Few resources exist for women approaching perimenopause -- the period before menopause when estrogen production begins to slow -- and few physicians talk to their female patients about it, says obstetrician-gynecologist and integrative health physician Arianna Sholes-Douglas. Perimenopause starts when women are in their 30s or 40s and can drag on for a decade, pregnancy remains possible, symptoms are vague and wide-ranging, and finding support and care can be difficult, but information is available and active support communities are growing.

Women with cancer or a history of cancer were at greater risk of poor birth outcomes and in-hospital complications, according to a study in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The risk was higher for outcomes such as preterm birth and postpartum hemorrhage, and the most common cancer diagnoses were for hematologic, thyroid, cervical, skin and breast cancers.

Women who have cardiovascular risks such as obesity or high blood pressure have a greater probability for pregnancy complications when compared to women with no risk factors, according to a study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Neonatal morbidity and mortality risk were linked to the mother's cardiovascular health.

A study in the American Journal of Roentgenology found that women with dense breasts who underwent follow-up whole-breast ultrasound for BI-RADS 3 lesions had a lower recall and biopsy rate and no missed cancers. Researchers also found no difference in the malignancy rates among the BI-RADS 1, 2 and 3 categories.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., have introduced a bill that calls for employers to provide at least three days of paid leave for workers who experience a miscarriage, pregnancy loss, unsuccessful in vitro fertilization treatment, or a medical diagnosis that impacts fertility, among other pregnancy- or fertility-related issues. The Support Through Loss Act "sends a message to families that they are not alone, and would support those experiencing the loss of a pregnancy by providing them with the resources, workforce supports, and care necessary to recover and heal," Pressley said.

The FDA has requested the removal of its blanket contraindication against the use of statins in pregnant patients but says use of statins should be discontinued during breastfeeding. "Because the benefits of statins may include prevention of serious or potentially fatal events in a small group of very high-risk pregnant patients, contraindicating these drugs in all pregnant women is not appropriate," the FDA said in a statement.

The Medicaid claim denial rate and total cost of incomplete payment are significantly higher than for either Medicare or commercial insurance, according to a working paper by researchers at the University of Chicago and colleagues. High claim denial rates and costs along with lower reimbursement rates lead to low physician participation in Medicaid and impede access to care, the researchers say.

A Google Cloud survey showed that 96% of the 303 physicians who responded felt patient safety would be improved by expanding access to clinical data. Nearly two-thirds of respondents said burdensome reporting methods were their biggest practice challenge.