#Pregnant Women with Covid-19

[submalevolentgrace]

From the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have raised concerns about the potential for long-term health problems linked to SARS-CoV-2 and warned repeated infections are likely to increase the risk. An association between COVID and cardiovascular disease emerged quickly. And now — almost exactly four years since the first case was discovered in Wuhan — a growing body of scientific research is cautiously linking the inflammation caused by a COVID infection to diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's as well as autoimmune conditions from bowel disease to rheumatoid arthritis. The virus has even been suggested to impact some pregnant women, associated with double the risk of premature delivery. As the eighth COVID wave hits Australia, experts are taking notice.

...

When the first wave of COVID patients began reporting loss of smell and taste, Barnham's radar went up. "Any time you see olfactory impairment it tells you that there's going to be neurological impact," he says. "Loss of smell is a cardinal, pre-clinical symptom of Parkinson's disease and it's been implicated in Alzheimer's disease as well." The fact that COVID patients reported loss of smell not only during the active phase of the disease, but as a persistent symptom, suggested to Barnham that longer-term health consequences were likely. Loss of smell is associated with loss of brain volume.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Today in 'too little, too late'

Also preserved on our archive

It's frustrating how this is being billed as a preemptive measure when covid wastewater levels have been high or very high since at least June. Better than nothing, but we should demand better than "better than nothing."

by PK Hattis

SANTA CRUZ — In anticipation of respiratory virus levels spiking during the coming fall and winter months, Santa Cruz County’s top public health official issued a protective order Wednesday that will take effect in a few weeks.

County Health Officer Lisa Hernandez declared that, starting Nov. 1, masks will be required among all visitors and personnel working in local acute care facilities, nursing facilities, surgical and maternity centers and infusion centers — including dialysis and chemotherapy — to tamp down the spread of respiratory viruses among vulnerable communities and the general population.

The three familiar culprits — influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and COVID-19 — have been known to spread widely during the colder months and this year is not expected to be any different, carrying potential for serious consequences.

“These respiratory viruses can lead to severe illness especially among certain groups such as infants, older adults, pregnant women, and those with a weakened immune system,” Hernandez said in the release. “This Order is issued to curb the spread of these viruses to vulnerable populations and minimize the risk of severe illness and death.”

The order applies to all health care personnel and visitors regardless of vaccination status and masks must be worn at all times while indoors and conducting direct patient care or while visiting patient care areas.

Still, that doesn’t mean vaccines should be ignored. In fact, quite the opposite, the release noted. Vaccination remains the best way to protect individuals from infection, hospitalization or death from COVID-19 and influenza while also reducing the risk of spreading the viruses to others, according to the release. The updated recipe for the COVID vaccine was given final approval for release last month by national health authorities and doses have since become available at local health care providers and pharmacies across the county. Community members can reach out to their primary care provider or a pharmacy at a local Safeway, Walgreens or CVS, among others, for scheduling and availability.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also recommended that adults 75 years and older receive the RSV vaccine as well as individuals 60 years and older who are at increased risk for severe RSV illness. The RSV vaccine is also recommended for pregnant people between 32-36 weeks of pregnancy.

When it comes to COVID specifically, public health preparations for the long winter ahead come on the heels of a busy summer season of infections. According to the county’s COVID tracker, the virus was actively spreading in the community from about mid-April to early August. Wastewater and other data models indicate virus levels have continued to drop ever since.

[darkmaga-retard]

The new monkeypox and smallpox vaccine has been linked to death in unvaccinated people who have had contact with vaccinated people, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The package insert for ACAM2000, the new vaccine for smallpox and monkeypox, warns of “serious complications” from the vaccine, admitting they “have occurred following either primary vaccination or revaccination with ACAM2000 or other live vaccinia virus vaccines.”

The list of serious complications on page 24 of the package insert is alarming, with many side effects linked to severe disability, permanent neurological damage, and even death.

“Serious complications that may follow either primary or revaccination with ACAM2000 include: myocarditis and/or pericarditis, encephalitis, encephalomyelitis, encephalopathy, progressive vaccinia (vaccinia necrosum), generalized vaccinia, severe vaccinial skin infections, erythema multiforme major (including Stevens-Johnson syndrome), eczema vaccinatum, accidental eye infection (ocular vaccinia) which can cause ocular complications including keratitis and corneal scarring that may lead to blindness, and fetal death in pregnant women.

“These complications may rarely lead to severe disability, permanent neurological sequalae and death.”

Alarmingly, the new vaccine shares many of the same side effects as the COVID-19 vaccine, including heart damage, with myocarditis or pericarditis occurring in 5.7 out of every 1,000 vaccinations.

“Based on ACAM2000 clinical trials, symptoms of suspected myocarditis or pericarditis (such as chest pain, raised troponin/cardiac enzymes, or ECG abnormalities) occurred in 5.7 per 1000 primary vaccinations. This finding includes cases of acute symptomatic or asymptomatic myocarditis or pericarditis or both.”

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Grace Hills at Kansas Reflector:

TOPEKA — Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a civil lawsuit Monday against pharmaceutical company Pfizer, alleging that “Pfizer misled the public that it had a ‘safe and effective’ COVID-19 vaccine,” violating the state’s Consumer Protection Act.  The state seeks “civil monetary penalties, damages, and injunctive relief from misleading and deceptive statements made in marketing its COVID-19 vaccine,” Kobach said.  In the complaint, Kobach alleges that Pfizer willfully concealed, suppressed and omitted material facts relating to the COVID-19 vaccine, the “most egregious” ones regarding safety of the vaccine for pregnant people, in regard to heart conditions, its effectiveness against variants and its ability to stop transmission. 

“Pfizer marketed its vaccine as safe for pregnant women,” Kobach said. “However, in February of 2021 (they) possessed reports of 458 pregnant women who received Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy. More than half of the pregnant women reported an adverse event, and more than 10% reported a miscarriage.”  The percentage of “adverse events” — which is a term that means any negative reaction — was higher in pregnant women than the general population by roughly 17 percent, according to a study published in the journal Medicine in February 2022.  An earlier study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in April 2021 offered preliminary findings that did not show any significant safety concerns among pregnant individuals who received the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, indicating that observed miscarriages were not unusual and likely not a direct result of the vaccine. 

Kobach says that Pfizer marketed the vaccine as safe in terms of heart conditions such as myocarditis and pericarditis. He referenced a question Albert Bourla, Pfizer CEO was asked in January 2023 of if the vaccine caused severe myocarditis, to which Bourla responded “we have not seen a single signal, although we have distributed billions of doses.”  “However, as Pfizer knew, the United States Government, the United States Military foreign governments and others have found that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine caused myocarditis and pericarditis,” Kobach said. According to the CDC, cases of myocarditis and pericarditis caused by the COVID-19 vaccine are rare, and most patients experienced resolution of symptoms by hospital discharge. 

Kobach says Pfizer marketed its vaccine as effective against COVID-19 variants, “even though data available at the time showed Pfizer’s vaccine was effective less than half the time.” His final allegation in the complaint was that the company falsely marketed the vaccine as preventing transmission. 

Kansas AG Kris Kobach (R) files politically-motivated lawsuit against Pfizer and their COVID vaccine to score brownie points with anti-vaxxer extremists.

[texasobserver]

From “Millions of Texans are About to Lose Their Health Insurance” by TXO Winter/Spring Editorial Fellow Sara Hutchinson:

Last November, Tiayana Hardy gave birth to her first child, a baby girl named Laylani. 

“She came a week before her due date, but I can’t complain about that,” said Hardy. “She was born healthy, she’s an easy baby, and motherhood is amazing.”

But Hardy has concerns about her future. She is still experiencing bleeding related to the delivery as well as continuing postpartum anxiety. And now the Garland resident is about to lose the Medicaid coverage that got her through her pregnancy.

Hardy is far from alone. An estimated 2.7 million Texans—mostly children and new moms— are expected to lose their Medicaid insurance in the next few months, some as early as June. That’s almost half of all Texans now on the Medicaid rolls. Most of those affected had had their earlier coverage extended by the public health declaration that came during the COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration expires at the end of March. 

Now the state must begin a federally mandated review of its entire 5.9 million-member Medicaid caseload. Texans who no longer qualify will lose their coverage, but so could current eligible recipients who fail to complete required paperwork for recertification.

“Advocates are very, very concerned right now,” said Jana Eubank, CEO of the Texas Association of Community Health Centers. “Families aren’t even going to know what’s going on, and they’re just going to lose coverage and show up at a doctor or a health center, and they’re going to be told, ‘Oh, you’re not on Medicaid anymore.’”

For over a year, public health advocates have raised concerns about Texas Health and Human Services’ (HHSC) ability to handle this recertification process, which begins April 1 and is expected to be finished within 12 months. State officials are apparently worried, too: HHSC recently requested an additional $143 million to cover more staff to process the approaching onslaught.  

“It’s probably the largest enrollment event, if not the largest enrollment event since the ACA [federal Affordable Care Act],” Eubank said. 

Parents Tiayana Hardy and Desmond Gentle pose with their baby, Laylani, born Nov. 30, 2022. Hardy has relied on Medicaid to cover her health care needs since she became pregnant last year, but she’ll lose that coverage once the public health emergency expires.  

Medicaid, a federal entitlement program administered by states, provides health insurance for low-income residents who cannot afford private insurance. Nearly half of Texas children depend on the program, as do 51 percent of moms, whose prenatal care and hospital bills are covered.

In this, the most underinsured state in the country, millions of people fall outside of Medicaid coverage due to Texas’ strict eligibility criteria and Republican leaders’ refusal to accept billions of federal dollars to expand the program. The state’s requirements around income eligibility mean the vast majority of working poor Texans make too much to qualify for coverage. 

A single mother of two would need to earn less than $4,000 per year to be eligible for Texas Medicaid insurance, while childless adults are ineligible no matter how poor they are. Eligibility requirements ease for single pregnant women, who may make up to $2,243 a month, but that coverage cuts off two months after birth regardless of their care needs. 

Despite Republican leaders’ past opposition to any expansion of Medicaid, Texas Speaker of the House Dade Phelan and Governor Greg Abbott both have named postpartum Medicaid expansion as a top priority for this session. But even if it passes, it won’t come soon enough to prevent confusion and distress for low-income families. 

Under the national public health emergency initiated by the federal government in March 2020, no Texan who qualified and was enrolled in Medicaid could be dropped from the program. That meant Texas moms like Hardy who would have ordinarily lost their insurance two-months postpartum have been able to maintain their coverage for the duration of the pandemic. The same is true for Texas children who would have aged out of the program.

As a result, the state’s Medicaid rolls grew from 3.5 million before the pandemic to 5.9 million today. Federal dollars provided the financing for this temporary expansion.

But with the public health emergency set to expire, advocates say, families are now scrambling to find new coverage options and navigate a complicated and bureaucratic reenrollment process. 

Of particular concern are the millions of Texas children currently enrolled in Medicaid who could miss prescription refills or have to forgo doctor’s visits if their parents are unable to complete the upcoming recertification process. According to state data, 4.2 million Texas children currently rely on Medicaid to access healthcare, up from 2.8 million prior to the pandemic. 

“You’re going to go to your pharmacy to get your prescription renewed and they’re going to say, ‘Oh, you don’t have coverage anymore.’ Or you’re going to take your kids for their scheduled well-child visit to get vaccinations for school. And they’re going to say, ‘Oh, you don’t have coverage.’ That’s when they’re going to find out,” said Diana Forester, who oversees health policy at the children’s advocacy nonprofit Texans Care for Children. The organization recently launched a website to help Texans navigate the end of continuous coverage.

[sickly-sapphic]

Is it possible for lc disability after a covid infection 4 months ago to cause your period to never show again? It has been over 60 days since my last and I ain't pregnant cause I don't even fuck anyone w a penis /g

Yup, it sure is. Here's four articles/studies on it!! A bit of a warning for heavily gendered language :\

[dipperscavern]

Who up pondering they orb rn? Dipper, that's who!

It's me, chonky, and I hereby request your finest 🔮 reading, please and thank you. Also, sorry for the oncoming wall of text.

As my self-proclaimed title suggests, I am chonky. I'd say I'm probably mid-sized actually but that's only really because I lost some weight when covid happened and the depression rolled in. Anyway, I think I'm 5'5/5'6 but I actually don't know so that's just an estimate based on how tall I am compared to my mom who's 5'11.

I'm biracial but my father's irish-italian genes colonized me so hard, my only afro-centric features I inherited from my mom is my nose, lips, and curly hair, textured around the 3a-3c mark depending on how agreeable my hair is.

I also used to speak spanish when I was way younger because I grew up around my mom's family and she's half puerto rican on her dad's side. Unfortunately, that got whitewashed too when me and my parents moved and I know longer know the language.

I'm from New Jersey but was primarily raised in the New England area of America. I'm (almost) 19 and unlike Jared, I did learn how to read and I enjoy it very much.

I love music of all kinds except country and k-pop is on really thin ice. I'm self-diagnosed autistic and incredibly socially awkward. I make a lot of race jokes but in the "white people can't season their damn food" way instead of the "racist remarks and racial slurs I can't reclaim" way. I'm here, I'm queer, and I really, really need a beer because these damn politicians are going to turn me into an alcoholic, I swear.

I'm a switch but I prefer to dom. Or at least I would. Unfortunately, I get no bitches for I have no rizz. I also have questionable taste in men and women because best believe, you put me in a room alone with Cersei Lannister, her brother (or her lover), Aegon Targaryen II, Aemond Targaryen, Alicent Hightower, or Criston Cole, all them bitches walking out pregnant and I will not apologize for that.

I think that's it. Sorry for the yapfest. All that not talking to people irl manifests into being a blabbermouth online.

-chonky anon

who up pondering they orb rn (me), ANYWAYS, come, dear chonky, and let my crystal friend tell us which man will you love until your timely end 🔮

hm… i see… who is that? no, seriously, who the hell in my orb rn?? OH A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE— excuse my french, that’s your brother jared. *i outstretch my hand, and a nearby unseen hamster gladly walks on it. i flip it, using its back to rub my eyes clean. you watch in horror as i finish my business, setting the hamster down, and returning my gaze to my crystal ball*

ah, that’s more like it. yes yes… i gaze upon (the first) king in the north, robb stark. the thing that solidified that for me was the race jokes 😭 he’d think you’re sooooo funny, and you remind him a lot of theon (whether or not that hurts his heart after theons betrayal, we’ll never know). and your attitude about politicians is exactly how robb feels 24/7. he’s a great battle strategist, but politics make his head hurt, and he’d love being able to complain with you. the part about being socially awkward and preferring not to speak with people much would tickle robb’s fancy at times, because he feels like he gets you allll to himself. and don’t even worry about the rizz!! robb is a-okay being the charming one, and relishes in being able to tease you all he likes <3

[lasseling]

OBGYN Doctor Calls on Attorneys to Sue Institutions That Forced COVID Shots on Babies & Pregnant Women

Veteran OBGYN physician Dr. James Thorp called on attorneys to take on lawsuits against medical institutions that forced the experimental and “dangerous” COVID-19 injections on babies and pregnant women.

[insert-witty-user-name-here]

50+ Good Things from the Biden Administration

Just a list of 50+ good things the Biden Administration has done in the last 4 years because I’ve been hearing too much rhetoric that it doesn’t matter who you vote for. It does make a difference. 

Increased access to healthcare and specifically codified protections for LGBTQ+ patients against discrimination. (x) 

Strengthened women's reproductive rights by increasing access to reproductive health care, improving confidentiality to protect against criminalization for patients receiving reproductive care, and revoked Medicaid waivers from states that would exclude providers like Planned Parenthood, and more. (x)

Expanded healthcare and benefits for veterans through the PACT Act (x)

Cemented protections for pregnant and postpartum workers through the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act. 

Improved access to nursing homes for those who receive Medicaid services and established, for the first time, a national minimum staffing requirement for nursing homes to ensure those in their care receive sufficient support.  (x) 

Lowered healthcare costs for those with Medicare which capped insulin for seniors at $35 a month, made vaccines free, and capped seniors’ out of pocket expenses at the pharmacy through the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Fully vaccinated 79% of American adults against COVID-19 (I know this is old news now this is a big deal) 

Banned unfair practices that hide housing fees from renters and homebuyers when moving into a new home (x) 

Reduced the mortgage insurance premium for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgages and clarified that inflated rents caused by algorithmic use of sensitive nonpublic pricing and supply information violate antitrust laws. (x) 

Increased protections for those saving for retirement from predatory practices. (x)

Helped millions of households gain access to the internet through the Affordable Connectivity Program. (x) 

Restored net neutrality (net neutrality is a standard which ensures broadband internet service is essential and prohibits interna providers from blocking, engaging in paid prioritization, and more.) (x)

Increased protections for loan holders as well as increased access to loans (x)

Cut fees that banks charge consumers for overdrawing on their accounts. (x)

Reaffirmed HUD’s commitment to remedy housing discrimination under the Fair Housing Act (which was– surprise, surprise– halted under the Trump administration). (x)

Rejoined the Paris Climate Accords.  

Listed more than 24 million acres of public lands across the country as environmentally protected and has channeled more than $18 billion dollars toward conservation projects. (And revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline amongst others). 

Invested $369 billion to reduce greenhouse emissions and promote clean energy technologies through the Inflation Reduction Act. Through the tax incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act, renewable energy (such as wind, solar, and hydropower) has surpassed coal-fired generation in the electric power sector for the first time, making it the second-biggest source of energy behind natural gas. (x)

Strengthened protections against workplace assault through the Speak Out Act. (x) 

Increased protections for workers during the union bargaining process (x)

Is making it easier for passengers to obtain refunds when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, significantly delay their bags, or fail to provide extra services when purchased. (x)  

Invested $1.2 trillion into roads, waterlines, broadband networks, airports and more allowing for more bridges, railroads, tunnels, roads, and more through the Inflation Reduction Act (which also added 670,000 jobs). (idk about you but I like driving on well maintained roads and having more rail options).  

Strengthened overtime protections for federal employees (x)

Raised the minimum wage for federal workers and contractors to $15. (x)

Strengthened protections for farmworkers by expanding the activities protected from retaliation by the National Labor Relations Act and more. (Previously anti-retaliation provisions under the National Labor Relations Act applies mostly to only U.S. citizens) (x)

Invested $80 billion for the Internal Revenue Service to hire new agents, audit the wealth, modernize its technology, and more. Additionally, created $300 billion in new revenue through corporate tax increases. (x) 

Lowered the unemployment rate to 3.5% — the lowest in 50 years. 

Canceled over $140B of student debt for nearly 40 million borrowers. (x)

Strengthened protections for sexual assault survivors, pregnant and parenting students, and LGBTQ+ students in schools through an updated Title IX rule. This updated rule strengthens sexual assault survivors rights to investigation– something that had been gutted under the Trump administration, strengthens requirements that schools provide modifications for students based on pregnancy, prohibits harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and more. (x)

Revoked an order that limited diversity and inclusion training. (x)

Cracked down on for profit colleges. (x)

Reaffirmed students’ federal civil rights protections for non-discrimination based on race, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender in schools. Specifically, the Department of Education made clear students with disabilities’ right to school, limiting the use of out of school suspensions and expulsions against them. (x) (x) 

Enhanced the Civil Rights Data Collection, a national survey that captures data on students’ equal access to educational opportunities. These changes will improve the tracking of civil rights violations for students, critical for advocates to respond to instances of discrimination. 

Provided guidance on how colleges and universities can still uphold racial diversity in higher education following the Supreme Court decision overturning affirmative action. (x) 

Issued a federal pardon to all prior Federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana. Additionally, the DEA is taking steps to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III substance instead of a Schedule I, limiting punishment for possession in the future. (x) 

Changed drug charges related to crack offenses, now charging crack offenses as powder cocaine offenses. This is a big step towards ending the racial disparity that punishes crack offenses with greater severity than offenses involving the same amount of powder cocaine. (x) 

Lowered the cost of local calls for incarcerated people through the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act as well as increased access for video calls (especially impactful for incarcerated people with disabilities). (x) 

Enacted policing reforms that banned chokeholds, restricted no-knock entries, and restricted the transfer of military equipment to local police departments. (x)

Established the National Law Enforcement Accountability Database (NLEAD) which will better track police officer misconduct. This database will vet federal law enforcement candidates who have a history of misconduct from being rehired and will make it easier and faster to charge police officers under the Death in Custody Reporting Act. (x) 

Added disability as a protected characteristic alongside race, gender, religion, and sexual orientation. Under the law, police officers are prohibited from profiling people based on these characteristics. …It sadly happens anyway but now there’s an added legal protection which means a mechanism to convict police officers should they break the law. (x) 

Required federal prisons to place incarcerated individuals consistent with their chosen pronouns and gender identity. (x) 

Expanded gun background checks by narrowing the “boyfriend” loophole to keep guns out of the hands of convicted dating partners, strengthening requirements for registering as a licensed gun dealer (closing the “gun show loophole”), and more through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.  (x) 

Increased mental health programs within police departments to support officers experiencing substance use disorders, mental health issues, or trauma from their duties. (x)

Lifted Trump era restrictions on the use of consent decrees. The Justice Department uses consent decrees to force local government agencies (like police departments) to eliminate bad practices (such as widespread abuse and misconduct) that infringe on peoples’ civil rights. (x) 

Improved reporting of hate crimes through the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act (x) 

Nominated the first Black woman to sit on the Supreme Court 

Confirmed 200 lifetime judges to federal courts, confirming historic numbers of women, people of color, and other judges who have long been excluded from our federal court system. (64% are women, 63% are people of color) 

Designated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) status for immigrants from Cameroon, Haiti, ​​El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sudan, and more. (x) 

Ended the discriminatory Muslim and African bans (x). 

Provided a pathway to citizenship for spouses of U.S. citizens that have been living in the country without documentation. (x) 

Expanded healthcare to DACA recipients (x) 

This one is… barely a win but not by fault of the Biden Administration. The Department of Homeland Security as of Feb 2023 has reunited nearly 700 immigrant children that were separated from their families under Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy. From 2017-2021, 3,881 children were separated from their families. About 74% of those have been reunited with their families: 2,176 before the task force was created and 689 afterward. But that still leaves nearly 1,000 children who remain tragically separated from their families from under the Trump Administration. (x)

(okay this one is maybe only exciting for me who’s a census nerd) Revised federal standards for the collection of race and ethnicity data, allowing for federal data that better reflect the country’s diversity. Now, government forms will include a Middle Eastern/ North African category (when previously those individuals would check “white”). Additionally, forms will now have combined the race & ethnicity question allowing for individuals to check “Latino/a” as their race (previously Latine individuals would be encouraged to check “Latino” for ethnicity and “white” for race… which doesn’t really resonate with many folks). (x) (I know this sounds boring but let me tell you this is BIG when it comes to better data collection– and better advocacy!).

Rescinded a Trump order that would have excluded undocumented immigrants from the 2020 Census which would have taken away critical funds from those communities. 

Required the U.S. federal government and all U.S. states and territories to recognize the validity of same-sex and interracial civil marriages by passing the Respect for Marriage Act, repealing the Defense of Marriage Act.

Reversed Trump’stransgender military ban. 

Proposed investments in a lot of programs including universal pre-k, green energy, mental health programs across all sectors, a national medical leave program for all workers and more. (x) 

Last… let’s also not forget all the truly terrible things Trump did when he was in office. If you need a reminder, scroll this list, this one mostly for giggles + horror, for actual horror about what a Trump presidency has in store, learn about ‘Project 2025’ from the Heritage Foundation. I know this post is about reasons to vote FOR Biden but let’s not forget the many, many reasons to vote for him over Trump. 

So, there it is, 50+ reasons to vote for Biden in the 2024 Election. 

Check your voter registration here, make a plan to vote, and encourage your friends to vote as well. 

All in all, yeah… there’s a lot of shitty things still happening. There’s always going to be shit but things aren’t going to change on their own. And that change starts (it certainly doesn’t end) with voting. 

Go vote in November. 

[ukrfeminism]

An unprecedented number of women are being investigated by police on suspicion of illegally ending a pregnancy, the BBC has been told.

Abortion provider MSI says it knows of up to 60 criminal inquiries in England and Wales since 2018, compared with almost zero before.

Some investigations followed natural pregnancy loss, File on 4 found.

Pregnancy loss is investigated only if credible evidence suggests a crime, the National Police Chiefs' Council says.

File on 4 has spoken to women who say that they have been "traumatised" and left feeling "suicidal" following criminal investigations lasting years.

Speaking for the first time, one woman described how she had been placed under investigation after giving birth prematurely, despite maintaining that she had never attempted an abortion.

In England, Scotland and Wales, abortion is legal up to 24 weeks with the approval of two doctors. However, after 10 weeks the procedure must be carried out in an approved clinic or NHS hospital.

Outside of these circumstances, deliberately ending a pregnancy remains a criminal offence in England and Wales under the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which carries a maximum punishment of life in prison.

Dr Jonathan Lord, medical director at MSI, which is one of the UK's main abortion providers, believes the "unprecedented" number of women now falling under investigation may be linked to the police's increased awareness of the availability of the "pills by post" scheme - introduced in England and Wales during the Covid-19 lockdown. Scotland also introduced a similar programme.

These "telemedicine" schemes, which allow pregnancies up to 10 weeks to be terminated at home, remain in effect.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), the UK's other main abortion provider, says it has received more than two dozen police requests for the medical records of women who have enquired about an abortion.

In March, MPs are due to vote on an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill that would fully decriminalise abortion in England and Wales.

'I just froze'

File on 4 spoke to Katie (not her real name), who has been under investigation for several years for illegally procuring an abortion.

She says she believed that she was approximately seven weeks pregnant when she contacted a provider and received abortion pills through the post.

After taking the pills at home, Katie says she went into labour and gave birth to a stillborn baby. She later realised the pregnancy had progressed beyond the 24-week limit.

"After I gave birth I just froze - nothing will ever prepare you for something like that," she says.

"I didn't know what to do. I just kept thinking: 'How did this happen? How did I not know?'"

Katie was taken to hospital, where staff called the police. She was arrested on suspicion of self-inducing an abortion illegally and held in police custody before she was released on bail.

MSI's Dr Lord says criminal investigations and prosecutions further "traumatise" women after abortions, and that women like Katie deserve "compassion" rather than "punishment".

"These women are often vulnerable and in desperate situations - they need help, and prosecuting them is not the way to do that," he says.

Katie could face a prison sentence. She maintains that she had no idea that she was over the legal time limit when she took the pills - she says she was still having regular periods and had not put on any weight.

"Being under investigation, it's such a long process and months go past without you hearing anything," she says.

"I have genuinely felt suicidal at times because of it."

Melanie McDonagh, a journalist who has written widely about abortion and believes abortion should not be fully decriminalised, says the rise in police investigations is a consequence of "pills by post" and called for in-person consultations to be reintroduced at clinics.

"If we return to the situation before telemedicine in 2020, then there would be a guard against most of these cases happening in the first place," she says.

'Outdated law'

Abortion providers say the 1861 law that makes abortion a criminal offence is no longer fit for purpose - and the increase in cases being investigated means they want abortion to be fully decriminalised.

In Scotland, abortion is criminalised under common law. Abortion was fully decriminalised in Northern Ireland in 2020.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) says prosecutions under the law are rare: "We carefully consider the personal circumstances of those who end their pregnancy outside the legal parameters and address these as sensitively as possible.

"Our prosecutors have a duty to ensure that laws set by Parliament are properly considered and applied when making difficult charging decisions."

Only four women have gone on to be convicted of procuring an illegal abortion in the past 20 years. One of these women, Carla Foster, was jailed in June last year.

Another woman, Bethany Cox, was cleared of the same charge in January. Since December 2022, four more women in England have appeared in court under the law. Charges were dropped against one and discontinued in another case, while two women face a potential trial.

In some cases, women have been reported to police on suspicion of having an illegal abortion by healthcare workers, including midwives.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) issued new guidance to medical professionals in January, urging them not to report women to police if they suspected they may have illegally ended their pregnancies.

RCOG said it was concerned that "traumatised" women were being prosecuted after abortions.

But abortion providers MSI and BPAS say this does not go far enough, because women can still be subject to criminal investigation if they are reported by someone else.

However, Melanie McDonagh says health professionals should not be discouraged from contacting police and that they have a "responsibility" to both the woman and the foetus.

MPs are set to vote on the amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill that would decriminalise abortion next month. It will become law if approved by both the House of Commons and the Lords,

Those who coerce women into abortions against their will would not be protected from prosecution if it passes.

Labour MP Diana Johnson, who tabled the amendment, says it would bring England and Wales into line with Northern Ireland.

But opponents of the proposed law change say it sets a dangerous precedent.

Melanie McDonagh says changing the law would be "disastrous".

She says: "If abortion was decriminalised, we would have more cases of women having abortions beyond the legal limit.

"We should be doing everything in our power to discourage this, and the law acts as a deterrent."

'Treated like criminals'

File on 4 has also found evidence of women falling under suspicion of illegally ending a pregnancy following a natural pregnancy loss - rather than taking pills - or premature birth.

Sammy, who lives with her husband and teenage son in the north of England, says she decided to have an abortion after falling pregnant last year.

But staff at the abortion clinic told Sammy she was over the legal 24-week time limit.

"I was all over the place, I searched for information about adoption and abortion," she says.

Even though abortion pills would not have been medically safe or legal to take, she says she did at one point put abortion tablets in her online basket and researched information about abortion methods as well as adoption.

She says, though, that she did not go through with the purchase of the tablets, deciding instead to come to terms with continuing the pregnancy.

But six days later, she says she started to feel unwell and realised she was going into premature labour.

Her son was born at home over three months premature, weighing only 1lb 5oz (700g).

"He was blue in colour, he wasn't breathing, so I had to start CPR on him," she says.

While she previously had wanted a termination, "that didn't mean I didn't want him to survive" after he was born, she says - and he did survive.

Sammy's husband called 999 and police and paramedics arrived. After Sammy was taken to hospital, her husband was arrested on suspicion of procuring an illegal abortion. She was told she needed to be interviewed at the police station.

"We were treated like criminals from the get-go, but we'd done nothing wrong," she says.

Sammy's husband was released on bail, but they both remained under police investigation for over a year.

Last month, Sammy was told police were dropping the investigation because of a lack of evidence.

Dr Lord said that in another case, a teenager was investigated by hospital staff after a pregnancy loss because she had previously contacted an abortion provider.

He said: "This is a national scandal, which I think we will look back on in years to come and think, how was this allowed to happen?"

The police force that handled Sammy's case said officers who arrived at her house had identified information to suggest that a crime may have been committed and a "thorough" investigation was required.

It said no-one involved would face any further police action.

Sammy says although she is relieved, she is still dealing with the impact of the investigation on her mental health.

"I still don't sleep properly because I'm still constantly worrying about being taken away," she says.

"I think without the support of my family, I wouldn't still be here."

[indipopcorn]

Domestic Violence is still not the heinous crime in India..!

According to the National Commission for Women (NCW), the number of domestic violence complaints in India has fluctuated since 2019: 

2019: 2,960 complaints out of 19,730 total cases 

2020: 5,304 complaints out of 23,722 total cases, during the COVID-19 lockdown 

2021: 6,633 complaints out of 30,864 total cases 

2022: 6,970 complaints out of 30,957 total cases 

2023: 6,304 complaints out of 28,811 total cases 

According to the National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5), 29.3% of married Indian women between the ages of 18 and 49 have experienced domestic or sexual violence, and 3.1% of pregnant women in that age group have experienced physical violence. However, only a small percentage of victims seek help

The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act (PWDVA) of 2005 allows women to seek help from a domestic violence protection officer for dowry harassment. 

Amruta Subhash, a renowned actress in Marathi and Hindi Cinema, gained acclaim for her work in Lust Stories 2, Gully Boy, and Bombay Begums. In a roundtable discussion, she shared her experience of being beaten up by her on-screen husband in a TV Show. Despite her discomfort, the producer insisted on the scenes for higher TRP. This revelation made her realize the sad reality of society where violence against women boost ratings.

If I were to share my observations, a man's mother would discredit a girl for rejecting him during the procedures of an arranged marriage in a big city like Ahmedabad. If this infuriated him, he would then be sure to label her as being out of her ethnic group. It's all too typical to hear girls ask for too much in marriage, so why can't she? Why are you supporting these girls if you don't think they meet your criteria? Many illiterate girls are willing to assist you with domestic chores. They are unable to accept the fact that the girl of their choice will reject them and they do not want to make any concessions. Even Nevertheless, they live in a time when women follow their hearts.

Middle-aged men and women preach to girls and their parents in community WhatsApp groups and on social media pages to be cultural and marry middle-class boys because they are cultural. Is it? Therefore, there need to be an end to middle class families' incidents of dowry harassment and domestic abuse.  Regretfully, such drivel and so-called social activism are unchecked.

We can expect the worst from son if his mother treats the girl in this manner!      

[covid-safer-hotties]

COVID vaccine efficacy against severe illness just under 50%, per early estimates from 2023 - Published Aug 20, 2024

Two European observational studies estimate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccine approved in fall 2023 against hospitalization, the first one finding 49% overall VE in adults, and one showing good protection—but uneven uptake—among pregnant women.

Steep declines in VE after 1 month For the first study, published in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, researchers with the European Hospital Vaccine Effectiveness Group conducted a test-negative case-control study on the VE against hospitalization of the XBB.1.5 COVID-19 vaccine in the first months of its rollout from October 2023 to January 2024.

The XBB.1.5-like+F456L variant was dominant in Europe from fall to mid-December 2023, when BA.2.86 supplanted it.

The participants were 622 adults hospitalized for COVID-19 and 3,457 control patients admitted for a different severe respiratory infection to 41 hospitals at 7 sites participating in the Vaccine Effectiveness, Burden and Impact Studies (VEBIS) study. In total, 27% of COVID-19 patients and 44% of controls had been vaccinated after fall 2023, most with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

The median time between vaccination and symptom onset was 58 days for COVID-19 patients and 52 days for controls.

Overall VE was 49% against hospitalization (range, 69% at 14 to 29 days to 40% at 60 to 105 days postvaccination), although confidence intervals overlapped for all estimates, indicating uncertainty. VE was over 70% in adults ages 65 years and older up to 1 month after vaccination. VE in patients ages 80 and older declined from 76% in the first 29 days to 39% after 60 days.

The study authors noted that their VE estimates are lower than those of three previous European studies but in line with a fourth, except for a greater decline in VE with increasing time since vaccination (TSV), proposing that the differences could be attributed to different TSVs bands.

"The findings of our study suggest that the adapted COVID-19 XBB.1.5 vaccines provided protection against hospitalisation in the first 3.5 months post vaccination, by reducing the risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation by approximately half among the vaccinated individuals," they concluded.

Uptake highest in those with chronic conditions The second case-control study, published in Vaccine, included all 47,046 pregnancies ending from June 2021 to August 2022 among 39,213 women seen at Northwest London general practices. In 57% of pregnancies, the mother had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine during their pregnancy, with 91% of them receiving a second dose.

Pregnant women, the study authors noted, are at higher risk of COVID-19 complications such as hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death.

"They are also at increased risk of pregnancy-related complications such as preeclampsia and emergency cesarean delivery, and their infants are at higher risk of being preterm or stillborn," they wrote, adding that uptake has been suboptimal.

Most pregnancies (80%) were among women aged 25 to 39 years, those who were White (39%) or Asian (34%), and those living in areas in the second (35%) or third (29%) most deprived quintiles of socioeconomic deprivation. The most common of the five risk factors studied was asthma (9.9%), and chronic heart disease was the least common (0.68%).

A total of 180 women were hospitalized for COVID-19. Admission for COVID-19 was much less likely among vaccinated women than among the unvaccinated. A conditional logistic regression model suggested a five-fold decrease in the chances of COVID-19 hospitalization in vaccinated women, compared with their unvaccinated peers (odds ratio [OR], 0.22).

Vaccine uptake was lowest in women ages 18 to 24 years (33%), Black women compared with White (37%; OR, 0.55), and those in socioeconomically deprived areas (50%). Coverage was higher among women with chronic conditions, with the greatest uptake among those with chronic heart disease (75% for first dose, 94% for second).

Among women with chronic conditions, women with asthma (OR, 1.20), chronic heart disease (OR, 2.34), diabetes (OR, 1.54), and morbid obesity (OR, 1.15) had significantly higher odds of receiving at least one vaccine dose during pregnancy, compared with those without the condition.

The probability of receiving a first dose of the vaccine was nearly six times higher in the 45- to 49-year) age group than in those ages 25 to 29, compared with 18- to 24-year-olds.

Second-dose patterns were similar. Hospitalized women were much less likely to have been vaccinated than those not hospitalized (22% vs 57%; OR, 0.22). "This association reinforces evidence on the real-world effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in preventing severe disease and consequent hospital admission among pregnant women," the researchers wrote.

"COVID-19 vaccine uptake among pregnant women is suboptimal, particularly in younger women, Black women, and women in more deprived areas," they added. "Interventions should focus on increasing uptake in these groups to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. Future vaccination programmes should engage pregnant women earlier and communicate with them clearly and carefully."

Link to study: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/irv.13360

[darkmaga-retard]

A recent study conducted by Pfizer has sparked controversy as it suggests a highly likely link between mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and spontaneous abortions.

The study, which has been used by medicine regulators in the USA and UK to support the safety of administering mRNA COVID vaccines to pregnant women, has found that the proportion of women aged 35 through 49 years with spontaneous abortions was higher (38.7%) than with ongoing pregnancies (22.3%).Source

The study also discovered that of the 105,446 unique pregnancies, 13,160 spontaneous abortions (miscarriages) had occurred, whilst 92,286 women had ongoing pregnancies but were no longer being monitored for the study, so the eventual outcome was unknown.Source

Despite these findings, health authorities continue to insist that vaccination during pregnancy is safe. When clearly it isn’t.

This article aims to explore the details of the study and its potential implications. 

The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, involved 827 pregnant women who received at least one dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) between December 14, 2020, and February 28, 2021. The researchers analyzed the incidence of spontaneous abortions, stillbirths, and ongoing pregnancies among the participants. 

Results:

The study found that the proportion of women aged 35 through 49 years with spontaneous abortions was higher (38.7%) than with ongoing pregnancies (22.3%).

This did not, however, lead the researchers to conclude that mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is highly likely to cause a spontaneous abortion. And this is most likely due to the conflicts of interest among the authors of the study.

Conflicts of Interest:

One concerning aspect of the study is the conflicts of interest among its authors.

Dr. Lipkind reported serving on the Pfizer independent external data monitoring committee for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, Dr. Naleway and Dr. Vesco both reported receiving funding from Pfizer for an “unrelated” study.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Maternal Mortality Soars in Brazil During the Pandemic

A recent Brazilian study yielded alarming data about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health. In 2020, the rate of maternal mortality was 40% higher than the average of the previous years. In 2021, there was a surge in the number of cases, and COVID-19 was responsible for 60% of maternal deaths that year.

These data suggest that the pandemic has disproportionately affected pregnant women and postpartum women, according to the investigators. The maternal mortality rate observed in 2021 significantly exceeded the global target of the Sustainable Development Goals for this indicator (70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births), reaching a level of approximately 110 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. This level was similar to the levels that Brazil recorded in the 1980s.

Another Brazilian study showed that the country's northern and northeastern regions were most affected by excess maternal mortality in 2020. In 2021, the impact was greater in the midwestern and southern regions. The worst scenario occurred between March and June 2021 nationwide, with an excess of 413% in the mortality of mothers between ages 35 and 49 years in the southern region.

Continue reading.

[beardedmrbean]

US millennial women saw their well-being decline, a first in modern times, per non-profit PRB.

Homicide, maternal mortality, and suicide rates have all increased for women aged 25 to 34.

The sudden reversal in progress for young women's safety comes despite an improved economic status.

For decades, young women in the US saw sharp progress in their health and safety with each passing generation, but that momentum has now reversed for millennials.

That's according to a November 30 report published by the Washington DC-based non-profit Population Reference Bureau, which studied the well-being of women aged 25 to 34 from each generation of Americans.

It found that women born between 1981 and 1999 — widely classified as millennials — have seen the first drop in well-being since the Silent Generation as they live through young adulthood.

"Women today are more likely to die during their late 20s and early 30s than at any other point in the previous three generations," said the report.

Maternal mortality, suicide, and homicide rates soar

The death rate has risen in parallel with a startling increase in maternal mortality rates among women aged 25 to 34, with 30.4 deaths due to pregnancy complications out of 100,000 births for millennials, the report said.

That's compared to 21 deaths per 100,000 births for the Silent Generation — or women who were born during and before World War II — and 7.5 for baby boomers and 9.2 for Generation X when they were aged 25 to 34.

The report acknowledged that part of the surge might be due to better data collection in recent years. But it also noted that after all US states implemented a new data system in 2019, pregnancy deaths continued to rise sharply.

Millennial women are also the first in the last century to experience rising suicide rates, with 7 suicides among 100,000 women aged 25 to 34, the report said.

Baby boomer and Gen X women, meanwhile, saw a respective 6 and 4.4 suicides per 100,000 women when they were aged 25 to 34.

While White millennial women saw suicide rates decline, young Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, mixed-race, and Hispanic women experienced increases. Statistics for women of other ethnicities were not specifically presented.

And homicide rates for millennial women rose to 4.5 deaths per 100,000 women aged 25 to 34, compared to 4.3 deaths for Gen X women when they were the same age, according to PRB.

Violent deaths among young women actually fell to 3.3 per 100,000 people in 2017, when PRB issued its last index. But statistics now show the rate swelled so quickly in the last six years that it surpassed that of Gen X, per the report.

Like with suicides, homicide rates are higher among young women of color, the report said. LGBTQ+ individuals are also often targeted at far higher rates, it added.

Contributing factors to the overall rise included the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased domestic violence rates, and a recent leap in gun violence incidents, the report also said.

Homicide is now also the leading cause of death for pregnant and postnatal women, more so than typical maternal mortality causes, the report noted.

"Sadly, the tale of generational progress that we have taken for granted in recent generations is no longer a guarantee for Millennial and Gen Z women," the report's authors, led by research analyst Sara Srygley, wrote.

But millennial women also are faring better in the economy

The decline in safety among millennial women comes despite their improved financial and education status compared to generations before.

At least 43.6% of young millennial women in the US have graduated college — a record level in modern history. That's compared to 28% of Gen X women and 22% of baby boomer women who graduated by the time they turned 34, the report said.

Young millennial women are also seeing a reduction in the wage gap, earning 89.7 cents for every dollar that men earn, compared to 82.4 cents on the dollar for Gen X women who were the same age.

The PRB said its well-being indices were built on statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Census Bureau, the Labor Department, the Justice Department's statistics bureau, and the Center for American Women and Politics in Rutgers University.