What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?

Reproductive Health

Preeclampsia and other severe pregnancy complications, especially among Black people, have thankfully been getting more attention in the media in the last couple of weeks. These individual stories are so important because they humanize what can sometimes become numbing statistics. And they are highlighting some of the significant health disparities in the U.S. that Black Read more…

Doulas: Who are they?

Reproductive Health

Happy Pride Month, Nerds! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️⚧ Each day, we find ourselves on the receiving end of rhetoric that minimizes and even directly threatens the joy, safety, lives, and livelihoods of LGBTQIA+ folks. This, combined with the ongoing challenges to reproductive health rights, means that we could all use any emotional support we can come across. And Read more…

Nerdy Girls Live 06/22/23

COVID Variants Infection and Spread Staying Safe Testing and Contact Tracing Vaccines Videos

Those Nerdy Girls discuss COVID-19 risks, precautions, and boosters. Hosted by: – Jenn Dowd, PhD: TNG Editor in Chief & Founding Member – Chana Davis, PhD: TNG Contributing Writer & Founder of Fueled by Science ➡️ Hello and Introductions (00:00-01:12) ➡️ Current COVID-19 risk level (What is it and how is it measured?) (1:13-5:13) ➡️ Read more…

What’s the latest on the new RSV vaccine for pregnant people?

Infectious Diseases Reproductive Health Vaccines

A: Pfizer’s clinical trial of a new RSV vaccine in pregnancy showed high vaccine efficacy against severe disease in infants. The FDA advisory committee discussed an observed difference in premature births in the placebo vs. vaccine group, but concluded that the difference was likely due to chance rather than from the vaccine itself. TL;DR: The Read more…

I heard that “the pill” might become illegal? Is it all birth control pills?

Reproductive Health

There are lots of different types of “pills” related to pregnancy. It’s most helpful to break them into two categories: Contraceptives PREVENT someone from becoming pregnant. Other types of pills are used when there is ALREADY an established pregnancy. It’s mifepristone, from this second group, whose FDA approval is currently being contested in the U.S. Read more…

Will there be an updated COVID booster this fall?

Vaccines

A: Yes. It looks like an updated formula with an XBB variant will be headed our way soon in the US. TL;DR: ✅Fall boosters will be comprised of one (a “monovalent”) XBB strain. ✅The closely related XBB strains protect well against each other, so vaccine makers will pick one (might be XBB1.5). ✅The original SARS-CoV-2 Read more…

What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?

Families/Kids Mental Health

A: The report indicates strong signals of social media’s harm to youth mental health, although it is still hard to know for sure if social media directly causes mental health problems. Last month, the Surgeon General released an in-depth report about the potential harms of social media to youth mental health. Amidst a crisis of Read more…

¿Las reinfecciones por COVID son peores que una primera infección?

Infection and Spread Posts en Español

No lo son – especialmente para la mayoría de las personas. Pero para las personas vulnerables, las reinfecciones pueden seguir siendo peligrosas. Y cada infección conlleva su propio riesgo de COVID a largo plazo. El virus SARS-CoV-2 ha llegado para quedarse en las poblaciones humanas. Estamos oyendo el consabido estribillo de que el COVID no Read more…