|
FERTILITY
Alabama Bill Avoiding ‘Extrauterine Children’ Question Heads to Governor
What: Alabama’s statehouse passed emergency IVF legislation Wednesday night, giving health care professionals protection from civil and criminal penalties for destroying embryos. The state’s governor is expected to sign it, and IVF transfers can then resume in Alabama.
Why it matters: The legislation doesn’t address the “extrauterine children” problem. Here’s how one lawyer put it: “Even on its face, this bill seeks to grant personhood to embryos, reinforcing the state Supreme Court’s extreme ruling recognizing embryos as children…[this law is] backpedaling in the face of state and nationwide public outcry to allow politicians to save face.”
Source: NBC
PREGNANCY
Giving Moms Medicaid Led to Healthier Babies
What: After passage of the Affordable Care Act, Democratic-leaning states
generally chose to expand Medicaid, while Republican-leaning states did not. That set up a natural study to see how better access to healthcare affected moms with gestational diabetes and their babies. This piece looked at maternal and newborn health in Maryland (expanded Medicaid) and Georgia (did not expand Medicaid) among nearly 53,000 women.
Why it matters: Researchers found better outcomes for newborns in Maryland, including “Agar scores, the need for assisted ventilation, and the need for neonatal intensive care.” In other words, expanded health care access led to better outcomes.
Source: International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
POSTPARTUM
Ketamine After C-Section Helped Postpartum Depression
What: A randomized clinical trial found that giving women who just had a C-section delivery IV ketamine reduced the likelihood of postpartum depression by 12 percentage points at seven days post-delivery. Differences between the groups were eliminated after two weeks, but ketamine was administered only for 48 hours after delivery.
Why it matters: This could be an effective treatment for perinatal depression.
Source: JAMA Network Open
MENSTRUATION
If You’re Menstruating, You’re Always Maybe Four Weeks Pregnant (And Liable)
What: Ms. Magazine reminds everyone that pregnancy dating (i.e. weeks pregnant) starts from the day of the last menstrual period, meaning there is a “four week window where a person might not be pregnant yet—but according to how we measure weeks of pregnancy they already are.”
Why it matters: As author Jennifer Weiss-Wolf explains: “From your period through ovulation you are walking around potentially pregnant every single time. And can potentially be held liable for something you did during that time before you even conceived. Whether it was because you had too much wine, or you smoked a cigarette or you rode a rollercoaster.”
Source: Ms. Magazine
WELLNESS + BEAUTY
Study: Makeup Not for Exercising
What: A study of how cosmetic foundation effects the skin while exercising (yes, you read that right.) Forty-three college students covered half their faces with foundation and worked out, and then scientists measured the results.
Why it matters: It’s not shocking but—makeup isn’t great for your skin while exercising. Researchers found it clogged pores and decreased oil and sweat produced.
Source: Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology
|