Women's Health Updates — October 2021
Learn about recent developments in women's health as well as SWHR's activities that promote the study of sex and gender influences on health and serve our mission to improve women's health through science, policy, and education.
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SWHR Launches Several New Resources for Patients and Physicians |
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Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own hair follicles. In most cases, hair falls out in small, round patches on the scalp, but hair loss can also occur in eyelashes, eyebrows, and other hair-bearing areas of the body. Although 700,000 people in the United States are affected by alopecia areata, there are gaps in research and challenges when it comes to insurance coverage.
SWHR's new fact sheet reviews common signs and symptoms of alopecia areata, risk factors and impact of the disease, and treatment options.
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Certain vaccines are safe and recommended for women before, during, and after pregnancy to help keep them and their babies healthy, but some vaccines aren't recommended during pregnancy.
To help pregnant people navigate maternal vaccination recommendations before pregnancy, through the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters, and during the postpartum period, SWHR has created a quick guide that aligns with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
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Women are disproportionately affected by some of the most common eye diseases. Eye conditions can also present or affect women differently across the lifespan. Some are linked to specific events like pregnancy and menopause, while others become increasingly common and burdensome with age.
This fact sheet from SWHR provides an overview of notable eye conditions in women, the financial burden of eye care and diseases, and policy actions to improve women's eye health.
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UPCOMING SWHR PUBLIC FORUM |
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Autoimmune conditions cause a person's immune system to attack the body's own tissues and organs, including the skin. Because the skin is so visible and important to the body's physiological function, skin diseases can impact a person's physical and mental wellbeing and carry a large public health burden, despite their relative understudy.
Join SWHR for a virtual public forum on October 18 to discuss the health, social, and economic impacts of autoimmune skin diseases on women - as patients, as caregivers, or both.
Panelists for this event are:
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Kelly Barta, State Advocacy Project Manager, Allergy & Asthma Network
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Leslie Stein Lloyd, JD, CAE, IOM, Director for Public Policy and Healthcare Economics, American Academy of Dermatology Association
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Arash Mostaghimi, MD, MPA, MPH, Assistant Professor of Dermatology; Director, Dermatology Inpatient Service; Co-Director, Complex Medical Dermatology Fellowship, Brigham & Women's Hospital
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The WHCC, which will take place on October 20 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET, is a congressionally mandated conference with the goal of addressing NIH research efforts related to women's health research and three specific topics: rising maternal morbidity and mortality rates, the increasing rates of chronic debilitating conditions in women, and stagnant cervical cancer survival rates. Read SWHR's comments here.
Registration for the WHCC can be accessed via the ORWH website.
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SWHR, in response to the House's markup of the Build Back Better Act, a human infrastructure plan, issued a statement on the legislation. Specifically, SWHR applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for its inclusion of provisions that will benefit women's health, such as the investments in maternal morbidity and mortality and the investment of $15 million to NICHD for research on "interventions to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency on pregnant, lactating, and postpartum individuals, with a particular focus on individuals from racial and ethnic minorities."
Read SWHR's full statement here.
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On September 30, just hours before the fiscal year deadline, Congress passed and the president signed into law a continuing resolution to fund the government at fiscal year 2021 levels through December 3. At that time, Congress must either pass additional spending legislation, whether another continuing resolution or the fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills, or it risks a government shutdown.
Of note, the continuing resolution includes language allowing the NIH to provide no-cost extensions to specific multiyear grants that were negatively impacted by the pandemic.
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Maternal mortality rates in the United States continue to grow, with widening disparities in outcomes for Black, Indigenous, People of Color. A relatively large share of pregnancy-related deaths occurs in the postpartum period. In 2014, the Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid access to low-income adults, and many states increased coverage options for women in the postpartum period.
This blog post from SWHR explores the implications of the Medicaid program for maternal health and where policy currently stands. Read the post here.
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During the September SWHR Policy Advisory Council meeting, FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Policy, Legislation, and International Affairs Andi Fristedt and NICHD's Director of the Office of Legislation, Public Policy, and Ethics Laura Berkson, JD discussed how FDA and NIH are working to advance the nation’s health with an emphasis on women’s health. The updates demonstrated the complementary nature of the entities' portfolios through regulatory and biomedical science, product safety, and more.
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Items of Note for Eczema Awareness Month |
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Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, affects as many as 16.5 million adults in the United States.
October is Eczema Awareness Month, aimed at raising awareness and understanding of eczema. Below SWHR has highlighted some events and resources related to eczema that may be of interest:
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SWHR President and CEO Kathryn Schubert will provide the keynote address at the FemAging Era Live Virtual Exchange. The Exchange, which will take place on October 7 at noon ET, will bring together physicians, investors, innovators, and entrepreneurs who will discuss, illustrate, and explore the opportunities and challenges of the FemAging era.
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SWHR is pleased to serve as a media partner for the 2021 Innovation in Women's Health Conference, taking place in Boston, MA on October 14. This conference is focused on strategic business development in women's health and on the multiple factors and stakeholders that influence success in this space. Tracks for this year's conference include:
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On October 21, Intercept Pharmaceuticals will host a multidisciplinary roundtable discussion to raise awareness and dialogue about racial differences and disparities in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) care. Panelists will explore how race impacts clinical care for patients with PBC, how patient advocates and the PBC community can help address disparities in PBC care, and more.
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