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EVERYTHING
The Genetic SHOX Leads to Height
What: The New York Times digs into a study that found a newly discovered gene called SHOX could explain nearly a quarter of the average difference in height between men and women. Men typically have one X and one Y chromosome, while women have two X chromosomes. And that results in men having a bigger SHOX gene effect, leading to a taller stature.
Key Line: "With nearly a million individuals’ data in the biobanks, the group was able to find 1,225 people with either missing or extra X or Y chromosomes. Some of these conditions, like in people with one X and no Y, were known to be associated with health issues — as well as, in this case, short stature. And, they found, an extra Y did provide more height than an extra X. Their hypothesis was borne out."
Source: New York Times
Medicaid Expansion Saves Lives, Even Young Ones
What: As Republicans debate bills that would kick millions of Medicaid, the New York Times' Sarah Kliff and Margot Sanger-Katz break down a study that looked at records for 37 million Americans and found being on the federal health insurance program reduced the risk of death by 21 percent. Researchers estimate Medicaid--the largest insurer of births in the US--has saved over 27,000 lives since 2010.
Key Line: "Sarah Miller, a University of Michigan economist who has studied the health effects of Medicaid, said she was particularly struck by the new findings on younger enrollees, who accounted for 29 percent of the 27,400 lives saved. 'The benefits are a lot more widespread then we originally thought,' Dr. Miller said.'“From a cost-benefit point of view, there is a lot more benefit of saving someone who is 25 than 61, not because their life is of lesser value, but because there are a lot more years left of life to live.' In the study, people in their 20s and 30s accounted for almost half of the life years saved."
Source: New York Times
BIRTH CONTROL
Combined Oral Contraceptives Triple Risk of Certain Strokes
What: A smaller study presented at the European Stroke Organisation Conference found that women using combined oral contraceptives have a threefold risk of stroke with an unknown cause than women not on the pill. The study included 268 women aged 18–49 with stroke and 268 stroke-free women as controls. Taking an oral contraceptive led to a higher stroke risk, even after adjusting for other factors like smoking and high blood pressure.
Key Line: “'Our findings confirm earlier evidence linking oral contraceptives to stroke risk,' said Dr. Mine Sezgin, Department of Neurology, Istanbul University, and lead author of the study. 'What’s particularly notable is that the association remains strong even when accounting for other known risk factors, which suggests there may be additional mechanisms involved – possibly genetic or biological.;”
Source: European Stroke Organisation Conference
PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
Study Shows High Risk of Postpartum Psychosis in Women with Affected Sisters
What: Research from Mount Sinai found women with sisters who had postpartum psychosis are more than 10 times more likely to develop the condition themselves, with shared genetic and environmental factors contributing. The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, looked at the health records of 1.6 million women in Sweden.
Key Line: “At present, too many women at higher risk don’t know it and are left on their own with a new baby and no support. We hope these study findings will help move the needle and impart change. With wider recognition of this particular condition and risk factors for it, we can implement changes to help ease the burden for women during this postpartum period.”
Source: Mount Sinai
ABORTION ACCESS
RFK Jr. and the Great Abortion 'Investigation'
What: Law professor Mary Ziegler explains how the Trump administration is using "investigation" as a strategy to not only delay action on reproductive rights until after the 2026 midterm, but then also claim there's good reason to change their minds.
Key Line: "But more than that, it gives him political cover. Trump has promised to leave abortion to the states, but armed with new data and a fresh inquiry, he can now claim the mandate to change his mind. ...The quality of the EPPC report wasn’t the point, as far as abortion opponents were concerned. They had heard Trump promise over and over to let the states set their own policies on abortion. That meant leaving the status quo on mifepristone alone. The EPPC report is an attempt to give the president an out."
Source: Slate
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