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FERTILITY
Beating the 40+ IVF Odds
What: An essay from Inimai Chettiar in Ms. Magazine details her experience getting pregnant in her 40s, despite the odds being stacked against her – even with IVF.
Key line: “So, why are we selling women on the idea that they can easily get pregnant after 40 when we know that’s exceedingly rare? The answer is money. The U.S. fertility market is projected to grow from $5.34 billion in 2023 to $8.69 billion by 2033. Most fertility clinics get paid whether or not a patient brings home a baby. And private equity firms funnel money into the industry because of its soaring growth rates. Incentives are skewed. Clinics are motivated to convince younger and younger women to freeze their eggs in the hopes that they’ll be one of the lucky few who will bring home a baby when the time comes. In the meantime, women’s vulnerabilities and dreams are preyed on. …But other solutions are needed too. Instead of the fertility industry making promises they can’t back up, it can invest a portion of its astronomical profits back into science to improve outcomes. The government should do the same.”
Source: Ms. Magazine
ABORTION ACCESS
What Happens Next for NY Doctor Sued by Texas for Providing Abortion Care?
What: The Austin American-Statesmen has a good explainer on how Texas is going after doctors who are prescribing abortion pills via mail, even though they live in states with “shield laws” designed to protect them from legal action from abortion ban states.
Key line: “In December, [Texas AG Ken] Paxton sued a New York doctor for allegedly sending abortion medication to a patient in Texas. Abortion law expert Mary Ziegler said she could envision a scenario in which the doctor doesn’t respond to the suit or participate in a trial; so Texas wins a court judgment for some dollar amount in damages; and then … nothing. Because New York could decline to enforce the civil judgment if it argues Texas is using the case to carry out state abortion policy.”
Source: Austin American-Statesmen
MENOPAUSE
Study: Just Two Infusions of Drug Helps Prevent Bone Issues in Menopause
What: A study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that just two infusions of a drug called zoledronate during “early menopause” showed a significant reduction in vertebral fraction and better bone mineral density over 10 years.
Key line: “Bolland noted that ‘the reductions in fractures observed in the study are of similar size to those seen in trials of older women and men where annual or 18-month doses are used.’ …’This [strategy] gives women in their 50s and 60s who are concerned about their fracture risk a good option for preventing fractures that they could discuss with their doctor,’ Bolland said. ‘This group of people are not considered in many current guidelines, but these options should be addressed in future ones.’”
Source: Medscape
ONCOLOGY
More Evidence on Younger Women Getting Breast Cancer
What: New estimates from the American Cancer Society confirmed what other studies have shown: breast cancer rates are increasing among younger women. Their research found breast cancer rates increased 1 percent per year for all women, but increased 1.4 percent for women under 50. Theories for why this is happening include longer estrogen exposure (girls are getting their periods younger and women going into menopause later), women delaying pregnancy until later in life, which can have a protective effect against breast cancer, and increased alcohol use.
Key line: “Patients with ‘young-onset breast cancer’ — which clinicians typically define as diagnosed before the age of 40 — are more likely than older patients to have aggressive forms of the disease, said Dr. Ann Partridge, interim chair of medical oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.”
Source: New York Times
WELLNESS + BEAUTY
The Robots Will Tell You What Your Skin Needs
What: CNET went to the CES 2025 (a huge confab of new consumer gadgets held annually in Las Vegas) and found some interesting beauty gear: a tiny machine from L’Oreal that analyzes your skin for biomarkers and will supposedly reveal which skin care products are best for you. (For example – do you actually *need* retinol?) There’s no scientific research mentioned to back it up, but it does address the overwhelming number of skincare options out there today, from creams to serums.
Key line: “Unlike the joy of experimenting with makeup, trying out skincare can be a frustrating experience, says Guive Balooch, the [L’Oreal’s] global managing director of augmented beauty and open innovation. ‘Part of the problem with that is the fact that we’re doing a lot of auditioning without facts and science behind what our skin individually actually needs,’ Balooch says.”
Source: CNET
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