ICYMI news for women this week

No TL;DR. Just the facts, ma'am. 28 news stories this week that matter to women.

Sunday Snippets is a thank you for our terrific paid subscribers, released several days later for all viewers. We round up recent women’s health news that we haven’t otherwise posted.

In the news this week: Big MAHA report cited fake studies; Tylenol or Advil—the eternal question; CDC cuts group responsible for contraception guidelines; global warming may be increasing women’s cancer risks; maternal mental health drops—but we want them to have more babies; tips on fighting medical gaslighting; carbs for healthy aging; age at first period tells a future health story; how anti-science conspiracy theories got going; painless home pap test picks up speed; explosive growth in virtual health, tech and investor support in women’s health; regular cannabis use linked to heart disease…and much more

And don’t forget to catch up on other hot topics this week in our posts: sudden changes in COVID vaccine policy (probably) and the Sanate and that big budget bill.

Women’s health-specific topics

• IDK about you, but I stumble over this question at 3am several times a year: What’s best for my pain: Tylenol or Advil? (gifted article, no paywall)

• In the same country urging women to have more babies, Maternal mental health has decreased: one in 12 rate mental health as fair or poor, a steep drop.

• There’s more than one way to limit access to birth control: After CDC cuts, doctors fear women will lose access to contraception research.

• 6 things that may be causing bloating, and what to do about it.

• Carbohydrate quality in midlife matters for women’s healthy aging

• Medical gaslighting continues to show up in the news (finally!) Here’s advice on Breaking the silence: How women can advocate for their health.

• Sometimes it is all in the name: PCOS affects 1 in 8 women worldwide, yet it can be cyst-free and is often misunderstood. Research says a name change might help.

• Climate change may be impacting women’s health: Global warming could be driving up women’s cancer risk.

• Age at first period has always been tied to later conditions: What can the age of your first period tell you about your future health?

• Abortions in the US dropped immediately following Dobbs, but the total number of abortions nationally has now increased slightly: Abortion Trends Before and After Dobbs.

  • If you’ve ever wondered about the status of abortion legislation, here’s a dashboard.

General news impacting our health and lives

• You know that big MAHA Commission report last week? Non-existent studies and fake references likely written by AI. (They had one job, with the entire nation paying attention. It’s impossible to make this stuff up.)

  • And after The New York Times found the errors and misrepresentations, the report was updated. (And Kennedy says NEJM is corrupt.)

• A new book says health-care inequalities fed anti-science conspiracy theories: The perilous spread of the wellness craze.

• Sybil Shainwald fought for justice for women who suffered from pharmaceutical and medical device damage; Shainwald died this week at age 96.

• New study suggests regular cannabis users — both edible users and cannabis smokers — have reduced cardiovascular function and increased risk of developing premature heart disease.

• The budget bill includes expansions to health savings accounts: Unpacking the Provisions and Costs to Taxpayers 

• Huge gifts making a difference in women’s health: $50 Million Gift Launches New Women’s Health Program at NYU Langone.

When local care doesn’t provide answers, virtual care, tech and investors continue to fill the gap

• Women are half the population but only 2% of the healthcare venture capital funding: Non-profit WHAM investor network aims to boost early stage women’s health innovation.

• Wisp—the largest women’s telehealth platform—expands with at-home STI testing and GLP-1 care.

• HerMD launches virtual care platform, expanding access to specialized women’s healthcare

• HOLX vs. DGX: Which Women's Health-Focused Stock Is the Better Pick?

• Chronic care company Omada Health to go public with market cap of up to $1.1B.

• If you’ve ever had a sleep study, you know how impossible it is to sleep on some other weird bed: Virtual sleep clinic Dreem Health expands coverage to Humana members.

• Women’s Health Outlook: Fitness Brands, Wearable Makers Tackle the Research Gap

From Contemporary OB-Gyn

While this is a professional journal, their articles are often understandable to non-professionals, particularly those with a personal interest in or experience with the topic.

• More on the Teal wand for home testing for cervical cancer, in use now in test markets in California: Benefits found for self-collected cervical cancer screening.

• And still more in the news on medical gaslighting—I love seeing this come to light in medical journals! Gaslighting in vulvovaginal disorder care linked to patient distress.

• A drug trial for patients with complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) was stopped early because the drug was found so effective; that’s unusual good news: Tebipenem HBr cUTI trial ends early after meeting efficacy goals.