Reproductive Health News and Research

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KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Countdown to government shutdown

Oct. 1 is the start of the next fiscal year, and unless Congress reaches agreement on continued spending, big parts of the government could shut down that day.

11 Sep 2025

Can cannabis use disrupt women’s fertility? New study finds strong evidence

Researchers found that THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, alters oocyte gene expression, spindle formation, and chromosome segregation, lowering embryo euploidy rates in IVF. This provides direct human evidence linking cannabis exposure to impaired female fertility outcomes.

10 Sep 2025

Popular weight-loss medications raise pregnancy safety concerns for women

Women taking popular weight-loss medications during their reproductive years may be unaware of associated risks to pregnancy and unborn babies, warn Flinders University researchers.

8 Sep 2025

Exploring testosterone's influence on cardiovascular, metabolic, reproductive, and mental health

For decades, testosterone has been recognized as the primary driver of male reproductive development and secondary sex characteristics.

1 Sep 2025

Ultra-processed foods affect sperm quality and metabolism even without extra calories

A controlled crossover trial in Cell Metabolism found that ultra-processed foods increase weight, fat mass, LDL:HDL cholesterol, and alter reproductive hormones in men, with some effects independent of calorie load. These diets also showed trends toward reduced sperm motility, shifts in pollutants, and transient inflammatory responses, highlighting risks beyond excess calories.

31 Aug 2025

Hormonal birth control influences emotion and memory in women

Hormonal birth control is a fact of life for millions of women. In the U.S. alone, more than 60 million women of reproductive age have used contraceptives according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most often to prevent pregnancy but also to manage conditions such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome and irregular cycles.

29 Aug 2025

Mathematical model enhances understanding of ovarian aging and menopause timing

Researchers at Rice University have developed a mathematical model that enhances our understanding of ovarian aging and the timing of menopause, revealing mechanisms that could inform future strategies for women's health.

28 Aug 2025

First comprehensive road map shows how the ovarian reserve forms in primates

UCLA scientists have developed the first comprehensive road map showing how the ovarian reserve forms in primates, providing crucial insights into women's health that could revolutionize treatments for infertility and hormonal disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS.

26 Aug 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Happy 60th, Medicare and Medicaid!

On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed landmark legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid. Sixty years later, the programs represent a fifth of the federal budget and provide coverage to nearly 1 in 4 Americans.

21 Aug 2025

Planned parenthood bets on redistricting to push back against GOP funding cuts

Abortion rights groups are backing California Democrats in the escalating battle to redraw congressional maps, warning that Republicans are rigging seats on the heels of deeply unpopular cuts to safety net health programs and restrictions on reproductive care.

20 Aug 2025

Researchers call for comprehensive menstrual education in British schools

Teaching about periods in schools is still too focused on basic biological facts with insufficient information around how menstruation can affect a woman's mood and wellbeing, problems associated with menstrual bleeding and the impact on physical and academic performance, concludes a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers.

20 Aug 2025

Researchers capture first 3D real-time images of human embryo implantation

Researchers at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) in collaboration with the Dexeus University Hospital have captured unparalleled images of a human embryo implanting.

18 Aug 2025

Over-the-counter oral birth control pill improves access to contraception

Two years ago, the Food and Drug Administration approved the sale of an over-the-counter birth control pill for the first time in the United States without a prescription.

18 Aug 2025

Maryland taps Affordable Care Act fund to help pay for abortion care

Maryland is the first state to tap into an old fund connected to the Affordable Care Act to help solve a new problem: helping pay the expenses of patients who travel to Maryland for an abortion.

17 Aug 2025

Conditional cash transfer programs linked to reduction in AIDS cases and deaths among Brazilian women

The world's largest conditional cash transfer programme, the Bolsa Família Programme (BFP), is associated with a substantial reduction in AIDS cases and deaths, especially among brown and black women with lower income and limited education.

12 Aug 2025

Kindness in childhood predicts healthy eating habits in teens

A new analysis using data from a longitudinal study that followed children between the ages of 5 and 17 has revealed a surprising association; kids who engaged in kind, caring, and helpful behaviors (being prosocial), were more likely to sustain healthy eating habits as teenagers.

11 Aug 2025

Parents’ workplace chemical exposure may be linked to behavioral challenges in children with autism

A new study in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health finds parents' workplace chemical exposure may be linked to a range of behavioral challenges and developmental delays in their children with autism.

8 Aug 2025

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Kennedy cancels vaccine funding

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s announcement that the federal government will cancel nearly $500 million in mRNA research funding is unnerving not only for those who develop vaccines, but also for public health experts who see the technology behind the first covid-19 shots as the nation's best hope to combat a future pandemic.

7 Aug 2025

Analysis shows low pre-pregnancy glucose increases risk of preterm birth

An analysis of data from more than 4.7 million Chinese women showed that those who had low blood sugar levels prior to conception were more likely to have certain adverse pregnancy outcomes-such as their baby being born preterm or with low birth weight.

30 Jul 2025

B.C. sees major shift in contraceptive choices after making them free

More than 11,000 additional women opted for the most effective form of birth control-long-acting reversible contraception (LARC)-within just 15 months of B.C. making prescription contraception free.

28 Jul 2025