The Pandemic’s Unequal Toll on People of Color Underlines US Health Inequities

Jan 20, 2022 – (Medical Xpress) – Global public health professor Abubakarr Jalloh dives into the growing conversation around the social determinants of health and health inequities exacerbated and exposed by the pandemic.

Health Data Poverty: An Assailable Barrier to Equitable Digital Health Care
Mar 4, 2021 – (The Lancet | Hussein Ibrahim et al.) – Data-driven digital health technologies have the power to transform health care. If these tools could be sustainably delivered at scale, they might have the potential to provide everyone, everywhere, with equitable access to expert-level care, narrowing the global health and wellbeing gap. Conversely, it is highly possible that these transformative technologies could exacerbate existing health-care inequalities instead. In this Viewpoint, we describe the problem of health data poverty: the inability for individuals, groups, or populations to benefit from a discovery or innovation due to a scarcity of data that are adequately representative. Because tests, therapeutics, and other interventions are frequently not evaluated in women, they are at risk of being left behind in the digital era due to health-care inequalities.

Racial Differences in Lifestyle, Demographic, and Health Factors Associated with Quality of Life (QoL) in Midlife Women
Jan 6, 2021 – (Women’s Midlife Health | Brandi Patrice Smith et al.) – The purpose of this study was to determine racial differences in QoL in menopausal women due to lifestyle, demographic, and health related risk factors. Overall, their results illustrate that differences in health, demographic, and lifestyle factors are associated with QoL during menopause. They suggest that future studies evaluate stratified models between racial groups to determine race-specific risk factors related to quality of life.

Resident Physician Experiences With and Responses to Biased Patients
Nov 23, 2020 – (JAMA Network Open | Shalila S. de Bourmont et al.) – In a survey study of 232 internal medicine residents from 3 institutions, biased patient behavior ranging from belittling comments to refusal of care was experienced or witnessed by nearly all residents. Forty-five percent of Black/Latinx residents experienced epithets or refusal of care, and most women (87%) experienced sexual harassment; however, most residents (84%) did not report these encounters to their institutional leadership. This survey study suggests that biased patient behavior is experienced frequently by internal medicine residents. Residency programs and health care systems should prioritize training and policies to address biased patient behavior and support affected residents

Diversity in Digital Health: 2020 Annual Report
(Rock Health | Ivor Horn, Megan Zweig & Payal Parikh) – In 2020, Rock Health and Dr. Ivor Horn launched a new Diversity in Digital Health initiative. This post showcases key findings from the 678 digital health startup leaders who completed their survey, offering insight into the current state of diversity. Read the report for new, data-driven insights to launch conversations and inform how we build a more inclusive digital health community.

Representation and Diversity in Clinical Trials
(STAT and PRA Health Sciences) – Clinical trials have historically fallen short in a critical way: they aren’t diverse enough, including that they typically skew heavily male and exclude certain groups of women. It’s an issue that has taken on new significance during the Covid-19 pandemic to make sure Covid-19 therapies will work for everyone, without potentially causing additional harm. This e-book shares stories that underscore not only the need for a more diverse pool of participants in research, but also lay out the steps it will take to move the needle toward more representative trials.

Playfair Capital Presents Our Female Founders Office Hours Initiative
(Playfair Capital) – Playfair Capital presents a Female Founders Office Hours initiative in which 200 female founders will have the opportunity to meet over 60 investors from the UK’s leading VCs for one hour of remote office hours to discuss their business idea, ask for advice (Covid-related or otherwise) or pitch for investment.

Suffering in Silence: The Biases and Data Gaps of Menopause
Oct 26, 2020 – (Female Founders Fund) – As understanding is a precondition to improvement, Female Founders Fund conducted a survey of 250 women to gain a better understanding of the overall needs of women throughout their menopausal journey. This article explores the most interesting findings from that survey.

Happy (Belated) Birthday Femtech Insider!
Oct 24, 2020 – (Femtech Insider | Kathrin Folkendt) – Femtech Insider is one year old and in celebration of the occasion, Femtech Insider founder Kathrin Folkendt put together an anniversary newsletter, including links to many of the resources they have cultivated over the past year.

Application of the Aging-Well Model in Lesbian and Bisexual Women
Oct 19, 2020 – (Bowen Group, Public Health Sciences Division | Coco Davis) – By 2060, the population of Americans over the age of 85 is expected to double. Most of what is known about healthcare in older women is from the heterosexual women. The experiences of sexual minority women (SMW), who identify as lesbian or bisexual, have been understudied. SMW is one of the fastest-growing groups with over 2.4 million adults, and it is expected to double by 2030. To understand evidence-based care for SMW, it is important to consider aging and the health needs of older SMW.

HITLAB Women’s Health Tech Challenge
(HITLAB) – Applications for HITLAB’s Fall Women’s Health Tech Challenge close Oct 19, 2020.

Innovating Within The Framework of Women’s Health
Sep 28, 2020 – (Springboard Enterprises) – Springboard Enterprises highlights the opportunities for investment in Women’s Health Innovation.

Eight Top European Accelerators for Female Founders to Know
Sep 24, 2020 – (Sifted | Connor Bilboe) – It’s no secret that gender inequality still looms in European startup land. Female founder teams are in scarce supply — only 2.5% of European startups with multiple founders have entirely female founder teams, while solo female founding teams make up 21% of Europe’s startups. A major factor holding female entrepreneurs back is a lack of valuable connections, according to Nina Wöss, cofounder of Female Founders, a Vienna-based organisation aiming to foster female entrepreneur leadership. One way for female entrepreneurs to build that network is through accelerators. Sifted spoke to female founders far and wide to create the ultimate list of European startup accelerators for women from Poland to Portugal.

Driving Innovation in Women’s Health
Sep 16, 2020 – (Órlaith Burke, Frances Bruce, Amy Millman, Marc Warren, Dan Shpilsky) – Leaders from Springboard and Accenture sat down to discuss the importance of collaborations in the life sciences and healthcare space. They shared their perspectives and insights on the need for innovation in women’s healthcare, data analytics and research, honing in on some of the questions posed.

Opening Now: FemTech II Fund
(Portfolia) – In 2018, Portfolia launched the first ever venture capital fund focused exclusively in women’s health, FemTech I. They blazed a trail to put women’s health in the spotlight, and are now ready to pioneer in the next wave of FemTech innovation with this new fund.

PitchBook Analyst Note: Femtech Expected to Break New Grounds
Aug 26, 2020 – (PitchBook) – PitchBook analysts delve into the femtech vertical, providing a segmentation of the industry along with an analysis of VC investment, market size, barriers to raising capital, and potential growth areas in the space. Many growth areas exist as a personalized, female-oriented approach to general health & disease management takes hold in the industry and startups that target health concerns such as menopause and endometriosis gain investor attention.

New Study Shows Sex Biases in Drug Dosage Trials Lead to Overmedicated Women
Aug 21, 2020 – (DrugTopics | Gabrielle Ientile) – According to the study investigators from UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago, women are more likely than men to experience adverse drug reactions from medications as clinical trials have historically focused on men. Results of the study demonstrated conclusive evidence of drug dose gender gaps from 86 different FDA-approved medications.

Investing in the Health of Girls and Women: A Best Buy for Sustainable Development
Jun 2, 2020 – (The BMJ | Michelle Remme et. al.) – Human rights, theory, evidence, and common sense all suggest that greater investment in women’s health could be among the “best buys” for broader economic development and societal well-being.

Mesothelioma in Women
(The Mesothelioma Center | Karen Selby, RN) – Most women who develop mesothelioma are diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, which affects the lining of the lungs.

Steps Women Can Take to Make Sure They Stay Healthy During the Pandemic
Jun 2, 2020 – (KRQE | Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico | Jeanine Patterson) – It is extremely important for all women, especially those with underlying health conditions and women 65 years and older to take care of their health. Jeanine Patterson, a registered nurse from Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico discusses how important it is for women of all ages to make health their priority.

Why we Need to Talk about Sex and Clinical Trials
May 28, 2020 – (The Pharmaceutical Journal | Rachel Brazil) – The under-representation of women in clinical trials is slowly being addressed, but we cannot move towards truly personalised healthcare unless we have an equal balance of the sexes in all new medicine trials.

Early Estimates of the Indirect Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maternal and Child Mortality in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: A Modelling Study
May 12, 2020 – (The Lancet Global Health | Timothy Roberton et. al.) – While the COVID-19 pandemic will increase mortality due to the virus, it is also likely to increase mortality indirectly. This study estimates the additional maternal and under-5 child deaths resulting from the potential disruption of health systems and decreased access to food.

Sex and Gender Differences in Health: What the COVID19 Pandemic Can Teach Us
May 8, 2020 – (Annals of Internal Medicine | Spagnolo et. al.) – This article calls for sex- and gender-specific and differentiating factors to be urgently included in the research, prevention, and therapeutics implementation response to the coronavirus disease.

How Femtech is Advancing Women’s Health
Apr 21, 2020 – (HIMSS) – As gender becomes more widely addressed in conversations about health disparities, so does femtech’s power to advance women’s health.

COVID-19: The Gendered Impacts of the Outbreak
Mar 6, 2020 – (The Lancet | Clare Wenham et. al.) – Experience from past outbreaks shows the importance of incorporating a gender analysis into preparedness and response efforts to improve the effectiveness of health interventions and promote gender and health equity goals.

WOMEN: Why their equality, health, wealth and safety matter to everyone
February 2020 – (Scientific American, Volume 29, Issue 1) – A special collector’s edition of Scientific American that takes a deep dive into the “Female Brain,” sex-specific risks for Alzheimer’s, sex differences in cardiovascular disease, reproductive health research, and more.

Sex Differences in COVID-19
2020 – (Brigham Health Hub | JoAnn Manson) – While the rates of COVID-19 infections tend to be similar in men and women in the U.S. and other countries, men are more likely to have severe disease or to die from COVID-19 than women.

Femtech Insider: The #1 Source for all things Femtech
(Kathrin Folkendt) – Femtech Insider is the go-to platform for all things femtech. We’re the fastest growing portal for innovation in women’s health and address the information needs of founders, investors, researchers and consumers alike.

Femtech: An Industry Overview
(BCC | Daniella Pascucci ) – This overview explains in-depth the current trends, opportunities and barriers in the Femtech industry.

Health Disparities
(Hormone Health Network) – Understand how select groups are more predisposed to certain conditions and diseases and how that impacts health outcomes.

Your Health and Hormones: Women’s Health
(Hormone Health Network) – The female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone, are most well known because of their influence on a woman’s reproductive health, from menstruation to pregnancy to menopause and more. But your body also makes and uses many other kinds of hormones that affect other aspects of your health—from your energy level, weight, mood and much more.

Femtech in 2020: Investors Share Trends And Opportunities In Women’s Health Technology
Jan 8, 2020 – (Forbes | Estrella Jaramillo) – The Femtech movement is progressing into a more intersectional territory, where otherwise non-female exclusive issues meet the specific needs of the female biology.

Femtech by the Numbers: The Rise of Innovation in Women’s Health Technology
2019 (HTD & HITLAB | Elise Mortensen) – What is femtech and how this industry is seeing rapid growth, signifying not only an increased willingness to invest in women’s health technology, but also a societal shift in which topics like menstruation, fertility, menopause, and sexual wellness are no longer relegated to doctor’s offices and hushed discussions between friends.

Women Investing In Femtech II: Closing the Gender Gaps in Investment and Health Innovation
Aug 26, 2019 – (Forbes | Estrella Jaramillo) – Highlights the women investors who are making great contributions to gender equality in the 21st century though accessible capital for women led startups that are improving women’s health and quality of life.

Women-Centered Design: The Future of Innovation & Investment
May 31, 2019 – (Medium | Menstrual Health Hub) – Thinking differently about sex and gender during the design process helps identify risks & generate new opportunities.

Women Investing in Women’s Health: The Rise of Femtech Companies and Investors in Celebration of Women’s History Month
Mar 19, 2019 – (Baker & Hostetler LLP | Jessie M. Gabriel & Tara Ravi) – With sparse investments in the women’s health space just a few years ago, female funders are leading this new shift by identifying the value and investing in the sector.

Closing the Medical Research Gap: Why It’s Important to Study How Disease Impacts Men and Women Differently
Mar 2019 – (Commonwealth Fund | Shanoor Seervai) – Researchers now realize that the same condition can present differently in men and women, and that males and females may respond differently to treatment. Because women were historically left out of medical research, we still know less about how the most widespread diseases like cancer or heart disease affect women, and less about how to prevent, diagnose, or treat these diseases in women.

What We Do and Do Not Know About Women and Kidney Diseases; Questions Unanswered and Answers Unquestioned: Reflection on World Kidney Day and International Woman’s Day
Mar 15, 2018 – (BMC Nephrology | Giorgina Piccoli et al.) – Chronic Kidney Disease affects approximately 10% of the world’s adult population: it is within the top 20 causes of death worldwide, and its impact on patients and their families can be devastating. World Kidney Day and International Women’s Day in 2018 coincide, thus offering an opportunity to reflect on the importance of women’s health and specifically their kidney health, on the community, and the next generations, as well as to strive to be more curious about the unique aspects of kidney disease in women so that we may apply those learnings more broadly.

Femtech—Time for a Digital Revolution in the Women’s Health Market
Jan 31, 2018 – (Frost & Sullivan) – With a market potential of $50 billion by 2025, Femtech is is hailed as the next big phenomenon in the women’s health market.

To Advance Medicine’s Future, the NIH Tries to Win the Trust of Communities Mistreated in the Past
Sep 22, 2017 – (STAT News | Lev Facher) – The NIH’s data-gathering experiment, dubbed “All of Us,” is an important stop on the way to making personalized medicine a reality around the world.

New Report on Precision Medicine Illustrates How Sex and Gender Drive Innovation
Jun 30, 2016 – (Brigham and Women’s Program in Precision Medicine) – Identifies how sex and gender specific medical research and the analysis of sex differences can drive innovation in biomedical research that currently overlooks the significance that sex/gender have on health outcomes.

Kidney Disease Affects Women Differently
(American Kidney Fund) – Kidney disease affects women differently in a variety of ways. This infographic discusses some of those ways, including that kidney disease is more common in women, there are links between kidney disease and pregnancy risks, there is a higher caregiving burden, and while women tend to donate more, they receive transplants less often. Specifically, women have higher risks for lupus and urinary tract infections.

Reflections on COVID 19 by Women Healthcare Leaders
Apr 6, 2021 – (Theia) – During the pandemic, Theia has talked with more than a dozen of healthcare professionals, leaders, and innovators. We wanted to share what we have discussed and learned from our podcast guests with respect to Covid-19 and its effects on healthcare through this episode. This piece aims to share how entrepreneurs adapted their ventures to the events of the pandemic, reflect on how the pandemic revealed key unmet needs and raised important issues within healthcare, and show how the pandemic spurred innovation and impacted investments and notable trends within healthcare.

FemTech: Biases and Data Privacy
Mar 23, 2021 – (Wiley Connected) – In this Wiley Connected episode, Associate Krystal Swendsboe sits down with health care Special Counsel Bethany Corbin to discuss FemTech and the biases and data privacy issues in the industry.

Following the Money in Healthcare with Andrea Ippolito (SimpliFed)
Mar 4, 2021 – (Theia | Andrea Ippolito) – Andrea Ippolito is the founder and CEO of Simplifed, the first independent tele-lactation consulting and nutrition support platform connecting new mothers with resources in the first weeks of becoming a parent. She is currently a Lecturer in the Engineering Management Program at Cornell University. Prior to this, she served as Director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Innovators Network within the VA Innovation Center. There she led the creation of a $10.5m program that provides the tools and resources to VA employees to develop innovations that improve the experience of our Veterans. In 2012, she co-founded health IT company SmartScheduling which was sold to athenahealth in 2016. In our interview with Andrea, we learned about her journey to entrepreneurship and how her work with organizations like the VA has impacted her path within healthcare. She emphasized the importance of not just being an entrepreneur, but giving back to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the process. How can we create buy-in and ensure durable change in healthcare? She says, “follow the money.”

Femtech Insider’s Kathrin Folkendt Talks Women’s Health Innovation, PCOS and Entrepreneurship on UK Health Radio’s Health Tech Hour
Jan 25, 2021 – (FemTech Insider) – Ever wondered how Femtech Insider came to be? What is femtech anyways? What’s the role of men in women’s health innovation? What’s the current state of PCOS care and how can it be improved? Is it hard to build a business in times of COVID-19 and why is it so important to manage your own mental health as a founder? FemTech Insider founder Kathrin Folkendt recently answered all of these questions and more on UK Health Radio’s Health Tech Hour, a weekly interview series hosted by PocDoc CEO Steve Roest.

Kay Koplovitz and Annette Rippert Tell Why It’s Important to Support Women Entrepreneurs Made By Women
Oct 22, 2020 – (Made by Women) – Two powerful women leaders are working together to support women’s entrepreneurship: Kay Koplovitz founder and former CEO of USA Networks and co-founder of Springboard Growth Capital and Springboard Enterprises, and Annette Rippert, who leads Strategy and Consulting for Accenture. They explain why women’s innovation is crucial to everyone’s future.

The Femtech Focus with Dr. Brittany Barreto
The Femtech Focus Podcast with Dr. Brittany Baretto is a meaningfully provocative conversational series that brings femtech experts – including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders – on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products that are improving women’s health and wellness.

Femtech Insider’s Podcast
Each episode of the Femtech Insider Podcast will treat you to an in-depth conversation between leaders who drive change in femtech and women’s health and Femtech Insider founder Kathrin Folkendt.

Femtech – The Digital Revolution in Women’s Health
Oct 18, 2019 – (Frost & Sullivan | Reenita Das) – Discover what Femtech is, how Frost & Sullivan defines it, and why it is important to talk about women’s health now.

The Female Health Solution Podcast
Each week Dr. Beth dives into a different topic on women’s health, nutrition, hormones, weight loss and so much more. She gives you her best tips and tricks that you can start implementing right away.

SWHR Endometriosis Toolkit
June 8, 2021 – (The Society for Women’s Health Research and The Endocrine Society) – For every 10 women in your life, at least one of them likely has endometriosis. This chronic and often debilitating disease can be difficult to live with, both physically and emotionally.

Women’s Health Research: Understanding the Roles of Sex and Gender
Mar 2, 2021 – (The Society for Women’s Health Research and The Endocrine Society) – A growing body of research shows that sex and gender differences influence our health across the lifespan. The COVID-19 pandemic provides a clear example of why we must consider both sex and gender in research. Men are more likely than women to die from the virus, while women seem more likely to suffer long-term side effects. The Society for Women’s Health Research and the Endocrine Society hosted a virtual congressional briefing to discuss the importance of including sex as a biological variable (SABV) in research, provide an update on National Institutes of Health 2016 SABV policy and how the field has changed in the past five years, and offer recommendations for overcoming barriers to the inclusion of SABV in research, ensuring better health care for all.

Diversity in Clinical Trials: Learn about Enrollment Trends and Resources from FDA
Dec 16, 2020 – (FDA) – The FDA shared CDER’s most recent assessment of clinical trial diversity and discussed efforts to advance diverse participation in clinical trials to include relevant FDA guidance and regulations.

Women’s Health Moves Mainstream – Rapid Growth Meets Underserved Market
Sep 30, 2020 – (Demy-Colton Virtual Salon Series) – The rapidly growing “Femtech” market is expected to grow to $50B by 2025. Watch the webinar recording to hear from a group of leading private company CEOs, who are heading up innovative advances in technology, that could change the way women’s health is treated. Register for the event, and you’ll be able to access the recording.

Avestria’s Webinar: Why Women’s Health?
Aug 21, 2020 – (Avestria Ventures and McKinsey & Company | Tracy Dooley M.D and Alice Zheng) – Avestria Ventures, in conversation with McKinsey & Company, share why they decided to focus on women’s health, explain the current state of women’s health, discuss the rise of “femtech” and the huge market opportunity it presents, and offer a list of resources to help you get involved.

Essential Women’s Health Care during #COVID19 Pandemic
May 20, 2020 – (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) – This webinar analyzes FIGO’s response to COVID-19, the new pattern of maternal health care during COVID-19 pandemic, essential services to women health care and challenges of contraceptive provision.

Creating Health Agency
Dec 5, 2019 – (TEDx Talks | Roberta Powell) – Roberta Powell discusses her journey that led her to create a powerful health preservation tool that simplifies complex health data, provides drug interaction alerts, and supports health-agency.

How to Ensure Social Enterprises Have an Impact
Dec 2, 2019 – (TEDx Talks | Marissa Fayer) – Marissa Fayer discusses her solution to repurposing old and unused medical equipment and providing them to developing countries to improve mortality rates and impact the lives of many women.

How Big Data Transforms Female Health
Mar 14, 2016 – (TEDx Talks | Vedrana Högqvist Tabor) – Vedrana Tabor discusses using the scientific method to quantify life in and around her. Her goal is to transform our understanding of healthcare and usage of mobile technology.

His and Hers…Healthcare: Dr. Paula Johnson’s TEDWomen Talk
Dec 2013 – (TEDWomen | Paula Johnson MD) Dr. Paula Johnson discusses how women’s bodies differ down to a cellular level and how lumping everyone in together means we essentially leave women’s health to chance.

AACE/ACE 2020 Postmenopausal Osteoporosis Treatment Algorithm
May 2020 – (AACE/ACE) – An infographic laying out the updated AACE/ACE treatment algorithm for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

ASBMR Secondary Fracture Prevention Initiative
(American Society for Bone and Mineral Research) – The ASBMR Secondary Fracture Prevention Initiative brings together a global Coalition of top bone health experts and representatives of a broad range of health care professional organizations and patient advocacy organizations dedicated to reducing the number of avoidable second fractures in individuals with osteoporosis.

Adoption of Innovation is Essential to the Future of Osteoporosis Care
Apr 6, 2020 – (Health Europa | Jordan Morris) – Innovations in the management of osteoporosis and prevention over the last few years have been assessed as below average. With the growing number of people aged 60 and over projected, innovation must adapt to these broader demographic needs, which include support for age-related conditions.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation’s (NOF) Online Support Community Now Connects More Than 50,000 Members
Mar 10, 2020 – (PR Newswire | Claire Gill) – The National Osteoporosis Foundation’s Online Community, hosted by Inspire, now connects more than 50,000 members, having grown rapidly since launching in October 2007, underscoring the great need to educate and support those impacted by this debilitating disease.

How to Honor or Memorialize Your “Shining Star” During National Osteoporosis Month this May
(American Bone Health) – Recognize a special person, your “shining heart,” during National Osteoporosis Awareness Month this May.

American Bone Health – Understanding How to Build and Maintain Strong Bones
(American Bone Health) – Educates and empowers individuals with up-to-date resources and tools that provide easy-to-understand information about how to build and keep healthy bones for life.

General Bone Health Information for Women
(American Bone Health) – Understand how to live a bone-healthy lifestyle at every age of a women’s life cycle. Learn tips on how to get strong bones that will support you through a long and healthy life.

What is Osteoporosis?
(American Bone Health) – Read through some frequently asked questions around osteoporosis and osteopenia, bone density testing, fracture risk, proper exercise and nutrition, and treatment options.

Fast Facts about Osteoporosis
(American Bone Health) – Understand a range of facts on bone health from the enormous burden worldwide to disability and loss of independence and more.

Calculate Your Risk of Getting a Bone Fracture in the Next 10 Years
(American Bone Health) – The American Bone Health Fracture Risk Calculator asks you a set of questions to help you determine your level of risk. Then you can talk to your doctor about the steps you should take to keep your bones strong and prevent fractures.

Newly Diagnosed with Osteoporosis?
(American Bone Health) – Resource to guide you after your diagnosis with osteoporosis or osteopenia. You probably have a lot of questions, and American Bone Health has a lot of answers.

What Cancer Survivors Need to Know about Bone Health
(American Bone Health) – Both the disease itself and some treatments to fight the cancer may increase bone loss, leading to osteoporosis and increased risk of fractures.

How Nutrition Impacts Bone Health
(American Bone Health) – A collection of articles and resources to educate and inform what vitamins are essential to bone health and how to create a proper diet to maintain strong bones.

How to Exercise Safely for Strong Bones
(American Bone Health) – A variety of resources that provide tips and insight aimed to guide safe exercises for strong bones.

Want to Educate Others about Bone Health?  Become an American Bone Health Peer Educator
(American Bone Health) – American Bone Health offers a range of opportunities for you to get involved. You can choose from volunteer positions that match your talents and interests, offer flexible scheduling and allow you to learn new skills.

AARDA – The Voice of Autoimmunity
(American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association) – The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) is the only national non-profit organization bringing a national focus to autoimmunity as a category of disease and a major cause of chronic illnesses. AARDA is dedicated to the eradication of autoimmune disease, and the alleviation of suffering and the socioeconomic impact of autoimmunity through fostering and facilitating collaboration in the areas of education, public awareness, research and patient services.

A message from AARDA’s President and CEO
(American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association) – During this COVID-19 pandemic, AARDA is committed to continuing to be a reliable resource for the autoimmune community and has launched AARDA’s COVID-19 Landing Page on their website.

The Prevalence of Autoimmune Disorders in Women: A Narrative Review
May 13, 2020 – (Cureus | Fariha Angum et al.) – Autoimmune diseases present with a clear gender bias with a greater prevalence amongst women, occurring at a rate of 2 to 1. Many autoimmune disorders tend to affect women during periods of extensive stress, such as pregnancy, or during a great hormonal change. A far greater number of women are affected every year with autoimmune diseases, leading to researchers attempting to identify the underlying factors, which could be responsible for this disparity. Autoimmune disorders occur as a result of multiple factors as some disorders may be genetic, while others are sporadic. Throughout this review, various hypotheses are explored that provide insight into the increased susceptibility of autoimmune disorders within women.

AARDA: Addressing Autoimmune Disorders Through Awareness, Advocacy, and Action
Apr 11, 2020 – (Nashville Medical News | Cindy Sanders) – For as many as 50 million Americans, a glitch in the immune system leads to chronic disease that can be difficult to identify and harder to manage. Learn the strive AARDA is making to raise awareness, promote advancements, and address ongoing challenges in this area.

Let My Doctors Decide Goes Virtual
(American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association) – Founded and facilitated by AARDA, Let My Doctors Decide (LMDD) is a national partnership of leaders across health care working in support of a simple goal: treatment decisions should always be made by patients and trusted health care professionals, not insurance companies or pharmacy benefit managers

Resources for Mastering Your Autoimmunity
(Mymee) – Mymee has established an online resource center for auto-immune diseases ranging from tips from their Health Investigators to scientific research studies. Their aim is to empower and inform all of their participants.

Current and Future Therapies for SLE: Obstacles and Recommendations for the Development of Novel Treatments
2014 – (Lupus Science & Medicine | Zahi Touma and Dafna D Gladman) – SLE is a serious, debilitating autoimmune disease that affects various organs and body systems. Patients with SLE, who are primarily female, have diverse disease manifestations and severity. New therapeutic agents are still necessary because of the unmet medical needs associated with this disease, including insufficient disease control, poor health-related quality of life, comorbidities, toxicity of the majority of therapies and diminished survival. Despite the substantial long-term investment of research, clinical activity and resources for identifying new treatments for this disease, only one new therapy, the biological belimumab, has been approved in the past 50 years. Efforts to develop drugs to address these needs are challenged by problems associated with disease heterogeneity, variable disease mechanisms and trial design. This review provides an overview of current and future treatments, discusses challenges in the SLE drug development process and offers recommendations for overcoming these challenges.

Role of Environment and Sex Differences in the Development of Autoimmune Diseases: A Roundtable Meeting Report
July 2013 – (Journal of Women’s Health | Monica P. Mallampalli et al.) – Women are disproportionately affected by many autoimmune disorders (AD), which often contribute to lifelong disabilities. There is little known regarding the role of sex and gender in the environmentally influenced mechanisms leading to the development of AD. To address these issues, particularly the roles of environment and sex and gender in ADs and the factors that contribute to the rise in ADs, the Society for Women’s Health Research convened an interdisciplinary roundtable of experts from academia, medicine, and government agencies to share their expertise, address knowledge gaps in research, and propose future research recommendations.

Kidney Disease & Women
(World Kidney Day) – While kidney disease can affect people of all ages and races, women tend to face more specific challenges linked to kidney disease. The risk of developing Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is at least as high in women as in men and may even be higher. CKD affects approximately 195 million women worldwide and it is currently the 8th leading cause of death in women, causing 600,000 deaths each year.

Multiple Sclerosis
(HealthyWomen | Randall T. Schapiro and Ulrike W. Kaunzner) – Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, sometimes disabling, disease of the central nervous system that affects nearly 1 million people in the United States, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and impacts two to three times more women than men. It was thought that MS developed more often in white people than in Black people, but recent studies over the last decade show this may not be the case.

National Briefing with CDC on COVID-19 & Autoimmune Disease on Demand
Apr 3, 2020 – (AARDA) – Watch a nationwide dialogue with medical experts discussing COVID-19 and its effects on people with autoimmune disease.

Mass General Study Details How Premature Menopause Impacts Heart Health
Nov 12, 2020 – (Endocrinology Network | Patrick Campbell) – New research from a team at Massachusetts General Hospital is shedding new light on how premature menopause can influence risk of cardiovascular disease. Results of the study, which included whole-genome sequencing of nearly 20k women in the US and UK, details the mechanism behind premature menopause and its link to increased risk of cardiovascular disease while also uncovering a potential biomarker for identifying women at greater risk.

Healthy Lifestyle and Risk of Incident Heart Failure with Preserved and Reduced Ejection Fraction Among Post-Menopausal Women: The Women’s Health Initiative Study
May 28, 2020 – (Preventine Medicine | Corinna A.Noel et. al.) – This study concludes that postmenopausal women with a healthy lifestyle pattern have lower heart failure risk.

Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Medication Prescription in Primary Care: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
May 20, 2020 – (Journal of the American Heart Association | Min Zhao et. al.) – Sex differences in the management of cardiovascular disease have been reported in secondary care. This systematic review investigated sex differences in cardiovascular medication prescription among patients at high risk or with established cardiovascular disease in primary care.

Kidney Disease: What You Need to Know
Mar 22, 2018 – (Office on Women’s Health | Kajal Patel) – Did you know that March is National Kidney Month? It’s a time to talk about kidney health and chronic kidney disease, a common disease among adults in the United States. That’s why we asked Dr. Kajal Patel, a doctor who specializes in kidney care and disease treatment, to share how women can keep their kidneys healthy and what they need to know about chronic kidney disease. Get her tips for kidney health and learn about women’s unique risk factors for kidney disease.

Women and Renal Disease
(Siemens Healthineers) – Kidney disease in women can include acute kidney injury (AKI), in which there is a sudden, temporary, and sometimes fatal loss of kidney function. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive form of the disease that causes reduced kidney function over a period of time. CKD can lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), in which there is total and permanent kidney failure. Kidney disease is closely linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes and is considered to be a major global public-health concern.

Closing Gaps in Maternal Mental Health Care Through Education, Advocacy, and Collaboration
(2020 Moms) – Working to provide resources to women informing of Maternal Mental Health disorders through tools, webinars, policy, events, and more.

PTSD Symptoms in Women: Unnoticed and Undiagnosed
(PSYCOM | John Riddle) – What causes PTSD in women and do the symptoms differ from PTSD in men?

Recognizing the Risk Factors, Signs, and Symptoms of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking in Mental Health Clinical Practice
Oct 29, 2020 – (Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services | Sandra Yaklin and Donna Rolin) – The purpose of the current article is to educate psychiatric providers on domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST). Psychiatric providers interact with victims of sex trafficking but may fail to recognize the signs of victimization and the risk factors associated with becoming a victim of DMST. This educational article offers an overview of the definitions of sex trafficking, and the risk factors, prevalence, and health consequences of DMST. It also summarizes what is known about how those at-risk for DMST and DMST victims interact with the mental health care system. Mental health professionals provide a crucial point of contact with these populations and must strive to prevent, identify, and respond to DMST and at-risk youths.

Common and Differential Associations Between Levels of Alcohol Drinking, Gender-Specific Neurobehaviors and Mental Distress in College Students
June 1, 2020 – (Trends in Neuroscience and Education | Lina Begdache et. al.) – This study analyzes associations between alcohol drinking, neurobehavioral responses and gender, concluding that the differential responses may involve the cortical regions and their connectivity which may differ between men and women.

This Is Your Brain on Motherhood
May 5, 2020 – (NY Times | Jenni Gritters) – A woman’s brain, it seems, may change more quickly and more drastically during pregnancy and the postpartum period than at any other point in her life — including puberty.

It’s Time to Act: The Challenges of Alzheimer’s and Dementia for Women
May 2020 – (AARP | Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement) – This report explains that women have the most at stake in the battle against Alzheimer’s and all dementias, and more is needed to support women in this effort. It calls for women to take ownership of their brain health by offering a path forward through analyzing what we know today, explaining the history of neglect as well as factors that can influence brain health.

Gender Disparity in Brain Health & The Alzheimer’s Epidemic
Mar 11, 2020 – (Women’s Brain Health Initiative | Lisa Mosconi, PhD) – Women’s brain health remains an unspoken concern and with the all the challenges to brain aging, Alzheimer’s tops the list. If Alzheimer’s rates continue to increase at the current pace, this disease will almost triple by 2050.

Women — If You’re Struggling Dealing with a Trauma, it Might be PTSD
Dec 2, 2019 – (Loma Linda University Health | Janelle Ringer) – Women are twice as likely as men to experience PTSD, and this article outlines some of the gendered ways in which women can experience PTSD.

PTSD is More Likely in Women Than Men
Oct 8, 2019 – (National Alliance on Mental Health | Dale Vernor) – This article examines the gender difference of PTSD.

Why Women Have Higher Rates of PTSD Than Men
Sep 25, 2018 – (Psychology Today | Melanie Greenberg, PhD.) – This article examines the higher rates of PTSD among women in relation to sexual trauma.

Alzheimer Support
(Alzheimer Support) – AlzheimerSupport.com serves the needs of people who are struggling with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. It is a help portal for caregivers and families who have loved ones who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or various forms of dementia. At AlzheimerSupport.com, caregivers are able to find memory care facilities in their city or county, see essential information for each facility, and get help finding or choosing the right memory care facility for their loved one.

#WAMLive Deborah Roberts
Mar 19, 2021 – (The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement) – Deborah Roberts and Maria Shriver discuss how Alzheimer’s disproportionately affects women, especially women of color.

Pandemic’s Toll on Women’s Mental Health
Mar 12, 2021 – (OneMind) – Olympic gymnast, Laurie Hernandez, guest hosted an informative episode titled “Pandemic’s Toll on Women’s Mental Health” with Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine, and Founder of Gemma. Singer/Songwriter and Public Health Scientist, Dr. Tasha Golden weighed in on the topic and opened the show by performing one of her songs.

Sex and Gender Differences in Brain Disease
Feb 16, 2018 – (TEDxCarouge | Antonella Santuccione-Chadha) – There are differences in the number of diseases affecting the female and male brain” says pathologist and neuroscientist, Antonella Santuccione Chadha. She shares medical facts about differences in numbers, symptoms and therapeutic approaches for brain disease affecting women or men and how neuroscience, drug developers and health professional should take them into account. Dr. Antonella Santuccione Chadha is a medical doctor with profound expertise in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mental disorders.

Why Did Facebook Reject These Ads?

Jan 11, 2022 – (New York Times) – This article highlights a new report from the Center for Intimacy Justice, who found that Facebook has rejected ads from 60 companies focused on women’s sexual health, citing policies on “adult products and services.”

21st Century Guide to Menopause
Mar 16, 2021 – (Elektra Health) – New York based Menopause startup Elektra Health has recently rebranded and as part of this effort launched a “21st Century Guide to Menopause”. The goal of this comprehensive roadmap is to equip women with the knowledge they need to naviagate menopause with strength, grace, and a dash of taboo-smashing boldness.

What Causes Vaginal Dryness?
(Kindra) – Though vaginal dryness is often recognized as a side effect of perimenopause or a menopausal symptom, women of all ages can experience vaginal dryness. Aside from sensations of itching and burning, it can also make sex painful and impact your sex life. Knowledge is empowering, and Kindra wants to equip you with as much women’s health knowledge surrounding the causes of vaginal dryness and what can be done to ease discomfort. Read on for a primer about the causes, symptoms, and treatments for vaginal dryness.

Endometriosis Toolkit: A Patient Empowerment Guide
Mar 19, 2021 – (Society for Women’s Health Research) – For every 10 women in your life, at least one of them likely has endometriosis. This chronic and often debilitating disease can be difficult to live with, both physically and emotionally. Many women experience significant delays in getting diagnosed and treated, in part because of the societal stigma around menstrual issues. Though there is no cure, there are treatment options that may ease symptoms and improve quality of life. SWHR’s toolkit is designed to empower individuals with endometriosis in navigating their care. The toolkit provides easy-to-understand information on menstrual health, guidance on endometriosis diagnosis and treatment, and tips for interacting with your health care provider. The toolkit aims to facilitate productive conversations between patients and health care providers so people with endometriosis can get the care they need.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Symptoms in Women
Jan 28, 2021 – (Medical News Today | Lowri Daniels) – There are many types of HPV. This is a very common infection that usually presents with no symptoms. However, without treatment, some types of HPV could cause cancer. Prevention is, therefore, very important. This article discusses how HPV can spread, cervical symptoms, vaginal symptoms, and oral symptoms and also explains various testing, treatment, and vaccination options.

Developing an Effective Campus Sexual Assault Prevention Task Force: Lessons Learned From Multiple Midwestern Universities
May 26, 2020 – (Health Education & Behavior | Natabhona M. Mabachi) – This article presents the facilitators, barriers, and lessons learned from creating a campus sexual assault prevention task force in seven Midwestern postsecondary institutions. Main barriers to developing a task force included (a) limited capacity, (b) lack of knowledge, (c) limited student engagement, and (d) bureaucratic structure. Facilitators included (a) strong interpersonal relationships, (b) a positive campus culture, and (c) preexisting programing.

States Must Expand Telehealth To Improve Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care
May 2020 – (Center for American Progress | Osub Ahmed) – This issue brief offers several state recommendations to expand access to sexual & reproductive health services via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

FemHealth Series – Vol. 2
April 2020 – (COYA Partners) – This resource complies comprehensive facts around menstruation, the need for change, positive progression, and innovation in the space.

Association Between Type 1 Diabetes and Female Sexual Dysfunction
Apr 16, 2020 – (BMC Women’s Health | Virginia Zamponi et. al.) – This study concludes that female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is higher in women affected by type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, suggests possible causes and argues for further investigation into FSD in diabetic women.

Mammograms in 40s Can Save Women’s Lives, Study Finds
Aug 12, 2020 – (HealthDay | E.J. Mundell) – Adding to an ongoing debate over the timing of mammography, a new British study finds that screening women aged 40 to 49 for breast cancer saves lives, with only small increases in overdiagnosis.

Dairy, Soy, and Risk of Breast Cancer: Those Confounded Milks
Feb 25, 2020 – (International Journal of Epidemiology | Gary E. Fraser et. al.) – This study concludes that higher intakes of dairy milk were associated with greater risk of breast cancer, when adjusted for soy intake. Current guidelines for dairy milk consumption could be viewed with some caution.

A Test That Finds 3x More Breast Tumors and Why Its Not Available to You
Dec 2010 – (TEDWomen | Deborah Rhodes MD) Dr. Deborah Rhodes and team developed a new tool for tumor detection that is 3 times as effective as traditional mammograms for women with dense breast tissue and explains the web of politics and economics that keeps it from mainstream use.

Addressing Maternal Health Inequities

Jan 18, 2022 – (Association of American Medical Colleges) – This article discusses the glaring inequities in maternal health and the varied efforts that are reducing gaps and saving lives across the country. It highlights striking statistics, including the following: Black and American Indian/Alaskan Native women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women and that Black women are twice as likely to experience serious perinatal complications.

What Are the Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)?
Jan 28, 2021 – (Medical News Today | Jessica Caporuscio) – Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a collection of physical and psychological symptoms that can occur in a cyclical pattern in people who menstruate. The start of symptoms coincides with the second half of the menstrual cycle, called the luteal phase. This article defines PMS, explains possible symptoms, compares it to pregnancy and PMDD, and discusses prevention.

Study Explores Women’s Interest in Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy
Jan 7, 2021 – (News Medical | Emily Henderson) – A study led by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health researchers examined attitudes toward long-acting injectable (LAI) HIV therapies, among women with a history of injection–including medical purposes and substance use. Currently, most HIV therapies for treatment and prevention necessitate daily pills, which pose barriers to adherence. Recently, however, LAI for HIV has emerged as an alternative with the potential to boost adherence, although little research has been done on how people with a history of injection feel about these new forms of injectable HIV therapy. Most women with a history of periodic injectable medication (such as birth control) would prefer LAI, but those with other frequent injections (such as for diabetes) who expressed a desire to limit the number and frequency of injections and clinic visits might not. Women with a history of injection drug use expressed mixed sentiments: some feared LAI might trigger a recurrence while others felt that familiarity with needles would predispose people who use injection drugs towards LAI.

Period Poverty and Mental Health Implications Among College-Aged Women in the United States
Jan 6, 2021 – (BMC Women’s Health | Lauren F. Cardoso et al.) – The purpose of this study is to examine the frequency of “period poverty,” or not being able to afford sanitary products, among university students, and associations with poor mental health. After conducting an online survey with a nationally-drawn sample, the researchers found that many young women cannot afford menstrual health products to meet their monthly needs, and this may impact their mental well-being. Improved access to affordable menstrual products is needed to support these young women.

The Menopause Map
(Hormone Health Network | Endocrine Society) – The menopause map will help you understand the stages of menopause, learn about the symptoms, and address treatment options.

PERLA Health
(Kathrin Folkendt) – Kathrin Folkendt and co-founder Janine Kopp launched PERLA Health, an educational platform for women with PCOS, the most common endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age. It affects 1 in 10 women and just like a lot of other areas of women’s health, it is underserved, under researched and underfunded.

The Unspoken Truth: Reproductive Longevity and Equality Affects Us All
2020 – (Buck Institute for Research on Aging | Christine Gulbranson and Jennifer Garrison) – Beyond reproduction, the end of fertility sets off a cascade of negative health effects in a woman’s body. As a society, every aspect of a woman’s life is influenced by the fact that her reproductive capacity is limited. Despite its profound impact on women’s health and well-being, female reproductive aging is an understudied topic – but why? Women’s health, reproductive longevity and equality are all inextricably linked.

The First 2 H After Birth: Prevalence and Factors Associated with Neonatal Care Practices From a Multicountry, Facility-Based, Observational Study
Nov 12, 2020 – (The Lancet | Emma Sacks et al.) – Amid efforts to improve the quality of care for women and neonates during childbirth, there is growing interest in the experience of care, including respectful care practices. However, there is little research on the prevalence of practices that might constitute mistreatment of neonates. This study aims to describe the care received by neonates up to 2 h after birth in a sample of three countries in west Africa.

Protecting Your Birth: A Guide For Black Mothers
Oct 22, 2020 – (New York Times | Erica Chidi and Erica P. Cahill, M.D.) – This educational guide offers pregnant Black women agency when planning their care based on an allied, intersectional perspective that acknowledged the importance of care providers and health educators working together on behalf of patients. It informs Black women of the unique risks they could encounter during their pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period, as well as what they could do to prepare for them. This guide is meant to help Black women feel safer, and to provide a modern framework for medical providers to actively address their own racism.

Could Antibiotics Make Breast Milk Less Healthy for Babies?
Sep 8, 2020 (HealthDay | Steven Reinberg) – Mom’s breast milk can be altered by antibiotics in ways that might harm an infant’s health, according to a new study.

The 2020 Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society
Sep 2020 – (The North American Menopause Society | Stephanie S Faubion, et al.) – Clinicians can resolve many distressing genitourinary symptoms and improve sexual health and the quality of life of postmenopausal women by educating women about, diagnosing, and appropriately managing GSM. Choice of therapy depends on the severity of symptoms, the effectiveness and safety of treatments for the individual patient, and patient preference. Nonhormone therapies available without a prescription provide sufficient relief for most women with mild symptoms. Low-dose vaginal estrogens, vaginal DHEA, systemic estrogen therapy, and ospemifene are effective treatments for moderate to severe GSM. When low-dose vaginal estrogen or DHEA or ospemifene is administered, a progestogen is not indicated; however, endometrial safety has not been studied in clinical trials beyond 1 year. There are insufficient data at present to confirm the safety of vaginal estrogen or DHEA or ospemifene in women with breast cancer; management of GSM should consider the woman’s needs and the recommendations of her oncologist.

Improving Preconception Health Among Sexual Minority Women
Jun 10, 2020 – (Journal of Women’s Health | Daphna Stroumsa and Timothy R.B. Johnson) – Sexual minorities face multiple health disparities, as demonstrated by a growing body of evidence. This article focuses on the preconcpetion health of sexual minority women, and highlights the importance of addressing health disparities in this population prior to conception.

Associations of Perfluoroalkyl Substances with Incident Natural Menopause: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation
Jun 3, 2020 – (The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism | Ning Ding et. al.) – This study suggests that select PFAS serum concentrations are associated with earlier natural menopause, a risk factor for adverse health outcomes in later life.

Which Australian Women Do Not Exclusively Breastfeed to 6 Months, and Why?
Jun 2, 2020 – (Journal of Human Lactation | Katrina Moss et. al.) – Mothers who did not exclusively breastfeed to 6 months were a heterogeneous group, indicating that both targeted and universal strategies are required to increase rates of exclusive breastfeeding. Support should encompass the broad range of feeding practices.

Associations Between Variations in Breast Anatomy and Early Breastfeeding Challenges
Jun 2, 2020 – (Journal of Human Lactation | Alison K. Ventura et. al.) – Mothers with anatomic variability (e.g., shorter, wider nipples; denser areolas) may experience breastfeeding challenges disproportionately. This study seeks to examine whether variations in breast anatomy are associated with risk for early breastfeeding challenges.

Nitrous Oxide Use During Labor: Satisfaction, Adverse Effects, and Predictors of Conversion to Neuraxial Analgesia
May 26, 2020 – (Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health | Priscilla M. Nodine et. al.) – The purpose of this study was to investigate demographic characteristics, safety, and satisfaction in a cohort of parturients who used inhaled nitrous oxide (N2O) analgesia and to determine predictors of conversion from N2O to neuraxial analgesia.

Timing of Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis by Maternal Obesity Status: Impact on Gestational Weight Gain in a Diverse Population
Apr 24, 2020 – (Journal of Women’s Health | Teresa A. Hillier et. al.) – The results suggest that early gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis (and thus treatment) in high-risk women is beneficial for optimizing gestational weight gain.

Delivery Subscription Services—Even For Birth Control—Grow In Importance
Apr 17, 2020 – (Forbes | Geri Stengel) – Dr. Yen discovered that one reason women skip taking their birth-control medication is they don’t have it on hand. She created a telemedicine platform that would enable her to prescribe and deliver birth-control online.

Infertility Insurance Mandates and Maternal Mortality
Feb 17, 2020 – (American Society for Reproductive Medicine | Joelle Abramowitz) – This study suggests that women living in states with mandated insurance coverage of infertility treatment had 20 percent lower maternal mortality rates relative to women living in states that did not adopt such mandates. The results of this analysis are important for quantifying effects of existing policies mandating health insurance coverage of infertility treatment as well as considering potential effects of future policies.

Hidden Value: The Business Case for Reproductive Health
Jan 2020 – (Rhia Ventures, FSG, and Tara Health) – Illuminates the link between access to reproductive health care and corporate America’s bottom line.

The Rise of Fertility Start-ups
Dec 27, 2019 – (NY Times | Elise Craig) – As the fertility market expands, so do the nontraditional options available for prospective moms and dads.

Is it Time to Establish Age Restrictions in ART?
Dec 17, 2019 – (Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics | Julianne E Zweifel et. al.) – This study explores the medical and psychosocial implications of the trend of later-life parenting as well as ethical arguments. It concludes with preliminary considerations of whether age policies should be established, applied to men as well as women, and standardized or considered on a case-by-case basis.

Sexist Science Makes Reproductive Health a Guessing Game
Nov 16, 2019 – (Inverse | Ali Pattillo) – The mass exclusion of women from research means there are huge gaps in the science that dictates almost every aspect of a woman’s health — from birth control methods to potentially life-saving medications, like drugs to treat HIV.

This App Aims to Save New Mom’s Lives
Aug 18, 2019 – (NPR | Jordan Tobias & Susie Neilson) – With a goal to change the high maternal death rate in the U.S., Tech startup Mahmee works to help women during the weeks and months after they’ve given birth, via a mobile app that’s designed to better connect new moms with health care and support, offering tools like surveys to assess their postpartum emotional and physical health.

Menopause Unveils Itself as the Next Big Opportunity in Femtech
Jul 24, 2019 – (Forbes on behalf of Frost & Sullivan | Reenita Das & Chandni Mathur) – Due to the stigma associated with menopause and silence around the condition, the mass potential of the menopause market remains untapped.

Women and Kidney Disease
(National Kidney Foundation) – Women’s health is unique. One thing we know for certain is that women of child-bearing age face different problems than men when it comes to kidney disease. Women with CKD are generally discouraged from using “the pill” as a birth control method due to a greater chance for an increase in blood pressure and blood clots that can make kidney disease worse. Women with CKD may have more problems with pregnancy, causing increased risk to the mother and the child. Even women without CKD may be at risk during both pregnancy and birth because of pre-eclampsia and other problems that increase blood pressure and put a strain on the kidneys. Prenatal care is therefore crucial for all pregnant women for this very reason. Pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure when pregnant can lead to kidney failure and the risk for CKD later in life.

How To Safely Access Birth Control
Apr 11, 2020 – (KGO 810 Podcast | Sophia Yen MD) – Dr. Sophia Yen of Pandia Health offers advice on How to Access Birth Control During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

To Keep Women From Dying In Childbirth, Look To California
Jul 29, 2019 – (NPR | Renee Montagne) – The state is leading the charge to reverse the nationwide trend: Since 2006, California has cut its rate of women dying in childbirth by more than half. And it’s a state whose impact could make a big difference: One in eight infants born in the United States is born there.