|
FERTILITY
Jennifer Aniston Exposes JD Vance’s Extreme Views to Millions
What: Jennifer Aniston doesn’t talk politics often, so when she does, it gets attention. On Wednesday she criticized Donald Trump’s VP pick, Sen. JD Vance, for maligning women who don’t have children as “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made.” Aniston wrote on Instagram:
“I truly can’t believe this is coming from a potential VP of The United States. All I can say is… Mr. Vance, I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children of her own one day. I hope she will not need to turn to IVF as a second option. Because you are trying to take that away from her, too.”
Why it matters: Attention from celebrities like Aniston—especially those who don’t typically engage in politics—are shining a spotlight on how extreme the Republican party is on women’s health.
Source: CNN
PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
How Companies Can Ease the Postpartum Transition (For Real)
What: A Harvard Business Review study interviewed 45 working mothers who returned to work in the past 5 years, in addition to surveying another 500 working moms, to find out what women really need as they head back to the workforce. As the authors point out, “…there is no shortage of articles, blog posts, books, and online discussions that provide advice for how mothers can cope with postpartum reentry. Yet, more often than not, these recommendations place the burden on postpartum mothers to figure out ways to ease the transition (e.g., finding reliable childcare, creating solid routines for the baby’s feedings and sleep, communicating with colleagues to stay informed during leave). While well-intended, there has been growing recognition that postpartum mothers should not be expected to shoulder the challenges of reentry on their own, and that colleagues and managers can play a critical role in supporting mothers’ return to work.”
Why it matters: They found several concrete steps that could help: “co-navigating” HR policies so women aren’t penalized for leaving and can take advantage of what’s offered, creating high-quality lactation spaces, and actually encouraging flexible work schedules.
Source: Harvard Business Review
ABORTION ACCESS
Kamala Harris’ Deep Background on Reproductive Rights Would Be Groundbreaking for the Presidency
What: The 19th dives into VP Kamala Harris’ background on reproductive rights, now that she is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president. They found Harris has been working on the issues since her days as California’s attorney general, pushing “for state legislation to impose tougher regulations on anti-abortion centers, also known as crisis pregnancy centers. Those centers, which aim to dissuade people from seeking abortions and are often publicly funded, frequently do not employ licensed health care professionals. The California law, which passed in 2015, required centers to disclose if they were not licensed medical facilities and to post signs clarifying that clinics in the state could provide abortions at little or no out-of-pocket cost. But it was overturned in 2018 by the U.S. Supreme Court, in a decision authored by conservative Justice Clarence Thomas.”
Why it matters: As the 19th explains, “almost a decade later, these centers have become a focal point in the new battle over abortion rights. Since Roe v. Wade’s overturn, abortion opponents have sought to expand their public funding. Democratic leaders — particularly state attorneys general — are working to tighten regulations, especially about what services the centers can advertise.”
Source: The 19th
MENOPAUSE
Perimenopause? There’s a Book for That
What: Perimenopause may be a new word in most lexicons, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t already good books written on the topic. (And for those who need a refresher: perimenopause is the months or years when the body is getting ready for menopause and hormone levels are changing.) Book Riot rounds up the eight best books out there on the topic of perimenopause thus far.
Why it matters: “Sometimes funny, always informative, these books will help all readers learn about what happens during perimenopause, what to expect, and the best way of dealing with the physical and emotional symptoms that come with this disruptive period (pun intended) in your life.”
Source: Book Riot
ONCOLOGY
Large Breast Cancer Study Finds ‘No Survival Advantage’ to Double Mastectomy
What: Looking at data from over 600,000 women with breast cancer, researchers found “there is no survival advantage to having the other breast removed. Women who had a lumpectomy or a mastectomy and kept their other breast did just as well as women who had a double mastectomy.”
Why it matters: “’The new paper should reassure women,’ said Dr. Eric Winer, a breast cancer specialist and director of the Yale Cancer Center. Like previous studies, he said, ‘it suggests that there is absolutely no difference in survival if you have a lumpectomy, a mastectomy or a double mastectomy.’” But as another doctor put it, the decisions are complex. Some women may “want to avoid the anxiety of screening and additional tests if a screening shows a suspicious area. And they can’t face the idea of going through cancer treatment again for a new cancer in the second breast. Other women who are having one breast removed and reconstructed choose the same for the second breast for cosmetic reasons.”
Source: New York Times
|