Her Choice
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For too long, midlife symptoms of women have been minimized; our concerns dismissed, our suffering normalized and our voices overlooked. We reject the notion that hormonal decline is simply something to endure.
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Known as special K, key and K, ketamine is both a psychoactive club drug similar to acid or ecstasy and a promising option for treating depression or substance use disorder. With its dueling profile, the anesthetic ketamine has made lots of headlines in recent years.
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A 12-year-old child opens the curtains of a hotel room in Tempe, Arizona, where she, her mother and four siblings were staying earlier this year while experiencing homelessness. The room was funded in part by AZ Hugs, which helps families with emergency shelter.
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Breast cancer may be the most common form of cancer diagnosed among women in the U.S., after skin cancer, but there is some good news. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), more than 30 percent of breast cancers are preventable through healthy behaviors that can reduce your risk.
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This analysis presents findings from the 2026 KFF Women’s Health Survey on women's reported need for and use of fertility services.
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First was New York . Then, London . Now, fashion month’s spring/summer 2027 season has come to—and inevitably left—Milan. However, before the week ended, the third stop in the twice yearly fashion cycle offered a new perspective on beauty in, arguably, one of its best seasons.
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It’s not your job to “fix yourself,” says the author of “When in Menopause,” a new book arguing that this hormonal transition is a public policy matter—not just a private health journey. Menopause is having a moment.
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A deadly measles outbreak in Pennsylvania, which has infected more than 975 people this year and been linked to five deaths, has also infected at least 50 pregnant women in the state. Doctors in outbreak areas are making changes to how they care for pregnant patients and their babies, offering a gli
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Here’s what you need to know to talk to your doctor about your breast cancer risk and available screening options. When I was 23 years old, I asked my primary care doctor about what steps I could take to prevent breast cancer. The provider dismissed my concerns.
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Who knew serving time in prison came with luxuries like premium liquor and spa services? According to a recent NBC News report , Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is well aware. The 56-year-old former entertainment tycoon, also known as inmate #37452-054, is presently serving a sentence at the Fort Dix Federal Pri
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Senior Data Analyst, Research and Advocacy Organization Founded in 1968, the Guttmacher Institute is a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through a unique and interrelated program of high-quality research, evidence-based advocacy and strategic communications, the I
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Director of Domestic Research Organization Founded in 1968, the Guttmacher Institute is a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through a unique and interrelated program of high-quality research, evidence-based advocacy and strategic communications, the Institute work
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For most of Kwaneta Harris’ life, menopause was not something she heard people talk about. She didn’t learn about much beyond hot flashes, night sweats and irregular periods in her nursing school training, or at any point during her decade-long career in the medical field.
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Michelle Williams is heading back to the classroom. The former Destiny’s Child member revealed this week that she is enrolled at Regent University, where she is currently a sophomore studying psychology.
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New Guttmacher Data Highlight the Critical Role of Planned Parenthood in Delivering Affordable Contraceptive Care September 23, 2026 jloewenberg September 23, 2026 News Release Use link On
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Just in time for HBCU Homecoming Season , the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) has made history. Located in Princess Anne, Maryland, the university is among the top six public HBCUs in the nation and ranked 13th overall out of 78 institutions for 2026-27, U.S.
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A mistrial may have been the right outcome here. But moms of dead children tend to be harshly judged, even when they’ve done nothing wrong. Mia Brett traces the legal history of assuming maternal guilt.
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What Would Happen to Publicly Funded Contraceptive Care Without Planned Parenthood? Contraception is a critical component of health and well-being, allowing people to prevent pregnancy, space and plan their pregnancies, manage and treat medical conditions, and prevent sexually transmitted infections
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This piece was published in coordination with The Washington Post . The madness unfolded in a familiar pattern: Ellen FitzGerald would wake in the dead of night to nurse her baby for about a half hour, then hand him off to Dad to rock another half hour.
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Many people will learn CPR using a flat-chested manikin. A 2024 study of 20 models of CPR manikins sold worldwide found that three-quarters were described as male or had no sex specified. Of the 20, only one offered a breast overlay.
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Photo collage by ProPublica. Source images: Laura Gordon Photography, Telegram. My colleagues and I had been digging for days. We’d heard a rumor that a Russian oligarch close to President Vladimir Putin named Umar Kremlev had attended Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding this past May in the Bahamas.
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When Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned hundreds of generals and admirals from around the world to Quantico, Virginia, last September, he delivered a blunt message: Things were changing fast in the newly renamed Department of War. “No more division, distraction, or gender delusions,” he said.
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The family of a woman who died after she could not get an abortion in Texas is suing doctors and state officials including Attorney General Ken Paxton. It is the first lawsuit over a death linked to an abortion ban. “It’s horrible that she’s gone and she was taken from us this way.
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Gone are the days women try to look good exclusively for men. At Sergio Hudson’s Spring-Summer 2027 show, beauty was for the female gaze. “If you think about the James Bond woman, it was always seen through a man’s lens,” lead makeup artist Sir John tells ESSENCE.
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On April 13, 2026, I arrived at the doctor’s office for a cardiac stress test . The technician, Josh, casually asked why I was even being tested. “You look too healthy to be here,” he said. I thought the same. Then the feeling I had previously experienced returned. The heat. The spasm.
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Two weeks ago, Allure published an article explaining why natural hair influencers are trading in their Black-owned haircare products for salon brands like Redken, Amika, and others not marketed specifically for textured hair. “There’s a shift happening online,” the article read.
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The high-profile murder trial of Lindsay Clancy — which ended in a mistrial last week after a jury was unable to convict or acquit the Massachusetts mother in the 2023 strangling deaths of her three young children — put a renewed spotlight on postpartum psychosis, the severe psychiatric condition he
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Hormone therapy can have profound effects on our immune systems, gut bacteria, our brains, senses, and sex lives. This story was originally reported by Orion Rummler of The 19th , and republished through Rewire News Group ‘s partnership with the 19th News Network.
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Photo illustration by ProPublica. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. The number of women who died after an ectopic pregnancy has spiked in recent years, a ProPublica analysis found. The mounting deaths in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data have drawn little scrutiny
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All summer, Dr. Marvia Jones worried over the data. Jones, director of the Kansas City Health Department in Missouri, read reports showing that not enough public school students were up-to-date with their vaccinations in time for back to school.
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This is the fourth of seven introductory articles on the relevance for constitutional law and the Supreme Court of the “born free and equal” clauses, which appeared in the Declaration of Independence and in six out of 12 state constitutions when the federal Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791, and i
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When a powerful storm tore through Gary, Indiana, knocking out the power for two weeks, Tiffany Harrison, a mother of three, had to throw out all of the food that had spoiled in her fridge and deep freezer.
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The nearly six-week murder trial for Lindsay Clancy, a woman accused of strangling her three children before attempting to kill herself in 2023, has been a fixture for women across the United States. Some gathered inside and outside the courthouse in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to show support for Clan
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A new study from the Trump administration is sending alarm bells through pro-democracy groups for its potential to fuel a crackdown on Americans who support LGBTQ+ rights — or anyone with left-leaning views.
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Just the Numbers: The Impact of Norway’s International Assistance for Family Planning, 2020–2025 Policy Analysis sramashwar September 3, 2026 September 16, 2026 Download Analysis Exclude from search No Automatic Redirect Off Suggested Citation Sully EA and Rosenberg JD, Just the Numbers: The Impact
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The 2026 US Open is upon us and Naomi Osaka is warming up in a red-and-black headband, arm sleeves, and a fresh set of natural-haired cornrows. Every season, she makes an entrance on the court with her unparalleled fashion .
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Dr. Heather Hirsch realized that she had to stop following politics as closely after the pandemic and 2020 election. It was hurting her mental health. Now, she tries to keep politics at arm’s length. Politics came knocking anyway.
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The politics of hormone therapy depend on who’s taking it. But whether hormones are taken to treat menopause or gender dysphoria, we’re talking about the same drugs. They have powerful effects on our bodies. And in recent years, research has expanded our understanding of what they do.
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Director of Digital Communications Organization Founded in 1968, the Guttmacher Institute is a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through a unique and interrelated program of high-quality research, evidence-based advocacy and strategic communications, the Institute
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This story was originally published by Science Friday , with the assistance of the Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS) Health Journalism Fellowship, supported by The Commonwealth Fund. Toxicologist Sam Adams was thrilled to find out she was pregnant in the summer of 2025.
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What’s the cost of beauty? Since Trump’s presidency, many economists have been left in limbo about the state of the economy—and beauty isn’t exempt. Trade wars levied up to 145% tariffs on Chinese imports last year, increasing the cost of products like braiding hair, hair oil, and wigs.
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Dolly Parton understood the power of being underestimated. Beneath the rhinestones, towering blond hair and self-deprecating jokes was a gifted songwriter, a shrewd businesswoman and a philanthropist whose work transformed the lives of millions of children and families.
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Egg freezing is an increasingly popular fertility treatment, but there are multiple medical and financial considerations to take into account before starting the process . This story was originally reported by Shefali Luthra of The 19th , and republished through Rewire News Group ‘s partnership with
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This story was originally published by The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom covering gun violence in America. Sign up for its newsletters here. If you or a loved one are in crisis, please call or text 988 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a live volunteer crisis counselor.
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Newborn baby Malachi lies in the lap of his mother after dying from pneumonia and bleeding lungs — preventable conditions that could have been treated in a hospital — in 2023 in Idaho. Since the 1970s, the state’s criminal and civil laws have allowed parents who belong to Followers of Christ and oth
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Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was removed from Sunday night’s game between the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever following a confrontation with Sky guard Natasha Cloud at Wintrust Arena. Freedom was seated along the baseline wearing a shirt with a message about the definition of a woman.
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Let’s face it, most of us don’t have a real scalp care routine. Of course, I have my tried-and-true haircare products but as a regular braid-wearer, I can’t say I have a specific routine just for my scalp. Not yet, at least.
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Dr. Craig Towers in 2018. The local newspaper gave him an award for his work with pregnant women with opioid addiction Michael Patrick/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images When Dr. Craig Towers moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, in 2010, the high-risk obstetrician encountered a crisis unlike anything he’d
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Click to expand Image A 17-year-old boy recruited by the 33rd Front of the EMBF, a dissident group of the demobilized FARC, operating in Colombia’s Catatumbo region near the Venezuelan border. © 2026 Federico Ríos Escobar Child recruitment by armed groups has risen sharply in Colombia in recent year
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These days, it is easy to feel like the world is on fire: all of our bills are too high , we’re somehow still at war with Iran , the government is…well, you know how stressful politics is right now. Our news cycle usually feels like one sad or depressing story after another.
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Play in the bedroom helps us process life and prioritize ourselves—alone or with a partner. I recently spent an evening in Denver with the intrepid Rewire News Group team as the resident sexpert at the newsroom’s summer Repro Fund-Rager.
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It’s late summer and what once felt like a necessity—eyelash curlers, mascara, and extra volume lashes—are now falling a little out of style . Instead, celebrities, like Zendaya and Meghan Markle, are skipping mascara in favor of their naturally long lashes.
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The Trump administration’s threats to defund facilities that treat trans minors is harming intersex youth who also need hormone therapy. “The federal government,” one mom said, “does not recognize, basically ” that kids like hers exist. This article mentions suicidal ideation.
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Back-to-school season is a wonderful time of year; especially for first-time college students preparing to live on campus. Whether staying in-state or traveling across the country, attending an Ivy League institution, another type of PWI, or joining the student body at one of our illustrious HBCUs ,
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Supportive teachers can make a world of difference for transgender students, influencing their sense of safety and academic engagement — often in the face of discrimination and bullying — according to new research from two national LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.
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Men have taken on more caretaking responsibilities over the past several decades, but women still spend more time caring for children. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .
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Hospitals set up special testing sites to prevent measles patients from spreading the disease in waiting rooms. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images The U.S.
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It’s 6 a.m., you’re going back to school, and the last thing you want to do is your hair. Luckily, your protective style makes it so your ‘do is done for the month (at least, partially). All that’s left is a few small touch ups before you start your day.
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U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s decision to freeze her eggs — and to document the process on social media — has put a spotlight on the process, which is typically marketed to people hoping to extend their fertility. Egg freezing has exploded in popularity in the past decade.
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Angela Bassett is the definition of aging like fine wine . Since the 1980s, she has been growing her career through the most cultural television and film moments in history. From her eye-watering performances in Boyz N’ The Hood and Meet The Browns , to biopics for the iconic Whitney , Tina , Malcol
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Media Mentions Trump Wants Black People Barred From Med School August 14, 2026 Share https://prospect.org/2026/08/14/trump-black-people-barred-from-med-school-race-based-admissions-dei-harvard-yale-columbia/#new_tab Click to print Print Icon Share this page via Email Mail Icon Rectangle in the shape
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U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, has revived a years-old inaccurate theory that COVID-19 vaccines are linked to higher rates of miscarriages. As part of a Senate investigation into former U.S. infectious diseases chief Dr.
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Summer is slowly coming to a close. In other words, many of us are starting to trade in our protective styles and curly crowns for sleek blowouts and fluffy silk presses, just in time for the fall season.
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Click to expand Image Demonstrators hold signs in support of voting rights outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on October 15, 2025. © 2025 Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images (Washington, DC) – The Trump administration has gutted federal civil rights enforcement in the United
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Click to expand Image A police officer stands guard in Peshawar, Pakistan, August 5, 2023. © 2023 Mohammad Sajjad/AP Photo (London) – Pakistani authorities should ensure a prompt, independent, and transparent criminal investigation into the deaths on August 5, 2026, of a woman and a 17-year-old girl
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We are in the era of the celebrity WAG . The wives and girlfriends of athletes are no longer high school sweethearts or unnamed baddies. They are singers. Rappers. Even athletes themselves. And while the latest batch of sports love stories have had their highs ( Coco Jones and Donovan Mitchell , for
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Nothing ruins braids quicker than an itchy scalp. You’ve sat in the chair for hours, shelled out hundreds of dollars, and all of a sudden, your scalp has never felt itchier. Even reaching for a hair oil doesn’t give you relief.
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Victoria Schmidt was scrolling through TikTok last July when the advertisement first appeared: a video of a woman promoting patches purporting to contain GLP-1 medication. The woman described herself as a busy working mom — just like Schmidt. She seemed relatable. “It was a great video.
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A leading medical group now advises OB-GYNs to “proactively” discuss and prescribe HIV prevention drugs with their patients. “You could have one partner,” said a doctor who helped author the guidance. “But all it takes is that one partner.
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Trinity Coleman of Boones Mill, Virginia, gave birth to twins in May 2025. Under a new program created by 2025’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, each of Coleman’s babies is entitled to $1,000 in a tax-deferred savings account through the federal government.
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ESSENCE Senior Beauty & Style Editor Akili King believes ‘glow’ is more than skin deep. In The Ritual Report , she shares personal healing practices—from acupuncture for skin and grounding benefits to ‘dopamine dressing’—designed to inspire readers to find creative ways to soothe their nervous syste
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Hospitals across the U.S. are trying to reduce maternal deaths and complications after pregnancies using one small tool: a silicone wristband stamped with the declaration “I Gave Birth.” The wristbands are part of a growing initiative first launched by North Carolina-based ECU Health as Congress sou
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Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins received a letter signed by more than 60 lawmakers citing a recent ProPublica investigation that detailed how the agency has failed to provide veterans with adequate mental healthcare.
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ESSENCE Senior Beauty & Style Editor Akili King believes ‘glow’ is more than skin deep. In The Ritual Report , she shares personal healing practices—from acupuncture for skin and grounding benefits to ‘dopamine dressing’—designed to inspire readers to find creative ways to soothe their nervous syste
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US Research Roundup: Guttmacher’s Latest Peer-Reviewed Publications August 4, 2026 jloewenberg August 4, 2026 News Release Use link On
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In 2023, Procter & Gamble acquired Mielle. Immediately after, the beauty community accused founder Monique Rodriguez of changing the formula of the viral Rosemary Mint Oil and even alleged hair loss as a result.
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In the ‘By Us Beauty’ series, our editors discuss the hottest Black-owned products in the beauty sphere that you should know about. In this iteration, we discuss our favorite Black-owned launches from July 2026.
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The red van hands out food, water, clothes, first aid and free HIV tests. Locals recognize it across the Twin Cities: the van, nicknamed “Thrivey,” visits St. Paul on Mondays, drives up and down south Minneapolis on Wednesdays and Thursdays, then heads to north Minneapolis on Fridays.
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A recent study exposes how insidious age discrimination is — and it should make you mad.
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If you or a loved one are in crisis, please call or text 988 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a live volunteer crisis counselor. Abortion bans may be driving more teenage girls to seriously contemplate suicide — regardless of whether they are pregnant, a new study finds.
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When Rae Rivers read news reports about a growing foodborne illness in multiple states, the Rhode Island mother of two panicked. The disease, known as cyclosporiasis, has previously spread through imported fresh produce including raspberries and blackberries.
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President Trump and his Republican backers have been determined to gut the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and expanded Medicaid coverage ever since his first term in office. This year he is finally getting his way, putting the health of tens of millions of Americans at risk.
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Light that grill, break out the swimsuits and get ready to blast the season’s unofficial anthem, Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. Like you, we’re excited about longer days, unforgettable nights, (hopefully) less stress and the opportunity to create unforgettable memories.
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In this Q&A, climate researcher Apolinar Contreras discusses how climate change is affecting women’s reproductive health, livelihoods, and resilience in Bolivian Indigenous communities—and what must change to better support them.
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Click to expand Image Makeshift shelters for communities displaced from Nagero County to Bazia, Wau County, South Sudan, November 18, 2025. © 2025 Joe Falzetta South Sudan’s army, opposition forces, and their respective allied militias abused residents and caused much of the population to flee durin
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Ipas research with Indigenous communities in Bolivia shows how drought, floods and food insecurity are affecting reproductive health, livelihoods and gender dynamics. In rural Bolivia, the weather no longer follows the patterns the elders taught. “ You can’t plan anymore.
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Ipas research with Indigenous communities in Bolivia shows how drought, floods and food insecurity are affecting reproductive health, livelihoods and gender dynamics. In rural Bolivia, the weather no longer follows the patterns the elders taught. “ You can’t plan anymore.
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Graffiti helmets, custom jerseys, and the coldest softball game on Earth. That’s how we’d describe this past Saturday afternoon at the second annual ICE Studios Series. The woman’s softball tournament in East Harlem was created by Bronx-born photographer, director, and creator of ICE Magazine (AKA,
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If you want to hide something from a Black person, put it in a book. The origins of this controversial statement are sometimes linked to our fallen icons Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass . The particulars of where these problematic words originated are not nearly as important as what they symbolize:
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If you want to hide something from a Black person, put it in a book. The origins of this controversial statement are sometimes linked to our fallen icons Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass . The particulars of where these problematic words originated are not nearly as important as what they symbolize:
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CLEVELAND, MISSISSIPPI – Going for nearly a year with broken heating and air conditioning has been miserable for Ashley Matthews. But the last few months have been unbearable – and potentially dangerous. Matthews, 27, is six months pregnant with her third child.
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Want your beauty look to be a conversation starter? This Leo season, it can be. Represented by the lion and ruled by the Sun, Leo’s live to be seen (Think: Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, and Whitney Houston). Hair is bigger, makeup is bolder , and nails are longer and more decorated than ever before.
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Collage by Alex Bandoni. Source images: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. For decades, physicists wrestled with a fundamental mystery of the universe. They wanted to know why certain particles — like the protons in atoms — have mass, while particles of light do not.
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Click to expand Image Oil well at Perenco’s concession in Democratic Republic of Congo. © 2026 Human Rights Watch Pollution linked to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s only oil producer poses serious health risks to communities near its operations.
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Every year, roughly half a million Americans are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most common forms of dementia. Women represent more than two-thirds of those diagnosed, and researchers do not entirely understand why .
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This year’s specialty category is putting a spotlight on the beauty in aging. Our guest editor and ESSENCE Beauty Awards 2026 model Coco Mitchell, known for her work with Christopher John Rogers, ESSENCE, Dior, Prada, and more, shares some of her top tips below.
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Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Hair Regrowth Treatment This women’s minoxidil treatment stimulates fuller strands. Available at Carol's Daughter $30 buy now Wrappd Beauty the Shower Bonnet Ultra No need to layer your shower cap over scarves to protect your hair.
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Kijibae Press On Toenails Available at Kijibae $18 buy now Suite Eleven Herbal Nail & Cuticle Oil Available at Suite Eleven $8 buy now Glamnetic Press-On Nails Available at Sephora $18 buy now ePhD Bond Repair Nail Available at Epres $20 buy now KISS Salon X-Tend LED Soft Gel System Available at CVS
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From left: Mark McAfee is interviewed by ProPublica audio producer Gabrielle Berbey and reporter Annie Waldman at Raw Farm in Fresno, California. Sarahbeth Maney for ProPublica I never thought I’d spend six months of my life investigating raw milk. But I did.
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The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has taken a step beyond most other women’s sports leagues by requiring genetic sex testing for female athletes. Despite being targeted at transgender women, this policy has the greatest potential to impact intersex cisgender women — especially because many of the
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With every busy season comes the urge to try and, well, relax. And, post ESSENCE Festival, for our editors, it’s all about looking to low pressure beauty and wellness trends that feel as good as they look.
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The Dangerous Unraveling Of The United States’ Family Planning Safety Net Policy Analysis jloewenberg July 16, 2026 July 14, 2026 Exclude from search No Automatic Redirect Off
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Whether you’re a diehard boho braids lover or a queen of crochet, the innovation in braiding hair has been little to nonexistent. But Ruka, a Black-owned brand , is completely flipping the industry upside down.
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Guttmacher Institute Opposes Proposed Federal Funding Rules That Threaten Reproductive Health Programs and Research July 14, 2026 jloewenberg July 14, 2026 News Release Homepage featured title Guttmacher Opposes Federal Funding Rules That Threaten Reproductive Health Programs and Research Use link O
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There are artists who make hits, or even, define an era. And then there are the rare few who permanently change the language of music. Missy Elliott belongs to the last category. Before “creative visionary” became the industry’s favorite buzzword, Missy was already showing us what one looked like.
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This week Grammy-winning singer SZA, née Solána Imani Rowe, shared that she had received a formal autism diagnosis. In a now-deleted Instagram post, she joked that the diagnosis meant she was “smarter than u.
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When I was asked to be a model for the Teyana Taylor Makeup Challenge at Beautycon during this year’s ESSENCE Festival of Culture , I thought I understood the assignment. As an intern, I’d spent days on the move, completing a myriad of tasks before and during the festival.
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Originally published by PolitiFact . The U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians could create a caregiving crisis, lawmakers from both political parties said.
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This article was copublished with Truthdig . Taylor Townsell remembers her OBGYN reassuring her that her IUD insertion would feel like “just a pinch.” The pain came a split second later. The 32-year-old described it to Truthdig in still-vivid detail: “Bright, electric, as if my body had become nothi
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US Communications Assistant Organization Founded in 1968, the Guttmacher Institute is a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through a unique and interrelated program of high-quality research, evidence-based advocacy and strategic communications, the Institute
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Gen Z women often show up in polling as the most progressive group. They’re also the most pessimistic about the American dream. That’s according to a new analysis of polling data by PRRI . Americans overall have become more pessimistic about the American dream — defined in the poll as “if you work h
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What if the beauty rituals trusted by millions carried hidden costs no one warned us about? This simple truth is the foundation of Rebundle founder Ciara Imani May’s film, Reclaimed: Beyond The Braid , about the normalized harm Black women face with braiding hair.
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Ashley Swain was standing in a room, about to learn something that would rearrange her sense of who she was, when her mind went somewhere unexpected: a dorm room at Spelman College, the night Barack Obama was elected president. “I’m going back to the moment when President Obama was first elected.
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This story was originally published by Rewire News Group , a national, nonprofit media organization exclusively dedicated to reporting on reproductive and sexual health, rights and justice. Since the nation’s independence, male sex workers have been intertwined with America’s history.
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Free Black women and Indigenous women are the foremothers of generations of African Americans. Yet they remain largely absent from the official story of American freedom. Their lives, contributions and descendants have been systematically erased—from colonial records and legal classifications to pub
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Julie Shayne has spent the better part of her teaching career navigating campus politics made complicated by being a woman. Each semester, she once again finds herself on edge at the beginning of the Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies course she teaches.
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Vanessa Saba for ProPublica It took less than a day for the detective to give up on the case. A patrol officer had reported a harrowing, violent midnight rape in a Syracuse, New York, park. Hospital records recounted that the victim, an 18-year-old freshman at Syracuse University, was “crying uncont
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Tonight, Black Hollywood took to Peacock Theater in Los Angeles for the 2026 BET Awards, an annual celebration of the best in Black entertainment. Hosted by comedian Druski, the show will feature performances from entertainers including Cardi B and Kehlani, who will both perform at ESSENCE Festival
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Few medical advances have saved more lives than vaccines. Yet the Trump administration continues to undermine that success by politicizing public health and discrediting decades of scientific evidence. The recent flu outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base—which sickened nearly 300 service members after
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BENZONIA, Mich. — Maggie Bacon is seeking men. On a recent Friday, she attached flyers about an upcoming education and training fair to more than 500 pizza boxes, one of the ways she’s tried to persuade men in this northern Michigan town to enroll in college, a certificate program or even just a sin
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Locked Away and Left to Expire: The Trump Administration's Destructive Denial of Contraceptive Care Policy Analysis sramashwar June 22, 2026 June 22, 2026 Exclude from search No Automatic Redirect Off
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One day, it happens. You slide your fingers down your hair from top to bottom and freeze—there it is again, a small bundle of hair caught between each finger. At first, you brush it off. It’s a phase, a fluke, a one-off. It speaks softly at first.
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This story was originally reported by Shefali Luthra of T he 19th , and republished through Rewire News Group ‘s partnership with the 19th News Network. Erika Nyhus thought she was done having children.
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Fiancé? Check. Mother? Yes. Actress, model, and singer? Of course. Serayah McNeill—our May 2025 of the ESSENCE digital coverstar alongside Joey Bada$$—is a jack of all trades. Best known for her role as Tiana Brown-Lyon in Fox’s Empire , the multi-hyphenate also doubles as a beauty buff with a skinc
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When Becky Hayter and Leah Makarevich decided to start their family, they knew they wanted to do reciprocal in vitro fertilization (IVF). The process, which consists of one partner’s eggs being retrieved, fertilized with sperm, and implanted into the other partner’s uterus, allows both partners to h
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Reproductive health care experts described the move as “a Trojan horse” — creating a precedent that could threaten access to fertility treatments like IVF and ban abortion nationwide.
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Rob Farmer for ProPublica Frank Ssekamwa says the United States presented his country with an impossible choice. If it accepted the terms of a new health agreement, Uganda would have to give the U.S. access to the data of millions of his fellow citizens — a decision he worries would make their perso
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Erika Nyhus thought she was done having children. The mother of two had required medical intervention to become pregnant in the past, and she’d been told that the breast cancer treatment she’d completed would further diminish her fertility.
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Last month, inflation hit 4.2 percent, its highest level since early 2023, according to new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Managing more expensive fuel, food and other necessities, like utilities and medical care, has been difficult for many, but older women — particularly those on a fixe
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We often hear dads complain that Father’s Day marketing is subpar, and in some cases, the gifts are too. Dads deserve to be celebrated—the value they add to our lives is invaluable. Those lucky enough to experience a present father know how precious the love, care, provision, wisdom, and play they p
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Erectile dysfunction is on the rise among young people. Some studies estimate that up to 35 percent of men under 40 say they can’t get it up or keep it up for satisfying sex, and urologists report seeing more and more young patients concerned about erectile dysfunction .
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Cengiz Yar/ProPublica. Source images: Wikimedia Commons, Getty Images, documents obtained by ProPublica. For more than a decade, Dr. Joseph Mercola cautioned parents against a potentially lifesaving shot of vitamin K for their newborn babies: “Vitamin K shots are completely unnecessary for your newb
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Last week’s announcement of a $215 million contribution by Melinda French Gates in support of women’s health couldn’t have come at a more urgent moment, especially considering that June 10 was Equal Research Day, marking the anniversary of the day in 1993 when women were finally required to be inclu
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Roe v. Wade was never enough. Reproductive justice advocates have been saying that for decades. So why did so much of the reproductive rights movement organize itself around protecting Roe anyway? In this solo episode, Imani Gandy explores how legal arguments became the center of the fight for abort
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The actor is speaking out about why so many women fear these appointments.
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Tucked in New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s sprawling universal childcare plan is a little-talked-about milestone: In September, the city will open what appears to be the first free daycare for municipal workers in the country.
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Director of State Policy Organization Founded in 1968, the Guttmacher Institute is a global leader in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Through a unique and interrelated program of high-quality research, evidence-based advocacy and strategic communications, the Institute works to
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By Nyla Stanford · Updated June 1, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Growing up, my skin has found ways to shape shift into craters with deep valley pores . I’d look into the mirror and run my hands over my face, pretending it was smooth and even, like the beautiful women in the …
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SANDPOINT, Idaho — An anti-abortion pregnancy center on the outskirts of this Idaho Panhandle town greets visitors with an abridged Bible verse painted on the wall of its waiting area: “Come to me & I will give you rest.
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The Trump administration’s obsession with diversity, equity and inclusion has moved far beyond rhetoric. It is now reshaping how women’s stories get told, whose health crises are allowed to be named, and what kinds of research are permitted to survive.
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By India Espy-Jones · Updated May 27, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… In just over one month, your flight will touch down in New Orleans for the 2026 Essence Festival of Culture . In the meantime, when it comes to festival prep, remembering what to pack may not be as fun as the
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What's at stake in Louisiana v. FDA gsinger May 27, 2026
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At the administrative assistants’ conference, everyone wants to talk about AI. Among the workers who are most likely to have a hard time finding a new job if AI takes theirs, 86 percent are women , according to findings from a recent Brookings Institution study.
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Want more stories like this? Subscribe to our menopause newsletter . When we asked you all during Deinfluencing Month what other topics you wanted us to dig into, we heard one thing over and over again: cortisol.
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What’s worse: A cold rod inserted briefly inside your vagina or cervical cancer? The former is a key part of a pap smear, the cancer screening recommended every 3 to 5 years for people with a cervix under the age of 65. Pap smears — which can be uncomfortable and even painful for some — […]
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When people hear the words “incels” and “trad wives,” they might think of very different images. While “incels” are thought of as lonely, radicalized, or dangerous, “trad wives” might invoke associations with being soft, natural, or motherly.
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Forget a hot girl summer, actress Lupita Nyong’o is preparing for a blockbuster summer. The Academy Award–winning stunner will be front and center in not one but two leading roles […] The post Why The Racist Backlash To Lupita Nyong’o’s Helen Of Troy Casting Tells A Familiar Story appeared first on
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Across the country, abortion bans appear to have made it harder for people experiencing miscarriages to receive appropriate treatment — or even receive treatment at all — a new study suggests. The study is the first national look at the connection between abortion bans and miscarriage care.
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Sex columnist Vera Blossom explains the elusive phenomenon of female ejaculation. The post I Don’t Squirt During Sex. Is My Vagina Broken? appeared first on Rewire News Group .
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A Second Opinion is a recurring series by Haley Proctor on the Second Amendment and constitutional litigation. On the ground floor of the Supreme Court building, a statue of the Supreme Court’s most influential chief justice, John Marshall, greets visitors with an outstretched hand.
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The post A Unique Oregon Law Allows It to Block Healthcare Deals. In Five Years, the State Hasn’t Done So Once. appeared first on ProPublica .
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Click to expand Image The M23 armed group patrols Uvira, Democratic Republic of Congo, December 13, 2025. © 2025 Jospin Mwisha / AFP via Getty Images The M23 armed group and Rwandan military forces carried out an abusive month-long occupation of an eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city beginning
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Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has, historically, been very public about his concerns about what is plaguing the nation’s well-being. His long, complicated history with vaccines is well-documented. So is his long-standing spat with fluoride.
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Polycystic ovary syndrome, also known as PCOS, has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, or PMOS. PMOS impacts an estimated 170 million people worldwide and is one of the most common hormonal disorders experienced by women, trans men and nonbinary people assigned female at birth.
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The job hunt has always been a stress-inducing process. It’s a never-ending cycle of apply, get rejected, apply again, complete a task, get an interview, then get ghosted. Rinse and […] The post The Job Market Is Already Brutal.
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When my daughter was 2 weeks old, she stopped eating. She would go nearly 24 hours without food, crying constantly and losing weight while seeming to be in excruciating pain. Over five months, I took her to more than 50 doctors appointments searching for answers, only to be dismissed as hysterical,
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Sixty-four percent of health and wellness influencers are women, according to a new analysis. That dominance in the online health and wellness space comes as 4 in 10 U.S. adults — and half of those under 50 — say they get health and wellness information from social media influencers or podcasts.
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This month the newest fertility data dropped—and the U.S. fertility rate has fallen again, hitting another record low in 2025 according to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The number of births per 1,000 women of childbearing age, in 2025, went down by .7 to 53.1, compared to 53.
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ScotusCrim is a recurring series by Rory Little focusing on intersections between the Supreme Court and criminal law. In today’s column I first offer a different, nuanced, way to think about the current court composition. Then I’ll switch gears. Last month I previewed Blanche v.
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Each month, Ms. provides readers with a list of new books being published by writers from historically excluded groups. Whether or not you pick up the science books on our lists, or you try some poetry, or a new-to-you genre of fiction, I hope you find something here that’s both exciting and educati
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When the shots rang out at the Washington Hilton, it had not even been a week since the nation mourned the eight children shot dead in Shreveport, La., seven of whom were the gunman’s own. Two women, including his wife, were also shot but survived; another child jumped off a roof to escape the shoot
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There’s only one career where having a baby can boost a woman’s career: influencing. Other women in the workforce have to contend with the motherhood penalty, but moms-to-be making a living on social media can rake in cash with sponsorships that continue well past their due dates.
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In today’s newsletter: Persistent gaps in maternal health outcomes have long been documented, but now a growing body of evidence suggests that racism and deprivation have profound consequences for pregnancy and birth Good morning.
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Guttmacher Institute Applauds Legislation to Block Supercharged Global Gag Rule, Calls for Permanent Repeal April 29, 2026 mcherins <time datetime="2026-04-28T14:58:23-06:00" title="Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - 2:...
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Una nueva herramienta de Guttmacher calcula al instante el valor para la salud y económico de los servicios de aborto seguro April 29, 2026 jloewenberg <time datetime="2026-04-27T13:03:53-06:00" title="Monday, A...
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Le Guttmacher Institute : un nouvel outil pour une estimation instantanée de la valeur sanitaire et économique des services d’avortement sécurisé April 29, 2026 jloewenberg <time datetime="2026-04-27T12:35:06-06...
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The FDA now cautions that this long-acting birth control may increase the risk of meningioma, a tumor in the lining of the brain. RNG explains the studies that prompted the warning. The post Does Depo-Provera Cause Brain Tumors? How To Read the Research appeared first on Rewire News Group .
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Every time Sarah Kinee opened Instagram, she was barraged with advertisements for weight loss products. One time, she recalled seeing six in a row. “I was like, what is this? Why do I keep getting ad after ad?” said Kinee, who had her second child late last year.
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Safe Abortion Calculator Methodology Report sramashwar April 22, 2...
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“There is really no evidence at all that these are meaningful treatments," one researcher said. The post New Autism Drug? Experts Debunk Federal Officials’ Claims of Leucovorin As Treatment appeared first on Rewire News Group .
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“Daily hair shedding is normal,” hair transplant surgeon at The Treatment Rooms London Dr. Roshan Vara tells ESSENCE. In fact, most people shed around 50 to 100 strands each day. […] The post Hair Loss In Your 30s? It Could Be Early Menopause appeared first on Essence .