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FERTILITY
Democrats Introduce Bill to Protect IVF. Will Republicans Oppose it?
What: Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Susan Wild introduced legislation to protect IVF procedures and other reproductive technologies from anti-abortion advocates.
Why it matters: Some state laws are written in such a way that discarding embryos could be considered and abortion – and there’s no telling where the anti-abortion movement will push to go next.
Source: Forbes
POSTPARTUM
Pumping In a Bathroom Stall? Been There, Done That.
What: A column last week from a health reporter who was surprised and then outraged to find herself pumping in a bathroom stall at one of the premier health conferences in the United States prompted nearly 100 more women to reach out and share their own pumping horror stories. One included being shown to a conference room…with glass walls.
Why it matters: The column and response captures the difficult reality of working moms, even at fancy white-collar conferences in luxury hotels.
Source: Stat
ABORTION ACCESS
Senate Democrats Hold Oversight Hearing on Abortion Rights
What: Sen. Patty Murray held a hearing to mark the upcoming 51st anniversary of Roe vs. Wade and explore how abortion rights have been stripped from millions of American women—and what that means for them.
Why it matters: We can’t say it better than Texas OBGYN Austin Dennard, who testified at the hearing: “So long as I was on Texas soil, I was to remain pregnant. Forced pregnancy. Forced delivery. Forced to watch him die, either in my womb or in my arms.”
Source: Sen. Patty Murray, Reprorights
Missouri On Track to Have Abortion Access Ballot Measure
What: Missouri joins the list of states on track to have a ballot referendum on abortion access. The state was one of the first to ban abortion after Roe fell, and there was disagreement among abortion access groups on what the referendum should say. But they presented a united front this week, pushing for a measure that resembles those that passed in Ohio and Michigan.
Why it matters: This could protect women’s lives and drive more pro-choice voters to the polls in November.
Source: New York Times
METABOLISM + WEIGHT
Weight Loss Drugs Got More Expensive In the New Year
What: It’s a new year, so pharmaceutical companies have increased prices. And that includes prices on drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro, which both have weight loss versions. The list price of Ozempic went up 3.5% to $970 a month, and Mounjaro increased 4.5% to $1,070 per month.
Why it matters: The demand for these drugs has already caused health spending to rise for some employers and insurers, not to mention people paying out of pocket.
Source: Fortune
CARDIOVASCULAR
Study: Racism Tied to Higher Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
What: The Black Women’s Health Study at Boston University delivers another major finding, tying experiences with racism to cardiovascular health. A survey of 48,000 Black women in 1997 asked about unfair and racist treatment in employment, housing, and policing. Of the entire group, nearly 2,000 developed cardiovascular disease many years later – and those who reported more racism were 26% more likely to get it.
Why it matters: Our life experiences matter – and this evidence shows racism as a likely major factor in health disparities among white and Black Americans.
Source: Boston University
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