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EVERYTHING
White House: Let’s Double Funding for Women’s Health Research
What: The White House released its budget today, and in it was a proposal to double the funding for the Office of Research on Women’s Health at NIH. And last week, the White House called for a fund at NIH to create a nationwide network of “research centers of excellence and innovation in women’s health”.
Why it matters: Putting something in the budget doesn’t mean it will definitely happen, but Congress having a request in writing from the president makes a big difference in the haggling that now happens on Capitol Hill.
Source: Axios, White House
POSTPARTUM
The Business of Luxury Postpartum Stays Is Booming
What: Bloomberg looks at the business side of luxury postpartum retreats in the United States, which have expanded from New York City to Washington DC and California. One founder says the $1,000+ per night stays could become more accessible over time, just like fertility treatments.
Why it matters: These stays are only in reach for the wealthiest Americans, but commercial success behind any ideas that new parents need more support could help.
Source: Bloomberg
ABORTION ACCESS
Nearly 9 in 10 Americans Support Abortion for Pregnancy Emergency
What: Nearly 90% of Americans said they support abortion for women who are having pregnancy-related emergencies, according to a poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation. That support includes 8 in 10 Republicans.
Why it matters: Stories of women carrying non-viable pregnancies or miscarrying but being forced to wait for care until they were near death have become more common since Roe fell. Those stories may be shaping public opinion.
Source: NPR
MENOPAUSE
Op-Ed: We Need a Menopause Moonshot
What: Ms. Magazine’s Jennifer Weiss-Wolf takes on the Lancet’s “menopause is overmedicalized” message, writing that “the real disservice to women is the lack of consideration of menopause in the halls of government.” Weiss-Wolf says that we must push back on “stigma while interrogating and investing in science. Smack in the middle of that Venn diagram is a society-wide information gap about the safety and efficacy of MHT.”
Why it matters: The outlined “menopause moonshot” from Weiss-Wolf is an excellent rundown of what needs to happen next (check it out!)
Source: Ms. Magazine
Op-Ed: Menopause Needs More Attention, And Sometimes, Medicine
What: Dr Nadia El-Awady, the medical editor for UK Medscape, offers another take on the Lancet’s menopause edition, saying the focus on “over-medicalization” is unhelpful. “In the UK, and thanks to much-needed recent media attention, menopause is finally becoming a topic of public discussion. Women are more aware that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not as risky as we were led to believe in the early 2000s, and that it can, where needed, provide relief from difficult symptoms. But we are only just beginning to get easier access to HRT.”
Why it matters: She makes an excellent point – “Certainly, many women can and do manage their menopausal transition without healthcare support. …But there are many women who, no matter what amount of exercise, healthy food, and positive attitude towards ageing that they have, will still face significant challenges.”
Source: Medscape
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