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EVERYTHING
One Reason Why Moms Aren't Getting the Support They Need
What: A survey from the March of Dimes found that 17% of moms with a child under three don't have support outside their partner, and 42% who do have some help say it's not enough. And it's no surprise, but two-thirds of parents say the first three months of their child's life were the hardest.
Key Line: “And unless their village is clued in on what postpartum really looks like, they may never offer help in the first place. The research found that only 31% of the general public is very familiar with postpartum health issues.”
Source: Motherly
BIRTH CONTROL
France Urged to Halt Destruction of USAID Contraceptives
What: The Trump administration's decision to incinerate nearly $10 million in contraceptives is so ridiculous that is has officially become a headache for the French government, where the contraceptives are set be destroyed. French officials are facing internal pressure from politicians and women's rights groups to actually get the contraceptives to women in need.
Key Line: "The French health ministry said in a statement: 'We are following this situation closely and we support the will of the Belgian authorities to find a solution to avoid the destruction of contraceptives. The defence of sexual health and reproductive rights is a foreign policy priority for France.'"
Source: The Guardian
PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
Actual Science on Antidepressants in Pregnancy
What: A psychologist and psychiatrist specializing in pregnancy and postpartum mental health have a deep dive on the evidence actually available on antidepressants during pregnancy. Earlier this month the FDA held a meeting on that topic, but heavily featured critics of antidepressant use during pregnancy.
Key Line: "Multiple studies have examined the effects of SSRIs on the developing fetus. Some data does show a link between these drugs and preterm birth, as well as low birth weight. However, depression during pregnancy is also linked to these effects, making it difficult to disentangle what’s due to the drug and what’s due to the illness."
Source: The Conversation
The Hell and History of Extreme Pregnancy Sickness
What: An *excellent* first-person report from Abi Stephenson on the hell that is hypermesis gravidarum, extreme sickness during pregnancy. She dives into the history (which isn't what you might expect!) and the hope for finally treating the condition. This piece is a microcosm of so much in women's health, pain ignored and years of silent suffering.
Key Line: “Every year, up to 3% of pregnant women worldwide are diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, or HG – that is, not the garden-variety morning sickness of the first trimester, but what is considered to be excessive vomiting that can last for the duration of the pregnancy. In parts of China, the rate may be as high as 11%. Worldwide, that’s millions of women at any given moment. Put those numbers together, year after year, and one might suppose we were dealing with a problem of significant public concern. But, dangerously dehydrated, starving, isolated, frequently struggling with suicidal ideation and with barely a treatment protocol in sight, the suffering of these women and their babies has barely registered in the collective consciousness.”
Source: The Guardian
MENOPAUSE
Study Reveals How Menopause Affects Women's Heart Health
What: Consumer Affairs looks at research in the journal Menopause that found heart health during menopause was closely linked with “life’s essential 8” measures, which includes diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep, body mass index, cholesterol, blood sugar (glucose), and blood pressure.
Key Line: "'Previously we've shown that the menopause transition is a time of accelerating cardiovascular risk,' senior author Samar R. El Khoudary, Ph.D., M.P.H., professor of epidemiology at Pitt's School of Public Health said in a news release. 'This study underscores that it's also an opportunity for women to take the reins on their heart health.'"
Source: Consumer Affairs
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