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EVERYTHING
Women Pregnant for the First Time Most Unsure About Vaccines
What: Surveys conducted by Emory University and the CDC found only 35% to 40% of pregnant women and parents of young children in the US intended to fully vaccinate their kids. The surveys aimed to understand parental intent to follow recommended vaccine schedules up to 18 months of age, with many parents choosing to delay or refuse vaccinations for their children.
Key Line: "Intent to vaccinate was similar among pregnant women and parents, at 35% to 40%. The proportion of respondents planning to refuse some or all vaccines was lowest among women pregnant for the first time (4%) and highest among parents (33%). Women in their first pregnancy were most uncertain about childhood vaccination (48%), while parents were the least unsure (4%)."
Source: University of Minnesota
FERTILITY
Riki Lindhome Sings About Her Fertility Journey in "Dead Inside"
What: Actress and comedian Riki Lindhome shares her decade-long struggle with fertility and the journey to having her son through a surrogate in her solo musical "Dead Inside." Lindhome aims to break the silence around women's experiences with fertility issues, saying that women's bodies should not be secrets.
Key Line: "So time and time again, Lindhome found herself speaking with people interested in starting a family — friends, acquaintances, strangers — and reliving some of her life’s most difficult chapters. There was the pregnancy that didn’t last. The slew of subsequent surgeries. The taxing rounds of IVF. The boyfriend who abruptly left her. The frozen embryo she had to let go. The fraught attempt at adoption. The silent endometriosis diagnosis. The discovery of her infertility."
Source: Washington Post
Human Eggs 'Power Down' to Protect Themselves
What: A study found that as human eggs mature, they slow down their internal waste disposal systems to keep things running smoothly for the long haul, preventing damage and keeping metabolism low.
Key Line: "The study could lead to new strategies to improve success rates for the millions of IVF cycles attempted worldwide each year. 'Fertility patients are routinely advised to take random supplements to improve egg metabolism, but evidence for any benefit for pregnant outcomes is patchy,' says Dr. Böke. 'By looking at freshly-donated eggs we’ve found evidence to suggest the opposite approach, maintaining the egg’s naturally quiet metabolism, could be a better idea for preserving quality,' she adds."
Source: Center for Genomic Regulation
ABORTION ACCESS
Idaho Agrees Not to Prosecute Doctors for Out-of-State Abortion Referrals
What: Idaho agreed to a consent decree that the state will not prosecute doctors who refer patients seeking abortions to out-of-state providers. The decision follows a 2021 law banning most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy.
Key Line: "Rebecca Gibron, chief executive of Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawaii, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, said in a statement that the decree 'affirms something every patient deserves: open, honest care from a provider they trust.'"
Source: Reuters
MENOPAUSE
F.D.A. Panelists Call for Removal of Warnings on Menopause Treatments
What: A panel of physicians and researchers urged the FDA to eliminate black box warnings from hormone treatments for menopause, arguing that these warnings have discouraged women from seeking treatment due to exaggerated risks. But the presentation lacked the usual data presented at similar FDA meetings.
Key Line: "There was no scientific presentation by F.D.A. scientists, who typically testify at advisory committee meetings on new drugs and who are expert in analyzing drug safety data. The panel convened by Dr. Makary included four physicians who are members of Let’s Talk Menopause, an advocacy group supported by Pfizer, Bayer and other pharmaceutical companies that has called for removing the black box warning from local vaginal estrogen products used to treat dryness and sexual symptoms."
Source: New York Times
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