Medical Notes: February 26, 2023
We’re a step closer to giving people with paralysis more independence. Should men go sober when trying to start a family? Plus, long Covid symptoms have been narrowed down to just seven.
Reproductive Health Sub-categories:
Why We Need To Have Better Discussions Around Male Infertility
Because of the lack of discussion, many men wait too long to seek help for fertility issues. Dr. Scott Lundy, a urologist at the Cleveland Clinic, discusses different causes of male infertility and common treatment options men may not know about.
Medical Notes: November 14, 2021
Major surgery such as a heart bypass may increase the risk of dementia. Then, a study finds that gun violence is up by 30% since the start of the pandemic. Also, could the anxiety of being heard by someone else play a role in stuttering? And finally, research says about half of pregnancies in the United States are unintended.
Medical Notes: October 31, 2021
An influential government task force issues new advice about low-dose aspirin. Plus, a study finds that people with natural immunity to Covid-19 don’t have it for very long. And finally, safe sex is still important--a quarter of people with STDs don’t tell their partners.
Medical Notes: September 26, 2021
A study suggests recovery from concussions might take twice as long as we thought. Then, researchers say they have a solution for "Zoom fatigue." Next, a study finds cannabis use may hurt men's fertility. Plus, new research finds that certain kinds of people are more susceptible to conspiracy theories. And finally, turns out craft beer really is different?
Forced Sterilization Still Exists in the U.S.
Entertainer Britney Spears claims in court that her conservator father won’t let her remove birth control. It’s merely the most celebrated recent case of something most people find surprising: forced sterilization still exists in the US, usually in cases of guardianship. Experts explain its legality, history & use.
The Covid Baby Bust
The US birth rate has been declining since the Crash of 2008, but it took an even larger decline during the pandemic to levels unseen since the Great Depression. Today fertility rates are below replacement levels, which could have big impacts on education, employment, and the tax base years down the road.
The Increase in Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Despite social distancing, experts say people are increasingly “hooking up.” Sexually transmitted diseases are growing as a result. An expert discusses STDs in a pandemic.
Why Women Are Genetically Stronger
Women may have been known through the centuries as the weaker sex, but researchers have learned that they are anything but weak. Their 2 X chromosomes are both active and cooperate with each other, especially in immune response. An expert discusses new findings on their genetic superiority.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome affects about 10% of American women, but has such a wide variety of troubling symptoms that it’s often misdiagnosed. Experts discuss the disorder and what women should know.
The Risks of Egg Donation
Some agencies estimate that 50,000 children have been born in the US using donor eggs. But egg donation (or sale, as some insist) is not regulated, and while short term risks are known, few donors have been followed for years. Long term risks are not well understood. Experts discuss what we know… and what we don’t.
Fertility Rate Decline and the Aging Population (2019)
Experts explain that it may not be as good a thing as we may think, and cite nations like Japan and Italy which are facing labor shortages and elderly populations as a result of less-than-replacement-level fertility.
