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PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
A Case of Preeclampsia, Dismissed
What: The story of a nurse practitioner who was pregnant, seeing stars, having headaches and leg swelling, and getting high blood pressure readings—but her symptoms were dismissed four times by the ER.
Why it matters: Once the NP, Lindsey Orr, insisted on seeing a maternal fetal medicine specialist, she was admitted and immediately induced with severe preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that can be fatal. Orr says: “The biggest thing is continuing to advocate for yourself even if others are not listening…If something feels wrong keep advocating for yourself.”
Source: Today
MENSTRUATION
Irregular Periods Tied to Cardio Risk
What: Women who consistently have irregular periods may have a higher risk of cardiovascular issues, including heart attack and stroke, according to research from the Apple Women’s Health Study. Researchers set out to study PCOS and cardio issues, but after looking at records of over 60,000 women, found even just an irregular cycle was a risk factor.
Why it matters: It’s another piece of the puzzle that was long ignored—how menstruation (and the hormones associated with it) affect health.
Source: Harvard School of Public Health
ABORTION ACCESS
Louisiana Treats Abortion Pill Like Opioids
What: Louisiana’s state legislature passed a bill the governor is expected to sign that makes the state the “first in the nation to designate abortion pills as dangerous controlled substances. Possession of the drugs without a prescription would be a crime punishable with jail time and thousands of dollars in fines.”
Why it matters: “Doctors and other medical professionals warned lawmakers that the bill would send the false message that the drugs are dangerous, and that it could cause delays in treatment for patients with medical needs not related to abortion.”
Source: New York Times
The ‘Chilling’ Reason Louisiana Made the Abortion Pill a Controlled Substance
What: UC Davis School of Law Prof. Mary Ziegler explains in an op-ed the “chilling motive” behind Louisiana criminalizing the abortion pill like it is an illicit drug along the lines of opioids: “…the new bill recognizes that existing bans have not been enough to stop the flow of drugs and patients across state lines — and develops new tools to track the use of these critical medications and frighten anyone who might prescribe them.”
Why it matters: Ziegler explains that “the possession of these abortion drugs without a prescription” is punishable “with a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.” Pregnant women who take the pill themselves are not subject to this, meaning it specifically targets groups that work to help women get access to abortion pills.
Source: MSNBC
WELLNESS + BEAUTY
Blood Pressure Med the New Acne Fighting Leader
What: Surprise! A generic blood pressure medication is the most commonly prescribed drug to treat acne in women, according to a report from Epic Research. They found “spironolactone made up 47% of all oral medications prescribed to women for acne in 2023, up from 27% in 2017. Prescriptions for oral antibiotics — previously the go-to pill for acne — decreased from 41% to 27% in the same time period.”
Why it matters: The shift stems from dermatologists trying to avoid prescribing antibiotics whenever possible.
Source: NBC
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