What is the Dunning-Kruger effect?
Data and Metrics Data Literacy
Sarah Whitley Coles, MD
Tl;dr: The Dunning-Kruger effect occurs when someone’s lack of knowledge or skill in a certain area causes them to overestimate their own ability. It also causes people who are the most competent to think less of their skill. Self-reflection, objective measures of performance, and getting meaningful feedback can help keep you from falling victim to Read more…
What should I know about marijuana now that it’s becoming legal in more states?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Marijuana may not be as addictive as opioids or alcohol, but it is definitely associated with some negative consequences, especially among adolescents. In June of this year, a study was published in Nature Medicine detailing the efficacy in a small trial of an experimental drug to combat marijuana addiction. When it comes to marijuana, there Read more…
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health Social and Racial Justice
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
Mental health matters for all! Did you know that July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States? Across the nation (and world), racial and ethnic minority communities contend with unique mental health struggles that urgently require our attention. Due to wide-ranging inequities across housing, transportation, healthcare, and related sectors, BIPOC Americans (a Read more…
Let’s celebrate our LGBTQ2SIA+ scientists and clinicians!
Women in STEM
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
To round out the end of Pride Month, Those Nerdy Girls would like to use today’s post to celebrate our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning, Two Spirit, Intersex, Agender, and Asexual (LGBTQ2SIA+) brothers, sisters, and siblings in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Wow, that is a mouthful! Thank goodness for acronyms! 😅 Read more…
What does the science say about gender identity?
Reproductive Health
Alexandra Hall, MD
A: Differences in brain structure and/or function, hormone levels during different phases of development, and even genetics seem to shape our internal sense of gender identity. We all have a gender identity, or an internal sense of self as belonging somewhere on a gender spectrum. For most people, their gender identity aligns with what is Read more…
How long does it take to grieve the death of a loved one?
Mental Health
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
The process of grief is different for everyone taking place over weeks, months, and often years. This post provides science on grief as well as perspective on coping with the death of a loved one with the hope of normalizing a process that is both extremely personal and universally shared. Grief is the process of Read more…
Are doulas accessible to everyone?
Reproductive Health
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…
What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?
Reproductive Health
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
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
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
Tl;dr: The Dunning-Kruger effect occurs when someone’s lack of knowledge or skill in a certain area causes them to overestimate their own ability. It also causes people who are the most competent to think less of their skill. Self-reflection, objective measures of performance, and getting meaningful feedback can help keep you from falling victim to Read more…
What should I know about marijuana now that it’s becoming legal in more states?
Families/Kids Mental HealthSara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Marijuana may not be as addictive as opioids or alcohol, but it is definitely associated with some negative consequences, especially among adolescents. In June of this year, a study was published in Nature Medicine detailing the efficacy in a small trial of an experimental drug to combat marijuana addiction. When it comes to marijuana, there Read more…
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health Social and Racial Justice
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
Mental health matters for all! Did you know that July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States? Across the nation (and world), racial and ethnic minority communities contend with unique mental health struggles that urgently require our attention. Due to wide-ranging inequities across housing, transportation, healthcare, and related sectors, BIPOC Americans (a Read more…
Let’s celebrate our LGBTQ2SIA+ scientists and clinicians!
Women in STEM
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
To round out the end of Pride Month, Those Nerdy Girls would like to use today’s post to celebrate our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning, Two Spirit, Intersex, Agender, and Asexual (LGBTQ2SIA+) brothers, sisters, and siblings in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Wow, that is a mouthful! Thank goodness for acronyms! 😅 Read more…
What does the science say about gender identity?
Reproductive Health
Alexandra Hall, MD
A: Differences in brain structure and/or function, hormone levels during different phases of development, and even genetics seem to shape our internal sense of gender identity. We all have a gender identity, or an internal sense of self as belonging somewhere on a gender spectrum. For most people, their gender identity aligns with what is Read more…
How long does it take to grieve the death of a loved one?
Mental Health
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
The process of grief is different for everyone taking place over weeks, months, and often years. This post provides science on grief as well as perspective on coping with the death of a loved one with the hope of normalizing a process that is both extremely personal and universally shared. Grief is the process of Read more…
Are doulas accessible to everyone?
Reproductive Health
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…
What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?
Reproductive Health
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
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
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
Marijuana may not be as addictive as opioids or alcohol, but it is definitely associated with some negative consequences, especially among adolescents. In June of this year, a study was published in Nature Medicine detailing the efficacy in a small trial of an experimental drug to combat marijuana addiction. When it comes to marijuana, there Read more…
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mental Health Social and Racial JusticeMacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
Mental health matters for all! Did you know that July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States? Across the nation (and world), racial and ethnic minority communities contend with unique mental health struggles that urgently require our attention. Due to wide-ranging inequities across housing, transportation, healthcare, and related sectors, BIPOC Americans (a Read more…
Let’s celebrate our LGBTQ2SIA+ scientists and clinicians!
Women in STEM
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
To round out the end of Pride Month, Those Nerdy Girls would like to use today’s post to celebrate our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning, Two Spirit, Intersex, Agender, and Asexual (LGBTQ2SIA+) brothers, sisters, and siblings in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Wow, that is a mouthful! Thank goodness for acronyms! 😅 Read more…
What does the science say about gender identity?
Reproductive Health
Alexandra Hall, MD
A: Differences in brain structure and/or function, hormone levels during different phases of development, and even genetics seem to shape our internal sense of gender identity. We all have a gender identity, or an internal sense of self as belonging somewhere on a gender spectrum. For most people, their gender identity aligns with what is Read more…
How long does it take to grieve the death of a loved one?
Mental Health
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
The process of grief is different for everyone taking place over weeks, months, and often years. This post provides science on grief as well as perspective on coping with the death of a loved one with the hope of normalizing a process that is both extremely personal and universally shared. Grief is the process of Read more…
Are doulas accessible to everyone?
Reproductive Health
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…
What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?
Reproductive Health
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
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
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
Mental health matters for all! Did you know that July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in the United States? Across the nation (and world), racial and ethnic minority communities contend with unique mental health struggles that urgently require our attention. Due to wide-ranging inequities across housing, transportation, healthcare, and related sectors, BIPOC Americans (a Read more…
Let’s celebrate our LGBTQ2SIA+ scientists and clinicians!
Women in STEMMK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
To round out the end of Pride Month, Those Nerdy Girls would like to use today’s post to celebrate our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning, Two Spirit, Intersex, Agender, and Asexual (LGBTQ2SIA+) brothers, sisters, and siblings in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Wow, that is a mouthful! Thank goodness for acronyms! 😅 Read more…
What does the science say about gender identity?
Reproductive Health
Alexandra Hall, MD
A: Differences in brain structure and/or function, hormone levels during different phases of development, and even genetics seem to shape our internal sense of gender identity. We all have a gender identity, or an internal sense of self as belonging somewhere on a gender spectrum. For most people, their gender identity aligns with what is Read more…
How long does it take to grieve the death of a loved one?
Mental Health
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
The process of grief is different for everyone taking place over weeks, months, and often years. This post provides science on grief as well as perspective on coping with the death of a loved one with the hope of normalizing a process that is both extremely personal and universally shared. Grief is the process of Read more…
Are doulas accessible to everyone?
Reproductive Health
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…
What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?
Reproductive Health
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
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
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
To round out the end of Pride Month, Those Nerdy Girls would like to use today’s post to celebrate our Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer & Questioning, Two Spirit, Intersex, Agender, and Asexual (LGBTQ2SIA+) brothers, sisters, and siblings in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Wow, that is a mouthful! Thank goodness for acronyms! 😅 Read more…
What does the science say about gender identity?
Reproductive HealthAlexandra Hall, MD
A: Differences in brain structure and/or function, hormone levels during different phases of development, and even genetics seem to shape our internal sense of gender identity. We all have a gender identity, or an internal sense of self as belonging somewhere on a gender spectrum. For most people, their gender identity aligns with what is Read more…
How long does it take to grieve the death of a loved one?
Mental Health
Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD
The process of grief is different for everyone taking place over weeks, months, and often years. This post provides science on grief as well as perspective on coping with the death of a loved one with the hope of normalizing a process that is both extremely personal and universally shared. Grief is the process of Read more…
Are doulas accessible to everyone?
Reproductive Health
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…
What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?
Reproductive Health
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
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
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
A: Differences in brain structure and/or function, hormone levels during different phases of development, and even genetics seem to shape our internal sense of gender identity. We all have a gender identity, or an internal sense of self as belonging somewhere on a gender spectrum. For most people, their gender identity aligns with what is Read more…
How long does it take to grieve the death of a loved one?
Mental HealthAshley Ritter, APRN, PhD
The process of grief is different for everyone taking place over weeks, months, and often years. This post provides science on grief as well as perspective on coping with the death of a loved one with the hope of normalizing a process that is both extremely personal and universally shared. Grief is the process of Read more…
Are doulas accessible to everyone?
Reproductive Health
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…
What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?
Reproductive Health
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
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
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
The process of grief is different for everyone taking place over weeks, months, and often years. This post provides science on grief as well as perspective on coping with the death of a loved one with the hope of normalizing a process that is both extremely personal and universally shared. Grief is the process of Read more…
Are doulas accessible to everyone?
Reproductive HealthMacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…
What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?
Reproductive Health
MK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
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
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
The Short Answer: Like many holistic care practices today, there is a valid concern that doulas are at risk of being “gentrified” in the sense that they will become more inaccessible as they grow more popular. But here’s the truth: Anyone who is planning a family, starting a family, or is looking to make a Read more…
What is preeclampsia? Who is most at risk? What should we be aware of?
Reproductive HealthMK Haber, FNP-C, IBCLC
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
MacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
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 HealthMacKenzie (Kenzie) Isaac, MA
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
Andrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
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 VaccinesAndrea Harmony, NP-C, PMHS
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
Alexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
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 HealthAlexandra Hall, MD
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General Health
Megan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
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…
I’m pretty healthy overall, so do I need to take a daily multivitamin to prevent illness?
General HealthMegan Madsen, DO
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial Justice
Gretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
For most people, a multivitamin is probably not necessary to improve health. TL/DR: If you eat a varied diet that contains many fruits and vegetables, you probably do not need to supplement with a multivitamin. There is no evidence that vitamins reduce the development of chronic illnesses such as heart disease or significantly reduce risk Read more…
Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth
Social and Racial JusticeGretchen Peterson, Chief Operations Officer
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
Today Those Nerdy Girls honor Ms. Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. It is named for June 19th, the day in 1865 that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free. Ms. Lee, who refers to herself as “just a little old lady in Read more…
Will there be an updated COVID booster this fall?
VaccinesA: 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 going on with syphilis rates in the U.S.?
Reproductive HealthSara Gorman, PhD, MPH
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental Health
Sara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
Syphilis rates are on the rise in the U.S. There are a variety of factors that might be responsible for this, including underfunding of public health clinics and failure to train clinicians to take adequate sexual histories. Rates of sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) have been climbing in the U.S., especially since 2020 when the COVID pandemic Read more…
What’s to know about the new Surgeon General report on social media and youth mental health?
Families/Kids Mental HealthSara Gorman, PhD, MPH
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…
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…
