|
EVERYTHING
Silent X Chromosome: Not Always Silent?
What: Women have two X chromosomes, but one of the two is "silent' and folds in on itself, making it unreadable. But researchers in Munich argue that as women age, more genes on the silenced X chromosome become active--and that could explain some sex-based differences in age-related illnesses.
Key Line: ““Sex differences in age-related disease are incredibly complex,” says Andergassen. “So far, scientific explanations have mostly focused on hormonal or lifestyle factors. While the role of the X chromosome and some escape genes have been studied before, the discovery that many genes on the inactive X can reactivate with age opens up entirely new lines of research."
Source: Technical University of Munich
MAHA Report Highlights Women Nutrition Program Getting Cut in BBB
What: If you blinked and missed it, you're excused: after meeting only once, the Trump's administration's "Make America Healthy Again Commission" released a report last week theoretically focused on childhood chronic illness. Women are only mentioned in the context of nutrition during pregnancy--and Republican's "Big Beautiful" bill cuts the "Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)" program the MAHA report says actually has a *good* track record on improving kids' health.
Key Line: "WIC provides nutrition education, food assistance, and support to approximately 6.7 million women and children up to age five as of 2024.226 WIC has a proven track record of improving children’s health" -- MAHA report
"The report also outlines the far-reaching consequences of these proposed cuts. Without SNAP and Medicaid, more children will face hunger, developmental delays and untreated medical conditions, including chronic illnesses that could have been prevented with early care. The ripple effects extend to school meal programs and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), both of which depend on Medicaid and SNAP eligibility for participation..." -- UnidosUS, AFL-CIO, and First Focus on Children report
Source: White House, UnidosUS
PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
RFK Jr. Ends COVID Vaccine Recommendations for Pregnant Women
What: HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. just decided on his own to stop recommending the COVID vaccine for healthy pregnant women and kids, going against the CDC's guidance. Kennedy's unlateral move, made without experts or research to back up his claims, means the decision is likely to be challenged in court. As Ashish Jha, a physician who worked with the Biden White House on COIVD-19 response pointed out: "By removing it from "recommended" schedule most insurers won't cover it...And government programs like Medicaid likely won't cover it...Which means pregnant women unlikely to get it...Which is making a choice for women."
Key Line: “Although the HHS secretary has the authority to modify vaccine recommendations, his action raises questions about insurance coverage for the shots, vaccine experts said. The law requires insurers to cover vaccines recommended by the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel with no out of pocket cost to consumers."
Source: The Washington Post
ACOG Says WTF on HHS Pulling COVID Vaccine in Pregnancy
What: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists responded immediately to HHS Sec. Kennedy's attempt to pull the vaccine recommendation on his own, saying it would put the lives of mothers and infants at risk.
Key Line: "We also understand that despite the change in recommendations from HHS, the science has not changed. It is very clear that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy can be catastrophic and lead to major disability, and it can cause devastating consequences for families. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe during pregnancy, and vaccination can protect our patients and their infants after birth. In fact, growing evidence shows just how much vaccination during pregnancy protects the infant after birth, with the vast majority of hospitalized infants less than six months of age—those who are not yet eligible for vaccination—born to unvaccinated mothers."
Source: ACOG
ABORTION ACCESS
A Convenient Piece of Junk Science
What: The Atlantic's Keren Landman dives into the sketchy report that could be used to push for an FDA safety review of the abortion pill mifepristone. Some fun facts: the authors of the questionable report have no record of publishing peer-reviewed scientific research, they don't provide enough information to test and replicate their findings, and they counted all ER visits within 45 days of taking the pill as a "serious" reaction, even if it had nothing to do with the abortion.
Key Line: "But Upadhyay told me she worries that FDA Chief Marty Makary—who has previously claimed that fetuses can “resist” the tools of abortion by 20 weeks of gestation—or Kennedy could put his thumb on the scale to restrict mifepristone access, regardless of what FDA staff recommend."
Source: The Atlantic
|