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PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
Stethescope with AI Help Finds More Pregnancy Heart Conditions
What: A stethoscope enhanced with AI found nearly twice the number of heart failure cases in pregnancy, according to a study published in Nature Medicine. Of the 1,200 women in the study, 4% of those evaluated with the AI stethoscope were diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy, compared to 2% with a traditional stethoscope.
Why it matters: “Once detected, peripartum cardiomyopathy can be treated with medicine, Adedinsewo said. In extreme cases, a woman might require intensive care, a mechanical heart pump or a heart transplant. … ‘Peripartum cardiomyopathy affects approximately 1 in 2,000 women within the U.S. and as many as 1 in 700 African-American women,’ Adedinsewo said. ‘Evaluating this AI tool in the U.S. will further test its abilities in varied populations and healthcare settings.’”
Source: HealthDay
ABORTION ACCESS
Where Abortion Stands (Legally) in the United States
What: Ms. Magazine interviews legal experts from the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Global Justice Center on the myriad legal issues surrounding abortion care (or lack thereof) in America. The piece is a good overview of where things stand on several cases.
Why it matters: One issue I hadn’t heard much about? International law: “The U.N. Human Rights Committee, which monitors compliance with ICCPR, issued findings in November 2023 that noted the ‘profound impact’ of extreme abortion restrictions in the USA on ‘the rights of women and girls seeking an abortion, including the rights to life, to privacy and not to be subjected to cruel and degrading treatment.’”
Source: Ms. Magazine
MENOPAUSE
Menopause Virtual Clinic Partners with Mount Sinai
What: FemTech Insider reports that Midi Health struck an exclusive partnership with Mount Sinai Health System in New York City to provide patients and clinicians access to Midi’s virtual clinics specializing in menopause care.
Why it matters: “This collaboration aims to address the significant gap in healthcare for women experiencing midlife hormonal changes. Despite the life-altering symptoms associated with menopause, fewer than one in four women who seek medical care receive the advice and treatment they need.”
Source: FemTech Insider
ONCOLOGY
Breast Cancer Rates Jump Among Younger Asian Women
What: Asian American and Pacific Islander women are increasingly getting breast cancer compared to historical rates—especially among younger women. “About 55 of every 100,000 Asian American and Pacific Islander women under 50 were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, surpassing the rate for Black and Hispanic women and on par with the rate for white women, according to age-adjusted data from the National Institutes of Health.”
Why it matters: “Gomez is a lead investigator on a large study exploring the causes of cancer in Asian Americans. She said there is not yet enough research to know what is causing the recent spike in breast cancer. The answer may involve multiple risk factors over a long period of time. ‘One of the hypotheses that we’re exploring there is the role of stress,’ she said. ‘We’re asking all sorts of questions about different sources of stress, different coping styles throughout the lifetime.’”
Source: KQED
Self-Administered Tests for Cervical Cancer Are in the Mail
What: It’s happening—the first shipments of cervical cancer tests derived from self-administered vaginal swabs are on their way to doctor’s offices throughout America.
Why it matters: “While the self-collection method is now available in health-care settings, companies are hoping the self-collection kits could eventually be cleared for use at home, too. BD has been working closely with the FDA to provide data supporting the use of its self-collection tests within the home, Andrews said. Another company, Teal Health, has developed an at-home cervical cancer screening device called the Teal Wand that was granted ‘breakthrough device’ status in May by the FDA, which would allow the agency to review the device on a faster timeline.”
Source: CNN
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