Hear are the top things to know in women’s health and wellness so far this week:

• The American Cancer Society officially backed at-home swab testing for cervical cancer for women at average risk. Goodbye speculums (at least for that test.)
  

• KFF Health has a great round-up of all the ways the Trump administration is making it harder to have a baby, despite offering “bonuses” and planning to cut some IVF drug costs.
  

• Halle Berry was speaking at the same conference as Gov. Gavin Newsom...and she called him out on stage for failing to sign menopause legislation into law.

JUMP TO…

• Everything
• Menstruation
• Menopause
• Oncology

EVERYTHING

Trump Pushes “Baby Bonuses” and IVF Subsidies, but Critics Call It Anti-Family

What: The Trump administration says it is promoting childbirth through policies like a $1,000-per-child “baby bonus” and discounted fertility drugs, in an effort to increase the declining U.S. birth rate. That clashes with the same administration gutting Medicaid and Obamacare, childcare programs, and Planned Parenthood clinics that serve women around the country with low-cost screenings. Experts also note that similar policies abroad have failed to increase birth rates.

Key Line: “Medicaid work requirements, for instance, put in place by the Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act…will lead to extra paperwork and other requirements that, according to the Congressional Budget Office, will cause millions of eligible enrollees to lose coverage. Medicaid covers more than 4 in 10 births in the U.S. The measure also cuts federal funding for a national program that provides monthly food benefits. Almost 40% of recipients in fiscal 2023 were children. GOP spending cuts and staffing freezes have hampered Head Start, a federal education program that provides day care and preschool for young, low-income children, even as U.S. adults implore the government to curtail ballooning child care costs.”

Source: KFF Health News

One HPV Shot Works as Well as Two, Major Trial Finds

What: In a randomized trial of over 20,000 girls, researchers found one dose of the HPV vaccine prevented infection as effectively as two doses over five years. Vaccine effectiveness against these types stayed at or above 97%, with no safety concerns reported. Results support the World Health Organization’s plan to expand single-dose vaccination to improve access and cut cervical cancer risk worldwide.

Key Line: “One dose of either a bivalent or nonavalent HPV vaccine provided protection against HPV16 or HPV18 infection and was not inferior to two doses.”

Source: The New England Journal of Medicine

MENSTRUATION

Why TikTok’s Luteal-Phase Hype Misses the Point

What: Women’s Health has a deep dive into the TikTok trend that is presenting the luteal phase of menstruation as a time when women become unstable or unproductive. Alas, those memes oversimplify menstrual biology and reinforce sexist narratives. Experts cited say scientific evidence shows no universal mood or behavior drop during this phase—normal inflammatory changes—and warn that such content can blur the line between typical cycles and serious health issues.

Key Line: “‘In this content, it’s implied that extreme symptoms apply to all menstruators. They say the menstrual cycle itself is a debility, almost like it’s an illness or a problem to work around. People are conflating normal menstruation with conditions such as endometriosis.’ That, [Dr. King] warns, can make accessing medical support even harder, due to medical misogyny – when clinicians minimise or normalise severe pain in female patients.”

Source: Womens Health

MENOPAUSE

Halle Berry Calls Out Gov. Newsom for Vetoing California Menopause Care Bills

What: Halle Berry criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom for vetoing bipartisan menopause care bills two years in a row, saying his actions show he undervalues women in midlife. Berry was speaking at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit, where Gov. Newsom was scheduled to talk after her. The California bills would have expanded insurance coverage for menopause evaluation and treatment and created medical training requirements on the topic.

Key Line: “‘Back in my great state of California, my very own governor, Gavin Newsom, has vetoed our menopause bill, not one but two years in a row,’ Berry said Wednesday at The New York Times’s DealBook Summit. ‘But that’s OK, because he’s not going to be governor forever.’”

Source: The Hill

ONCOLOGY

Self-Swab Option for Cervical Cancer Screening Gets ACS Approval

What: The American Cancer Society released new guidelines endorsing self-collected vaginal swabs as an acceptable way to test for HPV, the virus that causes nearly all cervical cancers. The move follows the first federal approval of an at-home self-swab test earlier this year and builds on more than a decade of data showing the method’s accuracy. Experts say wider use could expand screening access and help move toward ending cervical cancer in the United States.

Key Line: “‘Screening rates often drop off as women age out of their reproductive years and stop regularly seeing an obstetrician or gynecologist, Dr. Smith said. But approximately 20 percent of cervical cancers are diagnosed in women 65 and older, and these women tend to have worse outcomes. Self-collection provides an opportunity for more women to be more current with their screenings, at all stages of life. ‘Cervical cancer is in fact a disease that we can eliminate in our lifetimes,’ Dr. Kobetz said.”

Source:New York Times

Hear are the top things to know in women’s health and wellness so far this week:

• USA Today has a good overview of the lack of menopause care in America. It won’t surprise any regular readers of this newsletter, but it’s still helpful to have it gathered in one spot.
  

• I saw very little coverage of this over the past week, but we cannot forget the women who are dying due to lack of pregnancy care in abortion ban states. ProPublica found a recent case of a mom in Texas with high blood pressure who was too sick to be pregnant at all.
  

• From the Department of You’re Kidding — the federal government has female crash test dummies for the first time in the driver’s seat, even though women are much more likely to be injured or die in a crash than men.

JUMP TO…

• Everything
• Pregnancy and Postpartum
• Abortion Access
• Menopause

EVERYTHING

U.S. Just Got Around to Female Crash-Test Dummy

What: Women in the United States are 73% more likely than men to be severely injured in vehicle crashes and 17% more likely to die, reports the New York Times. Yet it took until last week for the Transportation Department to approve a new female crash-test dummy to replace the decades-old male-based model. The goal is to address women’s higher injury and death rates in crashes (duh) by better matching female anatomy. Federal adoption for safety tests using the female isn’t guaranteed.

Key Line: “In 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration updated its rating system to include tests with female crash dummies, at about 4 feet 11 inches and 108 pounds, with a rubber jacket around the chest to represent breasts. But most of those tests required the female dummy to be tested in the passenger seat or the back seat, not in the driver’s seat, even though licensed female drivers outnumber licensed male drivers by about three million.”

Source: New York Times

PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM

Docs Explain Research Challenges of Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy

What: An op-ed in the New England Journal of Medicine looks at the Trump administration’s warnings about the safety of antidepressants, especially SSRIs, during pregnancy. They explain how the structure of the research makes things more confusing, because most studies are observational and hard to interpret. (And randomized control trials are considered unthical.) Earlier reports suggested links to birth defects or autism, but newer, larger studies that properly adjusted for factors like depression itself found little or no increased risk. The authors conclude that SSRIs appear safe for pregnant people when confounding is well-controlled and urge the FDA to stick to evidence-based messaging.

Key Line: “These findings underscore how powerful confounding by indication and related factors can be in evaluations of the association between SSRIs and adverse pregnancy outcomes and make it clear that incomplete control for confounders has fueled decades of conflicting results.”

Source: New England Journal of Medicine

ABORTION ACCESS

Texas Woman Dies After Doctors Deny Abortion Amid Health Crisis

What: ProPublica reports that yet another woman has died for lack of abortion care. Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old mother from San Antonio with high blood pressure, diabetes, and a history of preeclampsia, repeatedly sought an abortion to protect her health but was turned down under Texas’ abortion ban. She later died at 20 weeks pregnant, after doctors failed to classify her severe condition as an emergency. ProPublica had over a dozen OBGYNs review Walker’s medical files and all of them said she would not have died if she ended her pregnancy.

Key Line: “Walker had known that abortion was illegal in Texas, but she had thought that hospitals could make an exception for patients like her, whose health was at risk. The reality: In states that ban abortion, patients with chronic conditions and other high-risk pregnancies often have nowhere to turn. They enter pregnancy sick and are expected to get sicker. Yet lawmakers who wrote the bans have refused to create exceptions for health risks.”

Source: ProPublica

Supreme Court Leans Toward Allowing Anti-Abortion Center to Fight N.J. Subpoena

What: The Supreme Court appeared inclined to let an anti-abortion pregnancy center in New Jersey challenge a state subpoena for its donor records in federal court. The subpoena, issued in 2023 by the state attorney general, sought names and contact details of donors to First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, which works to discourage abortion. The justices focused on whether the group could sue now, a procedural issue rooted in post-Roe scrutiny of abortion-related organizations.

Key Line: “If the clinics win, it could clear the way for them to continue their First Amendment challenge in the federal courts.”

Source: New York Times

MENOPAUSE

Why Women in Menopause Still Can’t Find the Care They Need

What: USA Today dives in to how many women spend years seeing multiple doctors before getting a menopause or perimenopause diagnosis, with most physicians lacking formal menopause training. Even as a $20 billion menopause industry grows, access to effective treatment—especially hormone replacement therapy—remains limited, though new FDA guidance may ease prescribing barriers. Some women turn to pricey concierge clinics or telehealth services just to be heard and treated properly.

Key Line: “Most doctors – even gynecologists – didn’t receive adequate training on menopause during medical school, according to a study in the Journal of The Menopause Society. Less than one-third of the almost 100 obstetrics and gynecology residency program directors recently surveyed said they received training in their residencies.”

Source: USA Today

Here are the trends we spotted this week in women’s health, and as always, scroll for the top clicked stories.

• 🩺 A grim maternal-health picture is getting harder to ignore. A viral video showed a Black woman denied care in active labor just minutes before delivery, while the March of Dimes issued the U.S. its fourth straight D+ on pregnancy health, underscoring stalled progress and continued racial gaps in care. And the incoming Trump cuts to Medicaid and increases in ACA insurance premiums could make the next year even worse.
  

• 📊 Preventive care and midlife health are at a tipping point — again. McKinsey says the U.S. could unlock $38B just by getting women their recommended screenings. Meanwhile, the FDA softened its long-criticized warning on menopause hormone therapy, and the “pink pill” (Addyi, for low sexual desire in premenopausal women) is having a cultural comeback. And yet… it’s hard not to feel like we’ve been on the verge for so long.
  

• ⚖️ Women’s federal health policy keeps going one step forward, two steps back. Even as federal regulators modernize hormone-therapy guidance and employers talk up “inclusive benefits,” states are floating harsher abortion penalties and the CDC is retreating on vaccine messaging — creating a landscape where progress and regression can happen in the same news cycle.

NOTE: We will be off next week for the holiday. Our next edition will resume on December 2. Happy Thanksgiving!

TOP CLICKED STORIES THIS WEEK

• Viral video shows alleged delayed care during labor // TikTok
  

• Texas Mom Shares Viral TikTok of Alleged Delayed Care During Daughter’s Labor // People
  

• The $50 Billion Potential for U.S. Health Systems to Improve Women’s Healthcare // McKinsey
  

• Skincare Enthusiasts Are Saving Their Menstrual Blood for a Bizarre Purpose // New York Post
  

• U.S. Making No Progress in Protecting Pregnancy Health, March of Dimes Report Card Says // U.S. News & World Report
  

• Cindy Eckert and the Pink Pill’s Surprising Comeback // The New York Times

Hear are the top things to know in women’s health and wellness so far this week:

• For the fourth year in a row the US got a D+ grade from the March of Dimes on pregnancy health. Preterm birth rates aren’t going down, and the report noted even more backsliding in more maternal health measures.
  

• A McKinsey report found that if women simply got the preventative screenings that are recommended, hospitals and providers could generate $38 billion in revenue. And that doesn’t account for how much those screenings could save in early treatment.
  

• A period blood facial? It’s happening on some corners of the internet...but you can probably guess where the evidence is at.

JUMP TO…

• Everything

• Menstruation

• Pregnancy and Postpartum

EVERYTHING

US Providers Could Gain $38 Billion by Just Getting Women to Do Recommended Screenings

What: A McKinsey analysis finds the US health industry misses out on $50 billion a year in revenue by failing to provide women consistent preventive care and by losing women clinicians to high turnover. They estimate that women getting guideline-based screenings could generate nearly $38 billion, while improving nurse retention could save roughly $12 billion annually. The report argues that investing in preventive care, clinician retention, and inclusive policies benefits both women’s health and system finances.

Key Line: “This estimate does not account for 1) the additional, much larger revenue potential for health systems that perform treatments in response to positive results identified by screenings, or 2) how additional healthy life years for millions of women could benefit the economy, or 3) the savings potential across the healthcare ecosystem from addressing health concerns earlier in the course of the disease.”

My Take: This is low-hanging fruit that could make a massive difference.

Source: McKinsey & Company

CDC Removes Assurance That Vaccines Don’t Cause Autism

What: Under the leadership of HHS Sec. Kennedy, the CDC quietly removed a statement on their website that explicitly said vaccines do not cause autism, reversing long-standing scientific consensus and prompting alarm from public health experts. The move drew immediate backlash from scientists and criticism from Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who essentially guaranteed Kennedy’s confirmation after getting a “pledge” that the secretary would not say vaccines cause autism.

Key Line: “The updated CDC webpage now includes an asterisk after the header ‘Vaccines do not cause Autism,’ explaining that the header was not removed as part of an agreement with Cassidy.”

My Take: This is a typical (childish) Trump administration move: adhere to a promise literally but violate the spirit of it and see how far they can push things.

Source: Washington Post

MENSTRUATION

People Are Putting Menstrual Blood on Their Faces for “Skincare”

What: This is NY Post clickbait, but it I must admit it caught my eye! The paper reports that some skincare fans are collecting their period blood to use as a face treatment, claiming it has rejuvenating effects. (They include pictures). Experts quoted in the piece warn there’s no proof this works.

Key Line: “However, experts do not agree with the comparison of sterile PRP [aka the vampire facial] to menstrual blood, as the latter can contain different bacteria and fungi. It can also include Staphylococcus aureus — a common microbe that lives on the skin’s surface but can spur infections if it gets caught in cuts or pores — and even sexually transmitted infections, or STIs.”

My Take: I genuinely do not know where the skincare trends will go next.

Source: New York Post

India’s Menstrual Leave Debate: Progress or Pitfall?

What: The Week has an op-ed on debate in India over menstrual leave. They write that while menstrual leave can improve wellbeing and inclusion, mandatory rules might backfire by reinforcing bias or privacy concerns. The author argues that flexible, stigma-free options—like wellness leave or remote work—could be the most practical path forward.

Key Line: “The idea of menstrual leave is not new. Countries such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Taiwan have had provisions for paid menstrual leave since the mid-20th century, with some policies dating back to the World War II era. These early adopters recognised that menstrual pain, fatigue and discomfort can significantly affect productivity for many women. In India too, the conversation has expanded beyond the medical aspect to include dignity, comfort and equality at the workplace.”

My Take: Meanwhile, in America, we can’t get paid leave guaranteed after giving birth.

Source: The Week

PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM

US Stalled on Pregnancy Health, March of Dimes Warns

What: For the fourth year in a row, the March of Dimes gave the US a D+ for pregnancy health, citing a steady 10% preterm birth rate and worsening racial and economic disparities. Black moms still face a nearly 50% higher risk of early birth than the national average, and fewer women are starting prenatal care in the first trimester. Chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes are rising among pregnant women, with maternal and infant deaths remaining unacceptably high.

Key Line: “‘This year’s report card shows that while we remain stalled in our progress on preterm birth, we are also losing ground in other critical areas of maternal and infant health…Our country is stuck in a maternal and infant health crisis where too many families are being forgotten,’ Rahman said.”

My Take: Unfortunately, this will only get worse as Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” massive cuts to Medicaid and Obamacare insurance subsidies start hitting in the coming weeks and months.

Source: U.S. News & World Report

Hear are the top things to know in women’s health and wellness so far this week:

• A viral video from over the weekend captures just a sliver of why Black women may have a maternal mortality rate that is three to four times higher than white women in America.
  

• A South Carolina state senate committee (made up of all men) did not approve a bill that included such extreme punishments for women that even some antiabortion groups opposed it.
  

• The New York Times profiles Cindy Eckert and the more than ten-year saga of the “pink pill” comeback.

JUMP TO…

• Pregnancy and Postpartum

• Abortion Access

• Menopause

PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM

Texas Mom Captures Barbaric Care During Daughter’s Labor

What: The women’s health community is familiar with the statistic that Black women in America are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. But statistics can only go so far — a viral video this week captured just a slice of how this happens in real life. A Texas mother filmed her daughter, Karrie Jones, in active labor and screaming in pain while sitting in a wheelchair as a triage nurse at Dallas Regional Medical Center asks her mundane questions. The family says the baby was born only 12 minutes later. The hospital says it is reviewing the incident, and the videos have drawn wide outrage.

Key Line: “Her mother asked, ‘Are y’all for real right now? Does she have to give birth in a chair?’ The nurse responded that she ‘can’t take her upstairs,’ leading Jones’ mom to question why staff would ‘take a chance of infections and her having a baby in this chair.’”

My Take: This video is enraging — the idea of any women being essentially denied care while she is in an ER and TWELVE MINUTES FROM DELIVERY is barbaric. The question, of course, is how do we eradicate this racist culture?

Source: PEOPLE, TikTok Video

ABORTION ACCESS

South Carolina Bill Would Jail Women for Abortions, Ban Some Birth Control? Doesn’t Advance

What: A South Carolina Senate subcommittee made up of all men considered a bill that would not only make abortion entirely illegal, but would permit prison terms of up to 30 years for women and anyone who helps them. The proposal could also ban intrauterine devices (IUDs) and limit in vitro fertilization by outlawing contraception that stops a fertilized egg from implanting. The bill is actually getting opposition from some anti-abortion groups for being too punitive.

Key Line: ”Four of the six Republicans on the subcommittee refused to vote on the bill, which would ban all abortions unless the woman’s life is threatened. The three Democrats were then able to vote against sending the bill forward.”

My Take: The committee vote showed how little support there is for the bill, though the AP reports it is not completely dead yet. The story I want to know most is how this bill came to be—and was it just a game of oneup-manship, with members in the most red districts jockeying to show how cruel they can be to women.

Source: Associated Press

Abortion Bans Are Hurting Healthcare Across All Fields, Doctors Say

What: A Physicians for Human Rights brief based on interviews with 33 US physicians found abortion bans are causing substandard care across medical specialties beyond just reproductive health. Doctors in fields like oncology and dermatology report avoiding or delaying necessary treatment for women of reproductive age because abortion is restricted or banned. Researchers say these laws force clinicians to choose between obeying the law and providing evidence-based care.

Key Line: “Discussing the option of abortion is part of the standard of care, such as in the case of a pregnant patient with breast cancer, since some forms of chemotherapy that may be necessary are teratogenic. However, offering the option of abortion becomes problematic for physicians treating cancer in abortion ban states with a limited life-saving exception.”

My Take: It’s a small sample, but the data could soon show if this is a common effect in abortion ban states versus states that permit abortion.

Source: Ms. Magazine

MENOPAUSE

FDA Removes Harsh Warning on Menopause Hormone Therapy

What: Leana Wen, Washington Post columnist and a physician, has an op-ed praising the reversal of the FDA’s “black box” warning for menopause hormone therapy, after years of evidence showing the old risk label overstated dangers and discouraged use. But she also cautions against going further than the evidence currently suggests.

Key Line: "Regulators must guard against opportunistic companies attempting to portray hormone therapy as a cure-all for aging. The treatment should remain what science supports it to be: a valuable tool for women to relieve bothersome menopausal symptoms and improve quality of life."

My Take: Wen brings up a good point that skipping typical advisory committees means the FDA has not worked out, for now, how to appropriately label different dosages, delivery methods, and for women with a history of cancer or blood clots.

Source: The Washington Post

Cindy Eckert’s “Pink Pill” Comeback

What: The New York Times profiles Cindy Eckert, founder and CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals, who regained control of her company and revived sales of Addyi, a prescription drug for premenopausal women with low sexual desire. Her success came years after critics accused her of hyping the drug and an FDA fight nearly sank it. Her unapologetically pink brand, once dismissed as a gimmick, is now central to her business’s new success. Ten years after approval, both her product and reputation have found fresh footing in a changed cultural moment.

Key Line: “‘We played the long game,’” Ms. Eckert said. ‘Culture caught up.’”

My Take: This is a tale of perseverance against the odds — and crazy to think it was merely ten years ago the company was battling for FDA approval.

Source: The New York Times

Hear are the trends we spotted this week in women’s health, and as always, scroll for the top clicked stories.

• 🩺 A split-screen moment in women’s health: The FDA lifted the black-box warning on menopause hormone therapy — potentially one of the biggest wins for women’s health in decades — even as 60 Minutes showed how Trump-era politics arbitrarily cut major breast-cancer research (and many others) overnight.
  

• ⚠️ The top threats new mothers still face: Pregnant and postpartum women are most likely to die from two things the system still struggles with — homicide (often by gun) and obstetric complications like placenta accreta. Two stories this week show just how preventable both categories could be with better policy and better hospital readiness.
  

• 🌟 When a celeb tells the truth: Jennifer Lawrence sharing how Zurzuvae helped her postpartum depression — without an endorsement check — shows how powerful honest celebrity stories can be.

TOP CLICKED STORIES THIS WEEK

Jennifer Lawrence says new drug helped her postpartum depression // New York Post

FDA removes black-box warning from hormone replacement therapy // NBC News

Why placenta accreta is rising — and what C-sections have to do with it // The New York Times

Study: higher gun ownership means more pregnant women murdered with guns // Stateline

Talking to kids about puberty — when you're in perimenopause yourself // The 19th

Opinion: the political fight over abortion pills is about to escalate // The New York Times

Researchers say campus culture wars are hurting their work // CBS News

Hear are the top things to know in women’s health and wellness so far this week:

• The New York Time editorial board makes it clear: access to abortion pills is vital throughout the United States, and it is under threat.
  

• It’s not shocking, but the more guns a state has per capita, the more dead pregnant women by gun violence there are.
  

• A potentially deadly condition known as placenta accreta has increased over recent years. Reporters dig into how hospitals are trying (and often failing) to treat it.

JUMP TO…

• Everything

• Pregnancy and Postpartum

• Abortion Access

• Menopause

EVERYTHING

When Puberty and Perimenopause Collide at Home

What: The 19th looks at parents navigating perimenopause while raising kids in puberty, and how they deal with the overlapping emotional and physical upheavals. Through reader stories and advice from psychologist Lisa Damour, the piece highlights how both stages bring big but different neurological and hormonal changes. Damour urges separating kids’ “brain renovation” from adults’ hormone shifts and reminds that taking care of your own needs is part of good parenting.

Key Line: “One thing that’s true for both kids going through puberty and their grown-ups going through perimenopause? ‘Development is inherently challenging,’ Damour said. ‘Change equals stress.’ And this is hard on kids and parents alike.”

My Take: Gen X and Elder Millennials are perhaps the first generations entering this dual hormonal challenge with the knowledge of what’s happening. May the odds be ever in your favor.

Source: The 19th

PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM

C-Section Scars Tied to a Dangerous Pregnancy Complication

What: The New York Times has a deep dive on placenta accreta, a condition where the placenta grows into scar tissue from a prior C-section. It is becoming more common, and it can be fatal. They tell the story of Holly Baumstark, a woman who died at age 27 after doctors discovered her placenta had fused to her uterus during surgery.

Key Line: “Doctors are getting better at spotting accreta on ultrasounds before birth. But many women still go into labor undiagnosed. Obstetricians often do not have the expertise to handle a complex delivery, or even enough donor blood on hand. Dr. Julie Kang, a Miami obstetrician, took notice of the condition in 2016, when she treated two severe cases within a week of each other. ‘We’re going to see more of these,’ she recalled thinking. She opened a clinic specializing in the condition at her hospital, Memorial Regional, and treated nine accreta patients the next year. Her caseload has steadily marched upward, hitting 62 in 2024.”

My Take: We need research on why this is happening more often (simply an increase in C-sections?) and treating it should become the norm. Let me know what you think: [email protected]

Source: The New York Times

Study Links Higher Gun Ownership to More Homicides of Pregnant Women

What: A state-level study from JAMA Network Open found homicide rates among pregnant women increase with gun ownership rates. Researchers from Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital analyzed 7,063 homicides across 37 states from 2018–2021 and found pregnant women faced a 37% higher firearm homicide rate than nonpregnant women, with Black women making up most victims. For each 1% rise in state gun ownership, firearm-related homicides of pregnant women increased by 8%.

Key Line: “It is such an awful phenomenon that’s occurring in this country,” said Maeve Wallace, an epidemiologist and associate professor of public health at the University of Arizona. Wallace’s research has shown homicide to be a leading cause of pregnancy-associated death. Wallace, who wasn’t involved in the new study, said it points to how lax firearm policies put women at risk. ‘There’s been a real failure to address it at multiple levels, including in maternity care, in communities and addressing the ability for people to thrive and be safe and healthy,’ she said.”

My Take: Part of the failure is likely due to the decades-long ban on federal research on gun ownership that didn’t lift in 2018.

Source: Stateline

ABORTION ACCESS

Abortion Pills Kept Access Alive—But Threats Are Growing

What: The New York Times Editorial Board explains that despite post-Roe abortion bans in many states, overall abortion rates have risen because abortion pills are often prescribed via telehealth and let people safely end pregnancies at home. Roughly one in four U.S. abortions now occurs this way, showing how medication has reshaped access to care. But Republican lawmakers are pushing new state and federal limits that could shut down this critical option unless supporters of reproductive rights push back.

Key Line: “Instead, the number of women receiving abortions has increased nationwide, even in most states with bans. ‘That brings us to the more enduring solution to this problem: Congress should set a floor that allows for basic access to abortion in every state. Such a law would return the country to a version of the legal landscape before the Supreme Court allowed burdensome restrictions in the 1990s and then reversed Roe v. Wade entirely in 2022 with Dobbs.’”

My Take: That enduring solution is far off, but it still means something when the NYT editorial board says it should happen.

Source: The New York Times

MENOPAUSE

How Menopausal Hormone Therapy Reputation Has Swung Over Time

What: JAMA Internal Medicine tracks how menopausal hormone therapy has shifted from being praised as a cure-all for aging and menopause symptoms to a source of medical controversy. It notes that, for years, MHT was promoted to prevent a range of conditions without solid trial evidence. But it can still help millions of women.

Key Line: “Debate about MHT is unlikely to disappear soon. What is the path forward? One step is liberating MHT from the unrealistic cultural expectations weighing it down. Menopause—and more importantly, midlife aging in women—is not a simple estrogen deficiency state but a multisystem biological and psychological transition, driven by far more than change in any one hormone.”

My Take: The author makes these points but also points out that women—half of the world’s population—will spend half their lives in peri or post-menopausal years. 

Source: JAMA Internal Medicine

Hear are the top things to know in women’s health and wellness so far this week:

• The FDA lifted the black box warning on hormone replacement therapy for women approaching menopause, a move the FDA commissioner says could be the greatest improvement for older women’s health beyond vaccines and antibiotics.
  

• Meanwhile, 60 Minutes highlighted how the Trump administration abruptly cut long-running breast cancer research at Harvard — a reminder that progress in women’s health now happens alongside Trump’s arbitrary whims.
  

• Actress Jennifer Lawrence said she used Zurzuvae to treat her postpartum depression, and it worked well for her. Even more — she’s not a paid rep for the manufacturer.

JUMP TO…

• Everything

• Pregnancy and Postpartum

• Menopause

• Oncology

EVERYTHING

Young Women Confront Life with A.L.S. at Cape Cod Retreat

What: This article is a deep dive into young women diagnosed with A.L.S. who met on Cape Cod to find connection and humor in a brutal, degenerative disease. It also explores how ALS is associated with older men, prolonging diagnoses and treatment for young women.

Key Line: “By the time Ms. Northrop went to the doctor, she was losing her ability to speak. The doctor told her that she was fine, and that she was suffering from depression. She was puzzled. “About what?” she said. Ms. Kessler was pregnant when she first felt weakness in her right hand, but her obstetrician was dismissive. She was diagnosed shortly after she gave birth, at 29, when she started having trouble buttoning up her baby’s onesies.”

My Take: The article says there’s no data showing the disease is growing more common among young women but is another example of disease that can get overlooked in women.

Source: The New York Times

PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM

Jennifer Lawrence says new fast-acting drug eased her postpartum depression

What: Actress Jennifer Lawrence said Zurzuvae, a new 2-week antidepressant for postpartum recovery, helped her manage severe postpartum depression after the birth of her second child. The drug is unusual in how quickly it works, clinical trials showed it could ease symptoms within three days. It’s the first oral medication made specifically for postpartum depression.

Key Line: “But a fast-acting treatment pill can help new moms turn things around in just a couple of weeks — and it’s so new, many women don’t know it exists. Lawrence, 35, may be changing that: The mother of two spoke about the 14-day treatment that ‘really helped’ when it ‘felt like a tiger was chasing [her] every day.’”

My Take: Lawrence said she is not a paid rep of Sage Pharmaceuticals, which makes this commentary all the more meaningful.

Source: New York Post

MENOPAUSE 

FDA Drops Black Box Warning on Menopause Hormone Therapy

What: Big news on the menopause front: the FDA announced it is removing black box warning on estrogen and progesterone therapies for menopause after reviewing newer evidence showing the old cancer and heart risk data were based on outdated science. The change affects pills, patches, gels, and creams now used to ease hot flashes, mood swings, and vaginal dryness, though labels will still advise starting before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause.

Key Line: “In the JAMA editorial, Makary and three other FDA officials wrote that the warnings — which appear on medication packaging — will be removed from products that contain estrogen or progestogen only, as well as the two combined. ‘With the exception of antibiotics and vaccines, there may be no medication in the modern world that can improve the health outcomes of older women on a population level more than hormone therapy,’ they wrote.”

My Take: The black box warning change seems like it will help patients already seeing doctors trained to treat menopause…but will this change things with (most) other doctors? I lean towards no but let me know if you think I’m wrong!

Source: NBC News

HHS Removes Black Box Warnings on Estrogen Therapy, SWHR Urges Balanced Caution

What: The Society of Women’s Health Research supported the removal of the black box warning, especially on local estrogen treatments for vaginal dryness and related menopause symptoms are proven safe. But they cautioned against removing all warnings without evidence-based review and called on the FDA to clearly communicate to patients and clinicians.

Key Line: “Labeling practices should reflect evidence-based risks and benefits and align with the latest guidelines from medical professional societies in women’s health, allowing women and their health care providers to make fully informed shared decisions. While the use of vaginal estrogen for the treatment of GSM has a wealth of evidence in favor of its use and the backing of leading medical experts and professional societies, there are important considerations when it comes to the use of systemic hormone therapy.”

My Take: This is the devil in the details.

Source: SWHR

ONCOLOGY

Trump Administration Freeze Joan’s Research (And Much More)

What: 60 Minutes dives into the Trump administration withholding over $2 billion in federal research grants from Harvard after the university refused to change campus policies tied to free speech. It halted hundreds of science projects, including research from Joan Brugge, the director of the Ludwig Cancer Center at Harvard Medical School. For 50 years, Brugge won competitive federal grants to detect and treat breast cancer. Then her million-dollar annual funding was cancelled last spring, for research on identifying the earliest signs of breast cancer.

Key Line: “Joan Brugge: So our progress has been significantly affected. Now, I'm spending most of my time ringing doorbells to find alternate funding so that we can keep the lab going. …There's now this existential threat that this could happen again. …It will eventually draw people away from the United States to carry out research, where that kind of threat and that kind of insecurity doesn't exist.” 

My Take: This is just one study of hundreds focused on women’s health that remain in funding limbo, as courts find the cancellations illegal, and the Trump administration continues to appeal.

Source: CBS News

Hi everybody,

It’s been a few weeks since I started sending the new weekend wrap-up, and I wanted to see what you think of them. Sometimes I worry they start to feel repetitive, but then again, I am the one reading them most closely. 😅

You can take the quick poll below or just hit reply. I love to hear your feedback!

— Meghan

TOP CLICKED STORIES THIS WEEK

The inflammation gap // The Atlantic

Robust implementation of Medicaid postpartum extensions key to maintaining maternal-health momentum // Milbank Memorial Fund

Mayo Clinic study finds majority of midlife women with menopause symptoms do not seek care // Mayo Clinic News Network

Postpartum psychosis: International experts seek to save lives of mothers, babies // Biological Psychiatry

What Tuesday’s elections mean for the future of abortion rights // The Guardian

Hear are the top things to know in women’s health and wellness so far this week:

• Democrats swept the elections Tuesday night, defending abortion access in states and nationwide. (But keep an eye on the filibuster talk…)
  

• A randomized clinical trial found women with early-stage breast cancer don’t survive any longer if they get radiation treatment.
  

• Another potential women’s health casualty of the Republican’s reconciliation package? Extending Medicaid coverage for women a year after they’ve given birth.

JUMP TO…

• Everything

• Pregnancy and Postpartum

• Abortion Access

• Oncology

EVERYTHING

Mexico’s President Presses Charges After Being Groped in Public

What: Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum filed a police complaint after a man groped and tried to kiss her on a Mexico City street, an incident caught on video. She said she did so to set an example for other women and called for consistent national laws making sexual harassment a crime. The man, identified as Uriel Rivera Martínez, was arrested, sparking debate in Mexico about everyday harassment and safety for women in public spaces.

Key Line: "'We need to make this visible and say no — a firm no,' Ms. Sheinbaum said. 'Women’s personal space must not be violated. How do we address this? Through awareness campaigns, through schools — because this is also about educating men. And we must make sure that when women file complaints, they are taken seriously and not made to waste a whole day, which discourages them from reporting.'”

My Take: It's not straight women's health news, but a remarkable reminder of a women's place in the world too often.

Source: The New York Times

PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM

Meta-analysis finds acetaminophen safe for use in pregnancy

What: A systematic review and meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry looked at 16 human studies on acetaminophen use during pregnancy and found no evidence it causes autism or ADHD in children. They said that while a small initial link to ADHD appeared, it likely stemmed from bias and genetics, not the drug itself. The authors conclude current evidence supports continued acetaminophen use in pregnancy, in line with CDC and ACOG guidance.

Key Line: "In the resulting novel systematic review and meta-analysis, the investigators applied rigorous systematic review methodologies to determine the extent to which current data can support an association between prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and the risk of NDDs in children. They also used quantitative bias analysis to provide an estimate of the direction, magnitude, and uncertainty arising from systematic errors when assessing acetaminophen use during pregnancy and the risk of ADHD in children and performed sensitivity analyses."

My Take: This likely won't make it into the discourse now, but might be useful in court cases.

Source: EurekAlert

 Medicaid’s Postpartum Extensions Face Funding and System Hurdles

What: An analysis looked at the relatively new development that nearly all states extended Medicaid coverage for new mothers to a full year after childbirth. Interviews with state officials, providers, and Medicaid enrollees show the policy keeps women in the health care system, but faces administrative errors, provider shortages, and looming federal funding cuts. The authors warn that new budget restrictions could slow or reverse progress unless states protect postpartum benefits and fix eligibility issues.

Key Line: "Moreover, the [Republican budget] law will reduce federal Medicaid spending by about a trillion dollars over 10 years and redirect much of state Medicaid agencies’ capacity and resources to implementation of new policies, which could lessen focus on maternal health."

My Take: This is another slow-rolling but substantial hit to women's health care in America under the Trump administration, just like the backdoor destruction of Title X clinics.

Source: Milbank Memorial Fund

ABORTION ACCESS

Democrats’ Election Wins Bolster Abortion Rights in Key States

What: Democrats scored major victories in Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, securing governors’ offices and state courts that will protect abortion access. These wins, plus California’s approval of a redistricting measure favoring Democrats, strengthen abortion rights after years of restrictions since Roe v Wade was overturned.

Key Line: “In Pennsylvania, voters decided to retain three liberal supreme court justices, maintaining Democratic control of a bench that could decide the future of abortion rights in the deeply purple state. The sweeping support for California’s Proposition 50, a redistricting measure that will help Democrats pick up extra seats in the US House, will also likely defend national access to abortion."

My Take: The next thing to keep an eye on? What happens to the 60-vote threshold (aka the filibuster) in the Senate. Trump is pushing that, and if Senate Republicans don't tell him no...we could see a national abortion ban by the end of next year.  

Source: The Guardian

ONCOLOGY

Study Finds Radiation Adds No Survival Benefit for Many Breast Cancer Patients

What: A randomized clinical trial of 1,600 women with early-stage breast cancer found no survival difference between those who received chest-wall radiation after mastectomy and those who did not. After nearly 10 years of follow-up, survival rates were 81.4% with radiation and 81.9% without it. The findings suggest some women can safely avoid radiation if other treatments are working well.

Key Line: “'It was clear for low-risk cancer that you did not need radiation after mastectomy and that for high-risk patient you did need radiation and still do it after mastectomy,'” said Dr. Harold Burstein, a medical oncologist at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and a professor at Harvard Medical School, who was not involved in the study. 'That left open the question of the intermediate group of patients — there was still a question of whether adding radiation therapy would be helpful,' he said. The study results suggests that radiation is not necessary for these women."

My Take: Science at work -- it's still happening!

Source: The New York Times