get the top three things to know in women's health + wellness, every weekday:

Illinois Outlaws ‘Fertility Fraud’

December 20, 2023

What: A new Illinois state law takes effect next year allowing residents to bring a fraud case against health care providers who used their own “human reproductive cells” during treatment without a patient’s consent.

Why it matters: Fertility fraud is more common than you’d think, and in May several US House members introduced federal legislation on the topic: “Even our animal husbandry system has more oversite/regulations in place. Yet the growing number of fertility fraud cases, and the devastating consequences for many, continues to climb.”

Source: Illinois Senate Democrats

More News Snippets

Top Trump Official Calls for Only Men to Vote

MAGA might dismiss this as a troll, but it’s always a joke until it’s not.

Giving Birth Can Bring Financial Strain and Ruin in the United States

While around 80% of Medicaid patients paid nothing for labor and delivery, 60% of people on commercial insurance paid $1,000 or more out of pocket.

Russian Women Have to Report Sexual Activity for Fertility Gains

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is concerned about low fertility rates in the country, a hobby horse he shares with billionaire Elon Musk and Trump VP candidate JD Vance.

OBGYN Pain Goes Beyond IUDs

Sharing the stories of women who have had fibroids removed without pain medication or endometriosis symptoms ignored for years.

The Birth Rate Fallacy

Experts explaining that the global drop in fertility rates is partly a product of women having children later in life.

Digging Into VP Kamala Harris’ Record on Reproductive Health

What: The New York Times combs through VP Kamala Harris’ record on abortion from her days as a prosecutor, finding an “unwavering conviction” that women

The Menopause Treatment Messaging Conundrum

A deep dive on the queen of menopause, Dr. Mary Claire Haver, and her push to get more women treatment for menopause symptoms.

The Science of Cravings, Chocolate, and Periods

Breaking down cravings during menstrual cycles, and how some small studies have shown the foods we crave may be driven more by culture than by biology.

How Trump Talks About Abortion Bans, By the Numbers

The New York Times analyzed over 600 speeches (!!!) from Donald Trump on abortion and shows visually just how much his rhetoric has changed.

Moms Using Marijuana During Pregnancy Don’t Know About Negative Side Effects

70% did not associate using marijuana with any negative side effects, even though it can be associated with preterm labor and low birth weight

Could Ozempic Prevent Fibroids?

Women with type 2 diabetes who got a GLP-1 medication were less likely to develop new fibroids than women who just took metformin, a diabetes medication.

Lack of Sleep Due to Apnea Tied to Dementia

An analysis of over 18,000 adults found that signs of sleep apnea are correlated with a higher chance of having dementia, especially among women.

The Forties are For…Injuries?

Eliza Barclay has a reported essay on her experience with several muscle injuries in her 40s

The Truth About Later Abortions

Combing through the data to explain why most late term abortions happen (hint: it’s fetal anomalies and not convenience.)

Trump Promises Conspiracy Theorist RFK Jr. Will Run Women’s Health

At one point during the campaign RFK Jr. backed a national abortion ban, and he regularly spreads debunked conspiracies about childhood vaccines.

Choice in Birthing Position Tied to Satisfaction

A study looks at which birthing position (i.e. lying down, standing up) women prefer most in labor, measured in part by which women report the highest levels of satisfaction with their labor.

Trump Again Says He Is a Protector of Women, Despite Americans Dying from Abortion Bans

“They said ‘we think it’s very inappropriate for you to say so.’ I said ‘Why? I’m president, I want to protect the women.’”

British Agency Backs Hormone Therapy First Over Talk Therapy for Menopause

Last year, the same agency got fierce criticism for saying menopausal woman should get talk therapy

Alcohol’s Lies (and Breast Cancer)

A deep dive on drinking and examining why people reacted far more swiftly to the news that smoking causes cancer than they have for alcohol—especially breast cancer.

Do You Really Want RFK Jr. In Charge of Health Agencies?

The head of Donald Trump’s transition team was on CNN last night, and he spent a lot time praising RFK Jr.’s debunked theories that childhood vaccines cause autism.