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Recent history demonstrates that even strong state protections may be insufficient in practice to help survivors of rape, sexual assault, or domestic violence. On May 6, the Washington Post published a disconcerting piece denying that the House-passed Trumpcare bill would ultimately lead to discrimination against victims of rape, sexual assault, or domestic violence. Even the headline ...

By Mary Lou Ballweg It was Thanksgiving, late afternoon—I glanced out my window to see a woman on our new neighbor’s patio, bending over, clutching her abdomen, rocking back and forth. She was clearly in agony. I went out and asked if she was in pain, was she OK? She said, “I’ll be OK,” and went ...

By Whitney Gray My experience with sexual education growing up was very limited. If anything, my attitude toward sex ed was, “I know what sex is, so what else do I need to know?” My middle school inserted sex education into our required health class, and sent a letter home letting parents know they could opt their children ...

Women who experience hot flashes for years or even decades after their final menstrual period have one burning (!) question: when will they end? Well, depends on who you ask: in the past, doctors often said hot flashes (officially, menopausal vasomotor symptoms), would last maybe six months to two years. Lately, updated clinical guidelines put ...

The reasons that Donald Trump was able to win the U.S. presidential election may take many years to fully understand. For now, though, it is clear that Trump simultaneously took advantage of and fomented a new wave of populism, targeting the government as the cause of economic misery, and positioning himself as uniquely capable to ...

  Like the zombie in a bad horror movie that keeps rising, again and again, the Trumpcare bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is once again threatening our health care. With Donald Trump’s 100th day in office just two days away, the media-obsessed White House has been in a panic to notch a win—even ...

This Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) will consider the nomination of Dr. Scott Gottlieb to head the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with a floor vote possible at the end of April. Gottlieb has made millions of dollars consulting for and investing in the pharmaceutical industry and continues to be ...

By Caila Brander, NWHN Policy Fellow Researchers studying the link between contraceptive use and HIV have uncovered a connection between using the Depo-Provera and contracting HIV. In light of these findings, the World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its safety classification for injectable contraception. Depo-Provera is the most widely used injectable contraception around the world, and ...

The 4th annual Worldwide Endometriosis March will take place on March 25th. Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects women during their reproductive years. It occurs when uterine-lining tissue is found growing outside of the uterus, typically resulting in immense pain during and between periods, heavy and long menstrual cycles, gastrointestinal upsets, and fatigue. There ...

Today we celebrate the seventh anniversary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the biggest leap forward for women’s health in a generation. Those first two words of the law’s name are often dropped for convenience but as we reflect on everything the law has done, it’s important to remember that “patient protection” ...