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EVERYTHING
Women + Alcohol Vs. Men
What: It was a rat study, but Scripps Research found that that women may be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol due to differences in brain chemistry. Compared to male rats, female rats' norepinephrine changed how brain cells communicated even *before* alcohol dependence set in.
Key Line: “'We previously studied the noradrenergic system only in male rats and saw that it was dysregulated following chronic alcohol exposure,' says Roberto, the senior author. 'This time, we wanted to study whether the same changes occur in females.' As anticipated, the researchers observed those alterations in the female brain, but the changes appeared much earlier than expected."
Source: Scripps Research
OBGYNs Search for Health Equity In Trump 2.0
What: Mother Jones reports from the recent ACOG conference, where OBGYNs who formerly focused on health equity were figuring out how to continue their work under the Trump administration.
Key Line: "At the meeting in May, Hawes-Van Pelt addressed a roomful of colleagues about health equity challenges. Even with federal funding slashed for research and large-scale health initiatives, she reminded them, they still have the power to fight bias in meaningful ways: by listening to patients, by being honest and respectful, by showing empathy and grace. Unlike research and medical education, she said, 'this doesn’t require funding. This is change that we can make as individuals in our own practices.'”
Source: Mother Jones
PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
One in Five Women Report Using Crisis Pregnancy Centers
What: So-called "crisis" pregnancy centers have grown exponentially in both number and funding in recent years, especially after the fall of Roe vs. Wade. A study from Ohio State found that between 12% and 20% of women with a history of pregnancy or testing for pregnancy had visited crisis pregnancy centers across four U.S. states--Iowa, Arizona, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. The study looked at data from before the fall of Roe, covering 2018 through 2020.
Key Line: “Previous studies have shown that CPCs spread inaccurate health information. This new work shows that attending these centers is not rare. Given these findings, providers should be aware that their pregnant patients might have previously attended a CPC and might have been exposed to misinformation that needs to be corrected.”
Source: Ohio State University
ABORTION ACCESS
Trump Administration Rescinds Emergency Abortion Guidance
What: The Trump Administration withdrew guidance from the Biden White House that required hospitals to provide emergency abortions if needed to save or stabilize a patient. Doctors said it would only increase confusion surrounding state abortion laws.
Key Line: “'The Trump Administration would rather women die in emergency rooms than receive life-saving abortions,' Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said in a press release. 'In pulling back guidance, this administration is feeding the fear and confusion that already exists at hospitals in every state where abortion is banned. Hospitals need more guidance right now, not less.'”
Source: TIME
MENOPAUSE
The Menopause Society to Launch NextGen Now Initiative to Transform Menopause Training
What: The Menopause Society announced a new initiative to train 25,000 healthcare professionals in menopause care over the next three years. The $10 million program will cover resources, scholarships, and training to address the lack of expert education on menopause and midlife care.
Key Line: "'We have long recognized that education on midlife women's health and the menopause transition has been woefully inadequate,' says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of The Menopause Society. 'The mission of our organization is to empower healthcare professionals to improve the health of women during the menopause transition and beyond.'"
Source: The Menopause Society
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