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EVERYTHING
Maternal Mortality May Be *Much* Lower Than We Thought
What: The United States’ maternal mortality rate is the worst in the world among wealthy countries. But a new analysis of CDC statistics makes the case that the rate is around 10 deaths per 100,000 births—not the nearly 33 deaths per 100,000 births reported around this time last year.
How is the estimate so off? In 2003, the CDC added a checkbox to death certificates to mark if the person was pregnant, and that ultimately meant deaths that were unrelated to pregnancy (i.e. a car accident) could get counted. When researchers only looked at causes of death from a pregnancy-related cause, the rate dropped to where other wealthy, developed nations are.
Important notes: 1) Even at a lower overall maternal mortality rate, racial disparities exist. Black women are still three times more likely to die than white patients. 2) The study did not count suicides, which can be related to perinatal depression (depression that develops during or after pregnancy).
Source: NPR, American Journal of Obstetrics + Gynecology
FERTILITY
Is There Really a Fertility ‘Cliff’ at 35?
What: Thirty-five can be seen as the age that fertility goes way downhill, but the BBC interviews experts who explain that like much of medicine, it’s a spectrum and the best data is showing probabilities—not hard cut-offs.
Why it matters: Women make major life decisions-like freezing their eggs–based on this information. They deserve to know the full picture.
Source: BBC
PREGNANCY
Smart Ring Will Alert Pregnant Users to Sleep, Heart Rate Changes
What: Smart ring Oura is introducing a new pregnancy feature, which will allow wearers to track gestational age and “offer weekly updates on what physiological changes are expected,” like “unusual sleep patterns and heart rate differences.”
Why it matters: I would’ve loved to have known this information during my pregnancy—instead of being mystified by pregnancy insomnia and the inevitable shortness of breath while trying to run a meeting. It’s also nice that they are offering something to track the mother’s body, as opposed to just the baby’s development.
Source: CNet
MENSTRUATION
California Tries to Ban PFAS from Tampons (Again)
What: California legislators are trying to once again ban “forever chemicals” known as PFAS from tampons. The state passed a bill to do that last year, but it was vetoed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said the ban would be difficult to implement. The new version of the bill orders the state to work with industry in an effort to resolve that concern.
Why it matters: A consumer study found nearly a quarter of tampon brands had PFAS in them, which can cause some cancers and liver dysfunction. Because California is such a big state, if PFAS are banned from tampons there, they could effectively be banned nationwide.
Source: LA Times
BIRTH CONTROL
It’s a Good Idea
What: Singer Olivia Rodrigo is on tour and living up to her promise to bring awareness to reproductive healthcare—at a concert this week in Missouri, attendees could get emergency contraception pills and cards with QR codes that provided abortion access information. Missouri banned abortion after Roe fell.
Why it matters: It’s a lot more than wearing a pin for a cause.
Source: Variety
ABORTION ACCESS
Trump Is Worried About Abortion, Hopes His VP Pick Will Provide Cover
What: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is responsible for naming the Supreme Court justices that overturned Roe vs. Wade. Given that fact, NBC News reports he is worried that he will be (accurately) tagged as taking rights away from women. So he is looking closely at the abortion positions of his potential VP picks.
Why it matters: This is all play pretend theatre to fool voters who aren’t paying close attention. Regardless of who Trump picks, if he gets back in the White House it is likely abortion access will be even more restricted than it is now—even in blue states.
Source: NBC News
WELLNESS + BEAUTY
Popular Acne Products Could End Up Becoming Carcinogenic
What: An independent quality assurance company tested common, popular acne products that contain benzoyl peroxide and found that the chemicals can degrade into benzene, a known carcinogen, at levels far above FDA standards if left on the shelf.
Why it matters: The company, Valisure, has filed a citizen petition with the FDA and asked the agency to recall the products. That doesn’t mean it will definitely happen—but it’s something to keep an eye on.
Source: Valisure
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