediatric screening guidelines, with children of moms who had these issues flagged earlier for potential heart trouble.
Source: New York Times
No Single Link Between Autism and Pre-Term Delivery
What: Another study presented at the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine’s meeting found no link between preterm birth and autism. The study, from Israel, looked at 115,000 deliveries over 12 years. The initial analysis found a significant association between babies born earlier and autism, but that was eliminated once researchers adjusted for other factors like being small for gestational age, maternal age, and ethnicity.
Why it matters: As the study’s lead author put it: “Based on our data, a single obstetric factor is unlikely to be the cause of ASD. A more plausible theory involves the simultaneous presence of multiple factors.”
Source: Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
POSTPARTUM
How Chicago’s In-Home Postpartum Nurse Program Works
What: A profile of how a publicly funded program in Chicago successfully connects new moms with in-home nursing care. They help with taking care of the newborn, but also screen for and educate women on signs of health problems postpartum.
Why it matters: As one parent put it – “Instead of me being on the exam table, we were sitting on my couch, so it was very conversational, and I had the baby with me… It felt more relaxed, like I was talking to a friend—a friend who just happens to know everything.”
Source: Chicago Reader
MENSTRUATION
Jen Gunter Talks Periods
What: A Q+A with Jen Gunter, a gynecologist with a massive social media following, on her new book on menstruation, dispelling myths and taboos while also explaining the “deficits in medical training” around periods and how to improve care.
Why it matters: “I don’t know where the 28-day idea originated, but a “normal” cycle is 24 to 38 days. We now know that there’s a range of normal.” – Jen Gunter (This was actually new to me!)
Source: Ms. Magazine
ABORTION ACCESS
Investigation Finds Company Tracked People Visiting 600 Planned Parenthood Locations
What: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) sent a letter to federal agencies asking them to investigate a company that “tracked people’s visits to nearly 600 Planned Parenthood locations across 48 states and provided that data for one of the largest anti-abortion ad campaigns in the nation,” according an investigation done by Wyden’s staff.
Why it matters: That data could lead to prosecution in states where abortion is banned. A letter from a senator to regulatory agencies can help make clear to companies that broker information that this isn’t business they want to get involved in.
Source: Politico
ENDOMETRIOSIS
The Bachelor (And Millions of Viewers) Get a Lesson on Endometriosis
What: Lexi Young, a contestant on The Bachelor, educated the show’s lead character and millions of viewers last week on what it means to live with severe endometriosis. Young explained that “tissue covered her reproductive organs and went all the way up to her lungs, and though it was successfully removed, her doctor sat her down and told her she might not be able to have her own kids.”
Why it matters: Getting a couple million people to understand what endometriosis is can move the needle (even just a tiny bit!) in a meaningful way.
Source: The Decider
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