tylenol gets loomered

• A survey of women with extreme "morning sickness", aka hyperemesis gravidaum, found the more than half had considered terminating their pregnancy due to how sick they felt. 
   
• Laura Loomer, a conspiracy theorist without medical expertise, essentially tweeted that the link between prenatal acetaminophen (Tylenol) and autism were likely to be highlighted by HHS Sec. Kennedy as a cause of the disorder shared in September. There is legitimate research on this, but (not shockingly) there isn't a causal link.
   
• The New York Times dives into women stopping hormonal birth control because they are getting served so much content on various side effects -- even if they aren't experiencing those side effects themselves. (One got pregnant less than a year after stopping the pill.) 

Will GOP Senators Ever Rein in Kennedy?

What: Sen. Bill Cassidy (R - La.), the senator who led the committee that approved HHS Sec. Kennedy's confirmation, has said he plans "oversight" of Kennedy after the attempted firing of the CDC director, but he isn't sharing exactly how he would do that. Fellow Republican senators also expressed concerns over Kennedy's recent changes, but remain divided on whether Kennedy should resign due to distrust in vaccines.

Key Line: "Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., who also voted to confirm him, described the CDC on Tuesday as a 'goat rodeo' with 'too much chaos.' 'We need to restore that confidence, and so far, I don’t see where Secretary Kennedy has done that,' Sen. Kennedy said. 'All I see over there, at the moment, is a multivehicle pileup. I’m not saying that Secretary Kennedy is wrong or right. I’m not a medical doctor. I’m not qualified to say. ... When I met with Bobby in my office, I told him, I said, ‘Your job No. 1 is to restore the confidence of the American people and the institution of public health in America.’ And so far, he hasn’t done that. All I see is chaos.'”

Source: NBC News
 

The Young Women Questioning Birth Control Due to Social Media

What: The New York Times has a deep dive into the young women are questioning birth control pills due to the influence of social media and wellness content, despite not experiencing side effects themselves. One woman they followed got off birth control pills thanks to the messaging she experienced online and found herself pregnant less than a year later. 

Key Line: "In more than a dozen interviews with young women of different political leanings across the country, many said these TikTok videos and podcast clips were making them feel at turns curious and anxious, wondering whether to trust their doctors or the influencers promising greener, healthier pastures far from conventional medical guidance about contraceptives."

Source: New York Times
 

Extreme Pregnancy Nausea Takes Emotional, Medical Toll on Women

What: A survey of nearly 300 Australian women who had hyperemesis gravidarum (severe pregnancy nausea) found that 54% had considered terminating the pregnancy due to the condition, and 90% considered not having additional children. The research stresses the need for better care and understanding to support these women.

Key Line: “Hyperemesis gravidarum is not just morning sickness—it’s a serious condition that can have devastating consequences for women’s mental health, relationships, and decisions about future pregnancies,” says Associate Professor Grzeskowiak. “Our study shows that many women are not getting the support or relief they need, and that’s something we must urgently address.”

Source: Flinders University

Be Prepared for Tylenol to be Blamed for Autism

What: Conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer is an actual influential person in the Trump administration, so it's helpful to pay attention to what she says. She tweeted this week that there is a possible link between prenatal Tylenol use and autism rates, suggesting that Tylenol will be flagged as an autism cause by HHS Sec. Kennedy. Mount Sinai recently released a systematic review that found links between prenatal Tylenol and autism/ADHD, but they also noted that it wasn't causal.

Key Line: "While the study does not show that acetaminophen directly causes neurodevelopmental disorders, the research team’s findings strengthen the evidence for a connection and raise concerns about current clinical practices. The researchers call for cautious, time-limited use of acetaminophen during pregnancy under medical supervision; updated clinical guidelines to better balance the benefits and risks; and further research to confirm these findings and identify safer alternatives for managing pain and fever in expectant mothers."

Source: Laura Loomer, Mount Sinai Newsroom
 

Mifepristone: Potential Option for Breast Cancer Prevention?

What: Mifepristone, the drug commonly known as the "abortion pill" could be used as a potential preventive drug for women at high risk of breast cancer, especially those with BRCA mutations. Women at high risk tend to have much higher progesterone levels, and three small studies have shown mifepristone reduces that hormone.

Key Line: "Despite these early findings, the authors noted that research has been stymied by political and regulatory barriers given mifepristone’s association with abortion care, lack of regulatory separation between reproductive and non-reproductive users, and limited industry investment. They urged that larger preclinical and early-phase trials are needed to test safety and efficacy, calling the drug a potential non-surgical prevention strategy for women at the highest genetic risk."

Source: Conexiant