Reproductive News Rundown 15th - 22nd October

 

Welcome to #theweeklyrundown where we give you this week's summary of relevant news covering gynaecological health.

Each week, we aim to keep you up-to-date on the latest global trends, breakthroughs and events centering on women's healthcare.

If we missed anything, please feel free to comment below with a link!

Huffington Post

Women Are Sharing Their Endometriosis Stories After Lena Dunham's Surgery Photo 

Earlier this week, Lena Dunham, an advocate and voice for people living with endometriosis had her left ovary removed as it was “encased in scar tissue & fibrosis, attached to my bowel and pressing on nerve”. This is following a decision to have a hysterectomy 12 months prior due to her endometriosis.

“A big lesson I’ve learned in all of this is that health, like most stuff, isn’t linear – things improve and things falter,” she wrote in the caption on Instagram. 

This has encouraged many other women to share their stories within the thread, many whom have struggled with a series of unsuccessful treatment options.

One commenter, @robinnerenkin. said: “Lena. I am 'living' with a life threatning illnes. I cant tell you how strange and wonderful it is to hear honest words about being sick. My story is a milkyway of pain and misunderstanding with sparkles of projections of loss and tolerence made up as compassion- because that is 'the way it should be'. It IS humiliating. I join you.”

View this post on Instagram

Yesterday I had a two hour surgery to remove my left ovary, which was encased in scar tissue & fibrosis, attached to my bowel and pressing on nerves that made it kinda hard to walk/pee/vamp. Over the last month it got worse and worse until I was simply a burrito posing as a human. *** My mother took this picture after I spent 9 hours in the post op recovery area with v low blood pressure that the nurses were diligently monitoring. I was so out of it that I thought I looked sensually moody a la Charlotte Rampling (turns out it was more of a constipation vibe.) *** A lot of people commented on my last post about being too sick to finish promoting my show by saying my hysterectomy should have fixed it (I mean *should* is a weird one). That I should get acupuncture and take supplements (I do). That I should see a therapist because it’s clearly psychological (year 25 of therapy, y’all. These are the fruits!) But a big lesson I’ve learned in all of this is that health, like most stuff, isn’t linear- things improve and things falter and you start living off only cranberry juice from a sippy cup/sleeping on a glorified heating pad but you’re also happier than you’ve been in years. I feel blessed creatively and tickled by my new and improved bellybutton and so so so lucky to have health insurance as well as money for care that is off of my plan. But I’m simultaneously shocked by what my body is and isn’t doing for me and red with rage that access to medical care is a privilege and not a right in this country and that women have to work extra hard just to prove what we already know about our own bodies and beg for what we need to be well. It’s humiliating. *** My health not being a given has paid spiritual dividends I could never have predicted and it’s opened me up in wild ways and it’s given me a mission: to advocate for those of us who live at the cross section of physical and physic pain, to remind women that our stories don’t have to look one way, our pain is our gain and oh shit scars and mesh “panties” are the fucking jam. Join me, won’t you? *** 📷 @lauriesimmons

A post shared by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on

Brit + Co

These Endometriosis Sufferers Rely on Medical Cannabis — But Legalization Hasn’t Made Access Easier

Brit+Co spoke to two women with endometriosis who use medicinal marijuana to alleviate their symptoms. This choice was made after years of trial and error, searching for a treatment plan that worked for them.

Now the two are working to fight the stigma that is attached to medicinal marijuana users:

“My endo is awful right now but I can’t bring myself to have a surgery until my baby isn’t breastfeeding anymore – and we get insurance,” says Krista. “Without insurance I’m stuck in pain.” Besides the laparoscopic surgery and hormone injections Krista says she tried as a teen, she’s been given Tramadol (an opioid) and Naproxen (an anti-inflammatory). “I get very irritable when I take them, which isn’t a good alternative to pain.Cannabis is a new option in my state but my doctor isn’t allowed to issue recommendations because the clinic he works for won’t allow it. So I have to pay for a different visit elsewhere.”

Both women found that cannabis brought them the most relief with the fewest side effects. 

Contemporary ObGyn

Does surgery improve pregnancy odds for women with colorectal endometriosis?

Secondary analysis of results from a French trial investigating the effects of surgical management of colorectal endometriosis found that the intervention effectively improved postoperative fertility rates, including the ability to conceive naturally. The study is one of the first to evaluate the impact of first-line surgery on pregnancy rates in this population. 

First-line assisted reproductive technology (ART) is the recommended strategy for improving pregnancy rates in women with endometriosis, but is a subject of controversy in the gynecological community due to a lack of high-quality data comparing it to surgical management. In addition, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) reported in 2014 that there was no evidence that surgical management of deep endometriosis would improve pregnancy rates prior to ART. 

Digital Journal

Global Uterine Fibroid Embolization Agents Industry Opportunities, Analysis & Forecasts, 2018–2025

Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is an effective, non-surgical method used to treat uterine fibroids in the fertile women population. It is performed with the help of uterine fibroid embolization agents, delivered to the tumor by micro-catheters. The embolization agents block the arteries supplying blood to the tumor and force them to shrink.

The increased awareness about the uterine fibroids amongst women and popularity of minimally invasive procedure will drive the global market for uterine fibroid embolization agents. In addition, the fact that UFE allows woman to preserve their uterus, otherwise not possible with full or even partial hysterectomy will further drive the market.

 
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