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FERTILITY
The Infertility Panic in America
What: The New York Times looks at infertiity rates in the wake of Trump administration officials, like top health nominee RFK Jr., claiming that it is on the rise. The truth is murkier that that, with rates sightly increasing from 1995 to 2015. (At the same time, of course, the average age of trying to have children also increased.)
Key line: “But none of these statistics help differentiate between people who have decided not to have children and those who want to do so but are unable to conceive. ‘The intention to become pregnant is extremely, extremely difficult to measure — it’s something we do not keep track of at a population level,’ said Jorge E. Chavarro, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who researches infertility.”
Source: New York Times
ABORTION ACCESS
Texas Committee Won’t Examine Maternal Deaths in First Years After Abortion Ban
What: The Texas committee responsible for examining all pregnancy-related deaths in the state has decided to skip cases in 2022 and 2023, the first two years after the state’s full abortion ban went into effect. They claimed this decision was made to eliminate a backlog of older cases, but members of the committee are concerned it was done to hide evidence of women dying due to the ban.
Key line: “’If women are dying because of delays, and we have this huge new policy in Texas that affects their lives, why would we skip over those years?’ one member of the Texas maternal mortality committee said, speaking on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution from government officials. ‘I’m worried.’”
Source: Washington Post
The Texas OB-GYN Exodus
What: The New Yorker has a deep dive on the increasing number of OBGYNs leaving Texas due to restrictive abortion laws and challenging working conditions. This is exacerbating healthcare access issues for women in the state, particularly in rural areas. In one example, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley’s entire OB-GYN department is shutting down, highlighting the severity of the crisis.
Key line: “…Eventually, her family doctor referred her to another physician: Tony Ogburn, the founding chairman of the ob-gyn department at the nearby University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Ogburn, a tall man of sixty-four, with white hair and rimless glasses, had come to the Valley eight years before, with a mission to improve health care for women. When he read Garcia’s file, he was outraged. After carrying the dead fetus for weeks, she risked needing a full hysterectomy. Why had she had to wait this long?”
Source: New Yorker
MENOPAUSE
Beyond Hot Flashes: The Importance of Sleep in Menopause Management
What: A panel discussion featured in The American Journal of Managed Care explores how sleep disturbances during menopause significantly impact women’s health – even if they aren’t hot flashes. Experts in the panel shared that up to 60% of menopausal women report sleep problems, which affect mood, cardiovascular health, and quality of life. The discussion emphasizes the need for healthcare providers to address sleep as a critical part of menopause management.
Key line: “Elinzanetant [a hormone-free drug for menopause treatment] may improve sleep quality in menopausal women, addressing a critical aspect of menopause management.”
Source: AJMC
CARDIOVASCULAR
Women in Deep Sleep Get Blood Pressure Benefits
What: Research funded by the NIH found that sleep affects blood pressure differently in men and women. Women who spend more time in deep sleep tend to have lower blood pressure than women who don’t, while men who frequently wake during the night were more likely to have higher blood pressure.
Key line: [Prof. Kristen] “…Knutson said the results of the current study could guide future work that explores the underlying mechanisms that may be making deep sleep in particular more valuable for women. This, in turn, could lead to novel therapies that enhance this sleep stage in women. She also explained that experimental studies could test whether certain modifications in sleep habits can lead to improvements in blood pressure and, ultimately, heart health.”
Source: NIH
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