Opill Contraceptive Covered At Zero Cost For Some By CVS Caremark
The birth control pill will be added to CVS' PBM subsidiary's list of preventive services oral contraceptives so it will be available for free to many plan sponsors. Separately, a new study found over 1 in 8 new mothers said they'd experienced mistreatment during childbirth.
Reuters:
CVS Caremark To Cover Perrigo's Opill In US At Zero Cost For Plan Sponsors
CVS Caremark, the pharmacy benefit management subsidiary of CVS Health Corp will add Perrigo's birth control pill to its preventive services oral contraceptives list and make it available at no cost for many plan sponsors, according to a pharmacy update on March 28. The U.S. FDA in July approved over-the-counter use of Perrigo's drug Opill, making it the first oral contraceptive in the country which can be purchased without prescription. (4/4)
More on pregnancy and childbirth —
The Hill:
More Than 1 In 8 New Mothers Report Mistreatment During Childbirth: Study
As the U.S. grapples with a maternal health crisis, a new study shows more than 1 out of 8 new moms are shouted at, scolded or ignored by a healthcare provider during their deliveries. The study published in JAMA Network Open Thursday used data from the 2020 Postpartum Assessment of Health Survey, a large-scale data collection effort on the health and well-being of postpartum people conducted by Columbia University. (O’Connell-Domenech, 4/4)
Stateline:
To Close Racial Gap In Maternal Health, Some States Take Aim At ‘Implicit Bias’
“The biggest thing is that they’re not being listened to,” said Sutton-El, founder of Birth in Color, a nonprofit that offers doula services to expecting Virginians. Doulas support and advocate for pregnant patients. ... As the United States contends with stark racial disparities in maternal health, experts are pushing states to mandate training for medical professionals to combat “implicit bias,” the prejudiced attitudes a person might hold without being aware of it. Lawmakers in more states are heeding that call. (Hassanein, 4/5)
KFF Health News:
Dietary Choices Are Linked To Higher Rates Of Preeclampsia Among Latinas
For pregnant Latinas, food choices could reduce the risk of preeclampsia, a dangerous type of high blood pressure, and a diet based on cultural food preferences, rather than on U.S. government benchmarks, is more likely to help ward off the illness, a new study shows. Researchers at the USC Keck School of Medicine found that a combination of solid fats, refined grains, and cheese was linked to higher rates of preeclampsia among a group of low-income Latinas in Los Angeles. (Sánchez, 4/5)
MPR News:
For Many Minnesota Women, Postpartum Depression’s Grip Is Real, But Care Can Be Elusive
Baby A’saan’s meal time is right around 5 p.m. Cassidy Romaine, his mom, settles on their couch to breastfeed surrounded by plants — greenery that Romaine, an aspiring gardener and herbalist, says helps keep her sane. At five months postpartum, Romaine’s been doing well managing a new baby and her own mental health. Her last two pregnancies were much harder, including one where she went into premature labor and lost her baby girl a few days after birth. (Miles, 4/4)
On sexual health —
The Wall Street Journal:
FDA To Drop Ban On Sperm Donations From Gay And Bisexual Men
The Food and Drug Administration is making plans to significantly expand the number of gay and bisexual men who could donate sperm anonymously. Longstanding agency rules ban anonymous sperm donations by men who acknowledged having sex with other men during the previous five years, to reduce the risk of spreading pathogens including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. (Essley Whyte and Dockser Marcus, 4/4)
Newsweek:
Women More Likely To Expect Orgasms With Other Women
The orgasm gap between men and women may also be affected by the gender of their sexual partner, new research has found. ... Previous research has consistently shown that men are more likely to achieve orgasm during sexual activity compared to women. Now, according to a new paper in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, women are more likely to expect clitoral stimulation and orgasm when having sex with a woman than with a man. (Thomson, 4/4)
Reuters:
UN Rights Body Adopts First Resolution To Protect Rights Of Intersex People
The United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday voted to adopt a resolution designed to protect the rights of intersex people, the first initiative of its kind that diplomats and rights groups described as an landmark moment for human rights. Twenty-four countries voted in favour, twenty-three abstained and none voted against the resolution, which was spearheaded by Finland, South Africa, Chile and Australia. (4/4)
