Resources

aamc.org - March 26, 2024

The article discusses how the medical field has historically neglected women’s health, largely due to gender biases that consider men’s bodies as the standard. Women were rarely included in clinical trials before 1993, and many studies still underrepresent them. This lack of representation in research has led to gaps in understanding how diseases affect women, and how treatments, medications, and devices work for them.

As a result, women, especially women of color, experience disparities in healthcare and higher rates of adverse reactions to medical treatments. The article highlights that more inclusive research is needed to address these disparities and improve healthcare outcomes for women.

nationalacadamies.org - July 10, 2024

The article from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine reports on significant gaps in research regarding chronic conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as endometriosis, migraines, and pelvic floor disorders. These conditions often go under-researched, which hinders accurate diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

The report emphasizes the need for enhanced research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to address these gaps, especially in understanding the biological mechanisms and the impact of reproductive milestones on chronic conditions. It also highlights the need for improved diagnostic tools, better research on multiple chronic conditions, and a deeper exploration of lifestyle factors and disparities in healthcare. The report calls for a shift towards more gender-centered research to better support women’s health and reduce inequalities.

bu.edu - November 4, 2024

Multiple birth control options, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing & counseling, STD testing, and abortions. The article discusses the pioneering research being conducted by Catherine M. Klapperich and Joyce Y. Wong, two Boston University engineers focused on reproductive health issues.

They are addressing the chronic underfunding and lack of research into women’s health, especially concerning conditions like uterine fibroids, hormone changes, and preeclampsia. Their work aims to create models and improve understanding at the cellular level to help diagnose and treat these conditions more effectively. They are also building a biobank of fibroid cells, which will be a key resource for further studies on these health issues.

fightcancer.org - March 11, 2025

The article discusses the Idaho Senate's passage of House Bill 345, which introduces detrimental changes to the state’s Medicaid expansion. These changes, including work-reporting requirements and increased out-of-pocket costs, would create significant barriers to health care access, particularly for low-income individuals and those with serious illnesses like cancer.

Advocates, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), express disappointment, highlighting the bill's potential to strip health care from thousands of Idahoans, and urge Governor Brad Little to veto it. The bill's passage comes despite public opposition, and it threatens to undo progress made through Medicaid expansion.

nih.gov - October 23, 2022

The article "An Intersectional Approach to Understanding Barriers to Healthcare for Women" explores how sociodemographic factors like race/ethnicity, marital status, income, education, and insurance status affect women's access to healthcare. It uses intersectionality as a lens to analyze how these factors uniquely impact women, especially women of color.

Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2005-2015) show that Hispanic women face higher odds of healthcare barriers than White women, while Black women encounter fewer barriers. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing racial/ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities to improve healthcare access and outcomes for women.

aclu.org - August 8, 2023

The article from the ACLU discusses Idaho's "No Public Funds for Abortion Act" (NPFAA), a law that threatens professors at public universities with imprisonment if they teach or discuss abortion in a manner that could be seen as promoting it. This law, which prohibits the use of public funds to "promote" or "counsel in favor of abortion," is leading to widespread censorship in academic settings.

Professors are avoiding topics on abortion to avoid legal consequences, which hinders academic freedom. The ACLU is suing to challenge the law, arguing it violates professors' First Amendment rights and stifles essential discourse on abortion in Idaho’s higher education system.

aclu.org - July 3, 2023

A federal court ruled that Idaho's No Public Funds for Abortion Act (NPFAA), which criminalized the use of public funds to promote or counsel in favor of abortion, will not be enforced against public university professors' academic speech. This ruling came after a lawsuit from six professors and two teachers' unions, with the ACLU representing them.

The Idaho attorney general clarified that the law would not apply to academic discussions of abortion, which allowed professors to resume teaching and researching the topic without fear of prosecution. The court affirmed that the law's attempt to censor academic speech violated the First Amendment. This decision reflects ongoing efforts to protect free speech and academic freedom in the wake of abortion-related legislation in Idaho.

SIECUS

The SIECUS Idaho State Profile outlines key facts about sex education in the state. Currently, sex education is not mandated in Idaho, and if schools do provide it, the curriculum must emphasize abstinence. School districts have discretion over what they teach, but they must focus on abstinence, disease prevention, and the consequences of sexual activity.

Notably, the law does not require instruction on sexual orientation, gender identity, or consent. Idaho's law allows parents to opt-out their children from sex education. Advocates are pushing for more inclusive and comprehensive sex education to be implemented statewide.

arbiteronline.com - December 12, 2024

The article discusses the significant impact of Idaho's inadequate sex education system, which largely focuses on abstinence-based education and leaves students ill-prepared to handle sexual health issues. The lack of comprehensive, medically accurate information about contraception, STIs, and reproductive health has contributed to high teen pregnancy rates and rising STIs in the state.

Many young people also lack understanding about basic anatomy and reproductive health, which delays care and leads to long-term health complications. The article emphasizes the need for a more inclusive, scientifically grounded approach to sex education to address these health crises.

Idaho Capital Sun - March 21, 2025

North Idaho legislators have introduced a bill to amend Idaho's strict abortion ban, adding exceptions for cases where the mother faces serious health risks or when a fetus has a lethal anomaly. This bill aims to clarify the law, as current provisions only allow abortion to prevent the mother's death, leaving doctors uncertain about other critical health situations.

Despite the bill's introduction, Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog expressed doubts about advancing it this year, highlighting ongoing tensions within the legislature over abortion-related issues. The bill's sponsors hope it sparks conversation about improving medical care in the state.

Council on Foreign Relations - March 7, 2024

The article "Abortion Law: Global Comparisons" from the Council on Foreign Relations examines the global landscape of abortion law in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. It discusses how abortion laws have generally liberalized globally over the past 50 years, particularly in industrialized nations.

The article notes that while abortion rates have remained steady worldwide, countries with restrictive abortion laws have seen higher abortion rates. The safety of abortion procedures is also highlighted, with a stark contrast between countries where abortion is legal and those with severe restrictions.

NPR - March 4, 2024

France has officially enshrined the right to an abortion in its constitution. This historic move was spurred by concerns over the rollback of abortion rights in the U.S. Following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, France's lawmakers, led by President Emmanuel Macron, sought to solidify the right to abortion by amending Article 34 of the French Constitution. The law has long been in place in France, but the constitutional amendment guarantees irreversible access to abortion.

Public support for this move is high, with 90% of French citizens supporting abortion rights and 86% favoring its inclusion in the constitution. This step is seen as a significant victory for women's rights in France, with no major political opposition. Abortion care in France is reimbursed by the national health care system.

MSI UK

In England, Scotland, and Wales, you can legally have an abortion up to 23 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy, in line with the Abortion Act 1967. In Northern Ireland, abortion was decriminalised in 2019, and the new legal framework came into effect in 2020. Abortion is now unconditionally legal up to 12 weeks in Northern Ireland. After 12 weeks, the law is similar to the rest of the UK.

In the UK, after 24 weeks, abortion is only permitted if there are serious risks to the woman's health or in cases of fetal abnormalities. Abortion services are provided by the NHS and can be free of charge, with options for private services available. Recent changes also allow for home use of abortion pills up to 10 weeks.