Policy News
People across the political spectrum continue to debate the merits of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court. Since we now know that the political and judicial systems play such a large role in the health care of women, we’d all best pay close attention to this debate.
Drug Shortages. We did not used to have them. Now it is common place on routine drugs, even IV fluids. No slight to third world countries, but sometimes it feels like we are in a third world country. The FDA is forming a new task for to more critically and quickly investigate and solve this problem.
Companies that make formula are multinational. The Trump administration is avowedly pro business and this is particularly evident in the international sphere where of late, this had unsavory consequences. In its zeal to unfetter corporate interests, The Trump administration has taken an anti breastfeeding stance. At present advertisements of formula is limited regionally in areas where it could be misused or hazardous. The Trump administration has desired to “ reopen” these markets, under the auspices of free trade, seemingly oblivious to the perils of selling formula in places where literacy (ability to mix correctly) and clean water is unavailable . The entire medical and public health establishment has reacted, concerned that breastfeeding continue to be encouraged as the safe and superior method that it is. Many are pointing out that formula manufacturers have no place at the health policy table. This baby feeding battle resurfaced last year when Ecuador proposed a resolution to the WHO (World health organization) to support breastfeeding. The Trump administration through the US delegation at the World Health Assembly, tried to water down the resolution. When this did not work they threatened Ecuador with a trade war. Can you say “evil empire” ? ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) and AAP (American Academy of Pediatricians) have responded formally.
Did you know as little as two months of breastfeeding reduces risk of SIDS ?
Did you know breastfeeding reduces mom’s risk of breast and ovary cancer, heat disease, and endometriosis ?
Did you know the US ranks 26th among industrialized countries in breastfeeding ?
The Trump administration seems to want people off the ACA. They have reduced the “navigators” fund from 36 to 10 million per year. Navigators are those who help people enroll in the ACA. The Trump administration says private health insurance agent and brokers do a better job. Do private brokers and agents get a fee for this ?
Medical News
Abortion facts were highlighted by NBC this last week:
Death by childbirth is 14 times greater than death by abortion.
Banning abortion does not reduce its incidence.
Free birth control reduces abortion rates.
Before legal abortion, 5000 women per died through complications of illegal abortion.
Depression is not the only feature of postpartum depression. A new review has highlighted the fact that anger is often a big component of post partum depression.
Your microbiome is the population of microorganisms that you have on your body and in your gut. This is affected greatly by what you eat. In pregnant women this microbiome is passed to the baby. Thus, what pregnant women eat can influence the microbiome of their child, for better or for worse. Newer research in multiple fields are beginning to describe the role of a healthy microbiome to overall health.
The US birth rate is at an all time low for the second year running. Some site child care expense, wanting to spend time with existing children and concerns about the economy as chief reasons to wait. Germany and Japan have addressed their falling birth rates by putting better child care policies in place. Falling birth rates are not necessarily a bad thing, as they are associated with greater savings and higher levels of educational attainment. It is certainly an oversimplified falsehood to think that a larger population means a better economy.
Stay tuned for more interesting news from the world of Obstetrics and Gynecology this time next week on Medical Monday.