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PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
Unplanned Pregnancies Are Harder on Women’s Health
What: A study that interviewed over 11,000 French mothers before and after pregnancy found that 20% had an unplanned pregnancy – and those who did suffered greater physical and mental negative effects, especially if they were under 30 years old.
Key line: “’The fact that before and after giving birth the women who participated in our research answered questionnaires about their health and their intentions to become pregnant, makes the results more in line with reality. Asking only after birth increases the risk that mothers will revise their initial plans,’ [researcher Anna] Barbuscia said.”
Source: Social Science & Medicine
ABORTION ACCESS
California Officials Intro Bills to Protect Abortion Pill in State
What: California officials introduced two bills to protect abortion access in the state, in the event that the Trump administration tried to enact a nationwide medication abortion ban via FDA regulations. One bill would protect manfacturers, distributors, and health care providers from any civil, criminal, or professional liability for transporting, distributing, or administering the abortion pill.
Key line: “’I want to make it unequivocally clear: California will remain a safe haven for reproductive rights and access to abortion care, no matter who is in the White House,’ [state Attorney General] Bonta wrote in a statement. ‘We have been preparing for this moment, and today’s legislation doubles down on our commitment to protect those seeking reproductive healthcare, including access to medication abortion.’”
Source: The Hill
Idaho Allows Jailing Adults for Abortion Travel
What: An appeals court is allowing Idaho to keep it’s abortion travel ban law on the books, which aims to jail adults who help a minor seek an abortion in another state or obtain the abortion pill. However, advocates scored a win on protecting health care providers free speech rights, allowing them to provide counseling and guidance on abortion options.
Key line: “Wendy Heipt, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, told the Idaho Capital Sun that overall she is pleased with the partial block of the law. ‘As the court noted, ‘encouragement, counseling, and emotional support are plainly protected speech,’ even when that speech happens in the ‘context of deciding whether to have an abortion’…This decision is a significant victory for the plaintiffs, as it frees Idahoans to talk with pregnant minors about abortion health care.’”
Source: Idaho Capital Sun
MENOPAUSE
Why Menopause Doesn’t Get Treated
What: Stat has a deep dive on why women aren’t using (or getting access to) hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms. It all goes back to the 2002 study that overinterpreted risks to women, but also lays out the differences between “systemic” hormone treatment (i.e. via a pill or patch) versus “local” treatment via a cream or ring.
Key line: “When estrogen is given locally — say, as a topical cream — it’s a low dose that doesn’t get fully absorbed into the bloodstream as the systemic estrogen does. Let’s Talk Menopause is an advocacy organization arguing for the FDA to drop the label from local hormone products.”
Source: Stat News
CARDIOVASCULAR
Short Bursts of Exercise Matter for Women
What: A study looking at 22,000 people ages 40 to 69 and self-proclaimed “nonexercisers” found short busts of movement, like climbing a flight of stairs, can reduce the risk of heart troubles, especially among women. Women who got just over 3 minutes of vigorous movement per day had a 45% lower risk of heart problems than women who logged zero vigorous movement.
Key line: “Most notably, these women were more than 50% less likely to have a heart attack and nearly 70% less likely to develop heart failure than women who did not log any vigorous activity. Men saw a smaller benefit.”
Source: NBC News
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