This week in women’s health: new research underscores why hormone therapy decisions matter more with age, while a nationwide estrogen shortage exposes just how unprepared the system is for the surge in menopause care. Plus, stories on pregnant women avoiding care out of fear of the Trump administration.
MORE EVIDENCE HORMONE THERAPY IS PERSONAL // A retrospective study of over 83,000 women age 50 years and up found the starting hormone therapy *after* 65 can ease menopause symptoms but comes with a higher cancer and heart risks. Dr. Stephanie Faubion, the head of the society that published the study, said the results were “limited by a lack of information” about how exactly women were getting hormone therapy (i.e. topical or oral), but that they “reinforce current recommendations for a personalized approach to hormone therapy use with regular reassessment of risks and benefits for women as they age.” In other words: talk to your doctor.
PREGNANT AND HIDING IN AMERICA // The New York Times has a video following a midwife in Minneapolis working to care for pregnant, undocumented women who are skipping prenatal care and reconsidering birth plans because ICE agents keep showing up near hospitals—making “expecting” feel more like “escaping.”
WOMEN MISSED IN AUTISM DIAGNOSES // The BMJ reports that a Swedish study of nearly 3 million people finds autism rates even out between men and women by adulthood—a sign that girls may go undiagnosed for too long. (And is it a true catch-up effect or diagnostic blind spot?).
ESTROGEN SHORTAGE FOR REAL // The growing adoption of hormone therapy for menopause (in part thanks to the FDA recently dropping a “black box” label) has led to nationwide shortage of estrogen patches. That means patients and pharmacies scrambling as it takes time to ramp up manufacturing. (And discontinued brands aren’t helping.)
MENOPAUSE UNICORN AMONG US // Virtual clinic Midi Health raised $100 million in funding, putting its value at over $1 billion — “unicorn” status that has been rare for women’s health companies. The company says their platform offers everything from menopause care to mammograms and provides care to 25,000 patients per week. The new infusion of cash will go towards “growth and investments in its tech platform to build a scalable system.”