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POSTPARTUM
Insurers Still Aren’t Saying If They’ll Cover Postpartum Depression Pill
What: The first antidepressant pill specifically recommended to treat postpartum depression hit the market at the end of 2023, but an analysis found that most private insurers haven’t published criteria on when they will cover the drug.
Why it matters: The medication costs nearly $16,000 out of pocket, meaning the lack of insurance guidance has likely cut usage significantly. The drug is unlike other antidepressants, targeting how hormone works instead of the brain’s serotonin system.
Source: NPR
BIRTH CONTROL
Texas Makes It Hard to Get Birth Control
What: A Texas appeals court ruled that clinics must get parents’ approval before prescribing birth control to teenagers in the state. Before this court case, federal and state law had been in conflict, with federal law saying parental consent was needed “to the extent practical.”
Why it matters: Texas has been trying for years to get this ruling, and it finally succeeded. Without access to abortion in the state, this move will likely lead to more unplanned pregnancies.
Source: The 19th
ABORTION ACCESS
The Idaho OBGYN Desert Is Here
What: A deep dive on Idaho becoming an “OBGYN desert.” At the end of March, the third labor and delivery unit in the state will close since Roe fell.
Why it matters: “In a time when we should be building our physician workforce to meet the needs of a growing Idaho population and address increasing risks of pregnancy and childbirth, Idaho laws that criminalize the private decisions between doctor and patient have plunged our state into a care crisis that unchecked will affect generations of Idaho families to come,” — Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, an OB-GYN and the board president of the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare Foundation
Source: Salon
You Might Get Sepsis, But Let’s Watch a Video First
What: Doctors in states with abortion bans have lobbied legislators to give them much clearer guidance in the law when they can perform an abortion for the benefit of their patient’s health. So far, most are refusing.
Why it matters: It may sound like a joke, but instead of issuing clear legal guidance, South Dakota’s Republican lawmakers want “to create a video in which medical experts — and the state’s attorneys — would explain to doctors and patients when abortions can be legally performed.”
Source: ABC News
CARDIOVASCULAR
Depression Is Rough on Women’s Hearts
What: Researchers looked at health data from over 4 million people and analyzed what characteristics were most likely to lead to cardiovascular disease. They found a depression diagnosis was significantly more likely to cause heart issues in women than men.
Why it matters: Researchers don’t know why depression in women was more likely to lead to cardiovascular problems, but theorized that “women may experience more severe and persistent symptoms of depression compared to men, and they may be more likely to have depression during critical periods of hormonal changes, such as pregnancy or menopause.“
Source: American College of Cardiology
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