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PREGNANCY
Preterm Labor Associated with Muscle Contraction Gene Mutations
What: A study finds that personalized medicine could be an important part of treating women at risk of preterm labor. There was a progesterone drug to prevent preterm labor on the market, but the FDA pulled it for being ineffective. But this study found that some women who go into preterm labor tended to have gene mutations associated with involuntary muscle contractions.
Why it matters: Women with higher levels of mutations were less likely to respond to the progesterone medication, while those with lower mutations were more likely to respond. That could set up a path for personalized treatment.
Source: UC San Francisco
BIRTH CONTROL
After a Decade of Knowing the Pill Hurts Libido, We Don’t Know Why
What: The New York Times looks at the effects of hormonal birth control on women’s sex drive and finds even though 15% of women in a meta-analysis reported decreased libido a decade ago, “in the years since, only a few studies have examined why this might be, and they haven’t resulted in a clear consensus — particularly when it comes to different versions of the pill, which contain varying doses of hormones.”
Why it matters: A reminder of yet another arena of women’s health that has been ignored.
Source: New York Times
ABORTION ACCESS
Texas Teen Birth Rates Increase for First Time Since Early 2000s
What: Teen birth rates increased in Texas for the first time in 15 years, after abortion was completely banned in the state in August of 2022. Hispanic women ages 25-44 had the greatest increase in fertility, with an 8% jump.
Why it matters: These are the stats after abortion was fully banned for a few months. Researchers expect the numbers will go up significantly for 2023.
Source: Austin American-Statesman
States That Banned Abortion Have Higher Depression, Anxiety
What: A study looked at data from over 700,000 people and their mental health before and after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. Researchers found there was an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms in states that banned abortion after the Supreme Court decision, and it was statistically significant compared to states that had not banned abortion.
Why it matters: Policy effects more than our physical health.
Source: JAMA
MENOPAUSE
Doctors Just Don’t Get Menopause Training
What: A look at the sad state of physician training on menopause. It’s not just that doctors don’t get training on hormone replacement therapy, as one doctor put it: “I don’t remember a single lecture from medical school about menopause.”
Why it matters: It’s hard to treat patients successfully without training, much less attention to symptoms.
Source: Time
ONCOLOGY
What It’s Like To Get Cervical Cancer Before 35
What: Two women share their stories of getting diagnosed with cervical cancer in their 20s and 30s, in the hopes of encouraging more women to get the HPV vaccine.
Why it matters: The HPV vaccine is 99% effective.
Source: Today
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