Blogs Comment On Supreme Court Pregnancy Leave Ruling, Obama's Notre Dame Speech, Other Topics

The following summarizes selected women's health-related blog entries.

~ "Peaceful Revolution: Another Blow to Women," Debra Ness, Huffington Post blogs: The Supreme Court's ruling this week in AT&T Corp. v. Hulteen "dealt a serious and painful blow to working women and the families who rely on their retirement benefits," Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families, writes. The ruling "affects a limited number of people," and it "would be easy to ignore them -- easy, but terribly wrong," Ness continues. "This ruling sends a terrible message about whether discrimination will bring penalties and costs, and whether the courts will address the ongoing effects of prior discrimination," she writes. Ness notes that the ruling "couldn't come at a worse time," adding, "In today's grim economic climate, women and their families cannot afford to see their retirement benefits kept lower by discriminatory workplace policies that should have been remedied decades ago." Ness writes that it is "sobering that, at a time when negative stereotypes about pregnant women clearly persist, we have a Supreme Court that doesn't stand firm for equal rights and equal opportunity." She concludes, "It's a good reminder of what's at stake with the Supreme Court nomination President Obama is about to make" (Ness, Huffington Post blogs, 5/21).

~ "This Week in Religion and Politics," Sarah Posner, American Prospect's "The FundamentaList": When "viewed in the context of Obama's entire faith-based outreach project, the events" surrounding the University of Notre Dame's commencement ceremony "highlighted how he has embraced traditionalist, conservative religion -- to the detriment of sexual and reproductive justice," Posner writes. President Obama has "focused his outreach efforts" to reduce the need for abortion "on more conservative religious groups" and "claims to honor their position on moral issues," Posner writes. However, "when the dust settles on the Notre Dame controversy, he'll have to figure out what to do with the policy advice he has sought" from the White House Office on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, she continues. Posner adds, "How Obama reacts to that advice will demonstrate whether the council is mere window dressing to shore up support from swing constituencies or whether Obama will yield to conservative religious dogma on reproductive-health issues." Meanwhile, Christian conservatives have been "making hay of the findings" of recent Pew and Gallup polls that found more U.S. residents identifying with "pro-life" positions and using the data to argue "that Obama's position is out of touch with the majority of Americans," Posner writes. However, as bloggers at The Monkey Cage and FiveThirtyEight have pointed out, the polls are not representative of most U.S. residents' views on abortion rights, she writes. "Because of that deception on reproductive rights, it's more important than ever for the president to lay the moral groundwork for his own position -- not just to recognize the moral qualms of abortion opponents," Posner says (Posner, "The FundamentaList," American Prospect, 5/20).














~ "Meghan McCain Preaches What She Practices," Willa Paskin, Slate's "XX Factor": Meghan McCain -- Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) daughter -- "acquitted herself quite admirably" on Monday's episode of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" by "defending her core position" that the Republican Party "needs to appeal to younger voters, and it can only do so by getting liberal on social issues," Paskin writes. On the show, McCain said, "I think it's not realistic for this generation to be just plain abstinent, I think we need to have sex education with condoms and birth control. ... I would never practice anything I didn't preach." Paskin also includes a video clip of McCain's appearance (Paskin, "XX Factor," Slate, 5/19).

~ "Skill the Messenger," Cristina Page, Birth Control Watch: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) 18-year-old daughter Bristol -- who was recently named a teen ambassador for the Candie's Foundation's teen pregnancy prevention campaign -- "has, yet again, harnessed the immense media interest in her to draw attention to the problem," Page writes. However, her "style as a spokesperson seems decidedly uninformed," and "someone needs to arm her with the tools to convey her message most powerfully," Page continues. Bristol Palin has "so much opportunity to make an important impact" on issues surrounding teen pregnancy in the U.S., and "with just a little guidance from the experts, she can," Page writes. She adds, "Hopefully, she'll seek out that help. It'll make her a much more interesting figure who, while keeping the fickle media engaged, can educate those at greatest risk" (Page, Birth Control Watch, 5/21).



Antiabortion-Rights Blog

~ "Reps. Sensenbrenner and Smith Call on Obama To Live Up to Notre Dame Speech Statement on Conscience Protection," National Right to Life Committee blog: Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) and Chris Smith (R-N.J.) in their Tuesday letter to President Obama asked that he "live up to what he said by publicly forgoing his administration's move to rescind the Bush administration's conscience protection," according to NRLC's blog. It continues that Obama's pledge during his Notre Dame commencement address to "'honor the conscience of those who disagree with abortion and draft a sensible conscience clause, and make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded in clear ethics and sound science, as well as respect for the equality of women,'" is "a far cry from what happened in late February" when the administration took the "first step toward rescinding" the Bush administration's provider "conscience" rule. The blog post adds that NRLC has sent a letter to HHS stating that the "federal government should not rescind this carefully crafted regulation designed to safeguard against forced violations of conscience in federally funded programs" (National Right to Life Committee blog, 5/20)


Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.


© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

Groups Concerned Utah 'Feticide' Law Could Target Women Who Miscarry

The American Civil Liberties Union, the American Medical Association and National Advocates for Pregnant Women remain concerned that women who miscarry could face criminal homicide charges under a new Utah law (HB 462), Women's eNews reports (Sclamberg, Women's eNews, 4/20). Under the law, which Gov. Gary Herbert (R) signed last month, prosecutors can file such charges against women who arrange illegal abortions (Women's Health Policy Report, 3/9). Convictions can result in sentences of up to life in prison.

Herbert refused to sign an earlier version (HB 12) that would have allowed criminal charges against women for any "reckless" act resulting in the death of the fetus. The governor and others were concerned that language could apply to women who miscarry after unintentional falls or car accidents.

The final measure omitted the term "reckless," but critics say the law still could have consequences for women who miscarry. Although several other states have so-called "feticide" laws, the Utah statute differs notably in that it allows charges against the woman. Lynn Paltrow, executive director of NAPW, said other states' laws "were passed in response to a pregnant woman who has been beaten up by a husband or boyfriend."

AMA is concerned that the law will make some women fearful of seeking prenatal care. According to an AMA statement, "Pregnant women will be likely to avoid seeking prenatal or open medical care for fear that their physician's knowledge of substance abuse or other potentially harmful behavior could result in a jail sentence."

In addition, the statute gives law enforcement officials discretion over arrests. State Rep. Carl Wimmer (R), the bill's sponsor, maintains that the law will be applied only "in the most glaring of cases."

However, Liza Fuentes and Sheila Reynoso, researchers at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, argue in a jointly authored paper that the law could result in arrests of women who experience unintended miscarriages. For example, they ask, "What if a woman received treatment for cancer while pregnant?" Fuentes and Reynoso also write that the law "will be tested out on immigrants women and low-income women," as they are "less likely to have health insurance, a regular health care provider and more likely to work in dangerous conditions" compared with their white counterparts (Women's eNews, 4/20).


Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.


© 2010 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.

New 'Golden Ratios' For Female Facial Beauty Discovered By Researchers

Beauty is not only in the eye of the beholder but also in the relationship of the eyes and mouth of the beholden. The distance between a woman's eyes and the distance between her eyes and her mouth are key factors in determining how attractive she is to others, according to new psychology research from the University of California, San Diego and the University of Toronto.



Pamela Pallett and Stephen Link of UC San Diego and Kang Lee of the University of Toronto tested the existence of an ideal facial feature arrangement. They successfully identified the optimal relation between the eyes, the mouth and the edge of the face for individual beauty.



In four separate experiments, the researchers asked university students to make paired comparisons of attractiveness between female faces with identical facial features but different eye-mouth distances and different distances between the eyes.



They discovered two "golden ratios," one for length and one for width. Female faces were judged more attractive when the vertical distance between their eyes and the mouth was approximately 36 percent of the face's length, and the horizontal distance between their eyes was approximately 46 percent of the face's width.



Interestingly, these proportions correspond with those of an average face.



"People have tried and failed to find these ratios since antiquity. The ancient Greeks found what they believed was a 'golden ratio' - also known as 'phi' or the 'divine proportion' - and used it in their architecture and art. Some even suggest that Leonardo Da Vinci used the golden ratio when painting his 'Mona Lisa.' But there was never any proof that the golden ratio was special. As it turns out, it isn't. Instead of phi, we showed that average distances between the eyes, mouth and face contour form the true golden ratios," said Pallett, a post-doctoral fellow in psychology at UC San Diego and also an alumna of the department.



"We already know that different facial features make a female face attractive -large eyes, for example, or full lips," said Lee, a professor at University of Toronto and the director of the Institute of Child Study at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. "Our study conclusively proves that the structure of faces - the relation between our face contour and the eyes, mouth and nose - also contributes to our perception of facial attractiveness. Our finding also explains why sometimes an attractive person looks unattractive or vice versa after a haircut, because hairdos change the ratios."



The researchers suggest that the perception of facial attractiveness is a result of a cognitive averaging process by which people take in all the faces they see and average them to get an ideal width ratio and an ideal length ratio. They also posit that "averageness" (like symmetry) is a proxy for health, and that we may be predisposed by biology and evolution to find average faces attractive.



The authors note that only Caucasian female faces were studied. Further studies are needed to know whether there is a different set of golden ratios for male faces and for faces from other races or for children's faces.



The research is published by the journal Vision Research and was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the American Psychological Association.



Source: Joyann Callender


University of Toronto

Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report Highlights Issues In Various US States

The following highlights recent news of state actions on women's health issues.

Abortion Regulations
South Dakota: The state House Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday voted 11-2 to approve a state Senate bill (SB 185) that would require abortion clinics to obtain specific licenses and undergo state inspections, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Michael, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/8). The measure requires that the state Department of Health charge a fee before inspecting the facility for compliance with state requirements and issuing a license. The bill, which was approved by the state Senate on Tuesday, would cap the fee at $2,000. The state House earlier this month approved a similar bill (HB 1198) (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 2/3). The Senate bill now moves to the state House for consideration (AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/8).

Stem Cell Research
Maryland: The state House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday heard testimony concerning a proposal from Gov. Robert Ehrlich (R) that calls for $20 million for stem cell research to be put in next year's budget, the Baltimore Sun reports (Skalka, Baltimore Sun, 2/9). Ehrlich's proposal would provide $20 million in the 2007 budget for any type of stem cell research project -- which could include use of embryonic, adult or umbilical cord stem cells -- that is approved by the governor-appointed 15-member board of the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 1/30). During the committee hearing, the Department of Legislative Services said the state General Assembly should reduce Ehrlich's proposal to $10 million and distribute funds only after it has passed legislation on how the money should be used (Marimow/Wagner, Washington Post, 2/9).

Other Regulations
Missouri: The state House Children and Families Committee on Wednesday voted 10-0 to approve a bill (HB 974) that would allow midwives to deliver babies in private homes without risking legal sanctions, the AP/Kansas City Star reports. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Cynthia Davis (R), would repeal a 47-year-old law that deems midwifery an illegal medical practice. Under current state law, only certified nurses trained in midwifery may deliver at home if they have approval from a doctor within 30 miles. The bill now moves to the state House for consideration. An identical measure (SB 637) is awaiting a hearing in the Senate (Zagier, AP/Kansas City Star, 2/8).

Utah: The state Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday voted 2-2 on whether to recommend a bill (SB 42) that would have required Utah insurance companies to cover birth control as part of their insurance plans, the Provo Daily Herald reports. The tie vote means that the committee will not send the bill to the state Senate (Choate, Provo Daily Herald, 2/9). State Rep. Scott McCoy (D) is the third -- and only male -- lawmaker to sponsor the bill for eight years in a row, according to the Associated Press (Dobner, Associated Press, 2/8). Sixty-eight percent of women in the state are covered by federally regulated insurance companies, which are not required to cover contraception, according to Utah Health Insurance Association Director Kelly Atkinson (Walsh, Salt Lake Tribune, 2/9).















"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . ?© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

Low Dose Aspirin Does Not Protect Women Against Cognitive Decline

Taking low dose aspirin does not protect older women against cognitive decline, finds a large study published on bmj today.


Identifying ways to prevent dementia is a public health priority. Evidence suggests that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs may protect against dementia, but data from randomised studies to date have been inconclusive. So researchers in the US decided to test the effect of long term use of low dose aspirin on overall cognitive decline among a large sample of women.


Jae Hee Kang and colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts identified 6,377 women aged 65 years or more, who were taking part in the Women's health study between 1998 and 2004.


The women were randomly divided into two groups. Over a period of nearly 10 years, the first group took low dose aspirin (100 mg on alternate days) and the second group took a placebo pill. Each woman had three cognitive assessments at two year intervals to measure general cognition, verbal memory, and category fluency.


At the initial assessment (after 5.6 years of treatment) cognitive performance in the aspirin group was similar to that of the placebo group. Average performance across all tests from the first to the final assessment (after 9.6 years of treatment) was also similar in the aspirin group compared with the placebo group. The risk of substantial decline was also comparable between the groups.


There was some suggestion that women in the aspirin group performed better in the category fluency test than women in the placebo group. However, the authors stress that this result should be interpreted with caution.


They conclude: "In this study, we observed no apparent benefit of low dose aspirin in slowing cognitive decline over four years. Other methods for preserving cognitive function in older people need to be investigated."


"Low dose aspirin and cognitive function in the women's health study cognitive cohort"

BMJ Online First


www.bmj

Beyaz(R): One Of The World's Leading Oral Contraceptive YAZ(R) Is Approved In The US With Metafolin(R)

Bayer Schering Pharma AG has been granted US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Beyaz®, the first oral contraceptive worldwide to contain folate, in the form of Merck & Cie's Metafolin®. Metafolin® is the pure crystalline form of the naturally occurring active folate species, L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate. Unlike folic acid, it can directly be used by the body.


"Health authorities throughout the world encourage women of childbearing age to take folate supplements. But compliance is very low. Taking oral contraceptives (OCs) containing folates in a combination product makes perfect sense: High compliance is guaranteed", commented Prof. Klaus Pietrzik of Institute of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Bonn, Germany.


Typically women take the "pill" over an extended period. If they choose Beyaz® incorporating the premium folate Metafolin® their folate stores will be raised over time. Folate stores only deplete slowly after the discontinuation of the "pill". Since a large percentage of women become pregnant within the first three months after stopping their oral contraceptive, their folate stores have been raised prior to pregnancy. Prenatal vitamin supplements (including folate) should be started immediately after oral contraceptives are discontinued.


"Folates are very critical during early pregnancy", commented Dr. Rudolf Moser from Merck & Cie, co-innovator of Metafolin®. "The combination of YAZ® and Metafolin® is a targeted approach to provide folates to those individuals in whom they are highly recommended and so urgently needed: women of child-bearing age."


Bayer Schering Pharma AG has an exclusive worldwide commercial licence to utilize Metafolin® in oral contraceptives.


About Metafolin®


Metafolin® (L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolic acid, calcium salt or levomefolate calcium) is the pure stable crystalline form of the naturally occurring predominant folate species. Folates are essential water-soluble B vitamins, which play a key role in central metabolic pathways. They are needed, for example, for normal cell division and growth. Metafolin® is the body's preferred form of folate which is directly usable by the organism.


Source:

Merck & Cie

Premenstrual Syndrome Carries High Costs for Employers

The presence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in female workers is associated with sharply increased costs to
employers-mainly related to the indirect costs of missed work time and reduced productivity, reports a study in the January
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, official publication of the American College of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine (ACOEM).


Led by Dr. Jeff Borenstein of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, the researchers assessed PMS symptoms in 374 working
women. The women were all 18 to 45 years old and had regular menstrual cycles. Over a 2-month period, the women recorded any
PMS symptoms in symptom diaries, along with any missed work time and estimates of lost productivity related to PMS.


Based on symptom diaries, 30 percent of the women were diagnosed with PMS. Insurance claims data showed a modest increase in
direct health costs for women with PMS: an average $59 higher per year than for women without PMS, after adjustment for other
factors.


Where PMS had its greatest impact was on indirect costs for missed work time and lost productivity. Women with PMS had an
average 14 percent reduction in expected hours of work per week plus a 15 percent reduction in productivity when at work,
compared to women without PMS.


Total indirect costs related to PMS were estimated at $4,333 higher per year, compared to women without PMS. In a
hypothetical health plan including 10,000 women aged 18 to 45, PMS would increase indirect costs by nearly $13 million per
year, in addition to a $175,000 increase in direct health costs.


Previous studies have shown a high rate of PMS among women of reproductive age, with a significant impact on their personal
and work life. However, few studies have looked at the economic impact of PMS among working women. In assessing the indirect
costs of illness to employers, it is important to account not only for absenteeism, or missed work days due to illness, but
also for lost productivity. This problem, sometimes called "presenteeism," is defined as health problems that are not severe
enough to cause absence from work but still impact employees' performance while at work.


The new results show that the indirect costs of PMS are many times higher than the direct costs. Employers seeking to control
their indirect health-related costs should be aware of the potential economic impact of PMS among their female employees, as
well as the financial benefits of offering effective treatment for this condition, Dr. Borenstein and coauthors suggest. They
conclude, "[C]orporate benefits plans that support the use of clinically effective PMS therapies are likely to be a
cost-effective investment."


ACOEM, an international society of 6,000 occupational physicians and other healthcare professionals, provides leadership to
promote optimal health and safety of workers, workplaces, and environments.


Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Address 530 Walnut St.

Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

Phone 215-521-8374

Fax 215-521-8495

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