Hear are the top things to know in women’s health and wellness so far this week:
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PREGNANCY + POSTPARTUM
What: The women’s health community is familiar with the statistic that Black women in America are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women. But statistics can only go so far — a viral video this week captured just a slice of how this happens in real life. A Texas mother filmed her daughter, Karrie Jones, in active labor and screaming in pain while sitting in a wheelchair as a triage nurse at Dallas Regional Medical Center asks her mundane questions. The family says the baby was born only 12 minutes later. The hospital says it is reviewing the incident, and the videos have drawn wide outrage.
Key Line: “Her mother asked, ‘Are y’all for real right now? Does she have to give birth in a chair?’ The nurse responded that she ‘can’t take her upstairs,’ leading Jones’ mom to question why staff would ‘take a chance of infections and her having a baby in this chair.’”
My Take: This video is enraging — the idea of any women being essentially denied care while she is in an ER and TWELVE MINUTES FROM DELIVERY is barbaric. The question, of course, is how do we eradicate this racist culture?
Source: PEOPLE, TikTok Video
ABORTION ACCESS
What: A South Carolina Senate subcommittee made up of all men considered a bill that would not only make abortion entirely illegal, but would permit prison terms of up to 30 years for women and anyone who helps them. The proposal could also ban intrauterine devices (IUDs) and limit in vitro fertilization by outlawing contraception that stops a fertilized egg from implanting. The bill is actually getting opposition from some anti-abortion groups for being too punitive.
Key Line: ”Four of the six Republicans on the subcommittee refused to vote on the bill, which would ban all abortions unless the woman’s life is threatened. The three Democrats were then able to vote against sending the bill forward.”
My Take: The committee vote showed how little support there is for the bill, though the AP reports it is not completely dead yet. The story I want to know most is how this bill came to be—and was it just a game of oneup-manship, with members in the most red districts jockeying to show how cruel they can be to women.
Source: Associated Press
What: A Physicians for Human Rights brief based on interviews with 33 US physicians found abortion bans are causing substandard care across medical specialties beyond just reproductive health. Doctors in fields like oncology and dermatology report avoiding or delaying necessary treatment for women of reproductive age because abortion is restricted or banned. Researchers say these laws force clinicians to choose between obeying the law and providing evidence-based care.
Key Line: “Discussing the option of abortion is part of the standard of care, such as in the case of a pregnant patient with breast cancer, since some forms of chemotherapy that may be necessary are teratogenic. However, offering the option of abortion becomes problematic for physicians treating cancer in abortion ban states with a limited life-saving exception.”
My Take: It’s a small sample, but the data could soon show if this is a common effect in abortion ban states versus states that permit abortion.
Source: Ms. Magazine
MENOPAUSE
What: Leana Wen, Washington Post columnist and a physician, has an op-ed praising the reversal of the FDA’s “black box” warning for menopause hormone therapy, after years of evidence showing the old risk label overstated dangers and discouraged use. But she also cautions against going further than the evidence currently suggests.
Key Line: "Regulators must guard against opportunistic companies attempting to portray hormone therapy as a cure-all for aging. The treatment should remain what science supports it to be: a valuable tool for women to relieve bothersome menopausal symptoms and improve quality of life."
My Take: Wen brings up a good point that skipping typical advisory committees means the FDA has not worked out, for now, how to appropriately label different dosages, delivery methods, and for women with a history of cancer or blood clots.
Source: The Washington Post
What: The New York Times profiles Cindy Eckert, founder and CEO of Sprout Pharmaceuticals, who regained control of her company and revived sales of Addyi, a prescription drug for premenopausal women with low sexual desire. Her success came years after critics accused her of hyping the drug and an FDA fight nearly sank it. Her unapologetically pink brand, once dismissed as a gimmick, is now central to her business’s new success. Ten years after approval, both her product and reputation have found fresh footing in a changed cultural moment.
Key Line: “‘We played the long game,’” Ms. Eckert said. ‘Culture caught up.’”
My Take: This is a tale of perseverance against the odds — and crazy to think it was merely ten years ago the company was battling for FDA approval.
Source: The New York Times