Falling Cancer Rates, Class Action Suit against the Pill, Angelina’s Ovaries, and More Weekend Links
by Elizabeth Kissling | May 18, 2013 | Internet
- We are big fans of Sarah Haskins Target Women series here at re:Cycling, and were sad to see her leave Current TV in 2010. So sad that we failed to notice the talents of her successor, Erin Gibson.
- A longitudinal population study of 2102 women over 20 years found that copper intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) did not increase pain during menstruation, and levonorgestrel-releasing IUDs did reduce dysmenorrhea. The full study is available online and in downloadable PDF at the link.
- Think Before You Pink, the activist arm of Breast Cancer Action, is offering a free webinar about media literacy related to breast cancer news and health journalism on Wednesday May 29 and Thursday May 30 (it’s the same program offered twice for your convenience – sign up for one or the other, not both).
- Dr. Jen Gunter reports on an Australian study that shows the HPV vaccine to be highly effective in eliminating genital warts. She notes that at least 83% of girls ages 12-18 have received one dose of the vaccine and 73% in this age range have received all three doses in Australia, compared to the Unites States where only 32% of girls ages 13-17 have been vaccinated.
- Sociologist Lisa Wade reports that finances are a larger factor in the choice to remain childless for young women than for previous generations.
- Another outcome of the terminated Women’s Health Initiative hormone study in 2002? Researchers found that ovarian cancer rates were falling by about one percent each year before 2002, then dropped by more than two percent per year. Correlation doesn’t mean causation, as we all learned in basic statistics, but “the association is compelling”, said Hannah Yang of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland.
- A group of about 60 Ontario women, among whom there have been 40 unwanted pregnancies and four abortions, are suing the manufacturers of Alysena birth control pill, recalled April 8 when it was discovered that some packs contained two rows of placebo pills instead of just one. The class action suit is seeking $800 million in damages.
- This week’s TMI at The Vagenda: What is it like to have a transvaginal ultrasound?
- In the onslaught of all the coverage of Angelina Jolie’s breasts this week, Susan Goldberg asks some important questions about her ovaries at Ms. magazine’s blog.
