The Washington Post - USA (2022-03-01)

TUESDAY, MARCH 1 , 2022. THE WASHINGTON POST EZ EE E3

HEALTH NEWS

BY LINDSEY TANNER

More than half of U.S. abor-
tions are now done with pills
rather than surgery, an upward
trend that spiked during the pan-
demic with the increase in tele-
medicine, a report released
Thursday shows.
In 2020, pills accounted for 54
percent of all U.S. abortions, up
from roughly 44 percent in 2019.
The preliminary numbers
come from the Guttmacher Insti-
tute, a research group that sup-
ports abortion rights. The group,
by contacting providers, collects
more comprehensive abortion
data than the U.S. government.
Use of abortion pills has been
rising since 2000, when the Food
and Drug Administration ap-
proved mifepristone — the main
drug used in medication abor-
tions.
The increase “is not surprising,
especially during covid,’’ said
Marji Gold, a family medicine
physician and abortion provider
in New York City. She said pa-
tients seeking abortions at her
clinic have long chosen the pills
over the medical procedure.
The pandemic prompted a rise
in telemedicine and FDA action
that allowed abortion pills to be
mailed so patients could skip
in-person visits to get them.
Those changes could have con-
tributed to the increase in use,
said Guttmacher researcher Ra-
chel Jones.
The FDA made the change per-
manent last December, meaning
millions of women can get a
prescription via an online consul-
tation and receive the pills
through the mail. That move led
to stepped-up efforts by abortion
opponents to seek additional re-

strictions on medication abor-

tions through state legislatures.

The procedure includes mife-

pristone, which blocks a hormone

needed for pregnancy to contin-

ue, followed one or two days later

by misoprostol, a drug that causes

cramping that empties the womb.

The combination is approved for

use within the first 10 weeks of

pregnancy, although some

health-care providers offer it in

the second trimester, a practice

called off-label use.

So far this year, 16 state legisla-

tures have proposed bans or re-

strictions on medication abor-

tion, according to the Guttmach-

er report.

It notes that in 32 states, medi-

cation abortions must be pre-

scribed by physicians even

though other health-care provid-

ers including physician assistants

can prescribe other medicines.

And mailing abortion pills to pa-

tients is banned in three states —

Arizona, Arkansas and Texas, the

report says.

According to the World Health

Organization, about 73 million

abortions are performed each

year. About 630,000 abortions

were reported to the U.S. Centers

for Disease Control and Preven-

tion in 2019, although informa-

tion from some states is missing.

Guttmacher’s last comprehensive

abortion report dates to 2017; the

data provided Thursday comes

from an update due out later this

year.

Global numbers on rates of

medication versus surgical abor-

tions are limited. Data from Eng-

land and Wales show that medi-

cation abortions have outpaced

surgical abortions for about 10

years.

— Associated Press

More than half of a bortions performed in U.S.

in 2020 were done with pills, not surgery

HEALTH SCAN

BY ERIN BLAKEMORE

Sexual violence is all too com-
mon for women: According to the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, more than 1 in 3 ex-
perience unwanted sexual con-
tact during their lifetimes.
The mental health consequenc-
es of molestation, rape and ha-
rassment are widely recognized.
But there’s another potential
risk for women: high blood pres-
sure.
New research suggests that 1 in
5 women who experience sexual
violence will develop high blood
pressure within seven years of the
incident — and that the risk rises
for those who undergo both as-
sault and harassment.
For a study in the Journal of the
American Heart Association, a
national team of researchers
looked at data from the long-
standing Nurses’ Health Study,
which has been following 115,000
women since 1989.
Twenty-three percent of them
reported they’d been sexually as-
saulted, and 12 percent were sexu-
ally harassed; 6 percent had expe-
rienced both.
About 21 percent of women
who experienced an incident of
sexual violence or harassment de-
veloped high blood pressure with-
in seven years.
When the researchers com-
pared the women with histories of
sexual violence to those who had
not experienced such events, they

found they were more likely to

develop hypertension. The associ-

ation held even after the research-

ers accounted for factors such as

socioeconomic status, education

and physical activity.

Though most people have no

physical symptoms of high blood

pressure, it can wreak havoc on

the body, hardening arteries and

decreasing the flow of oxygen and

blood to the heart. It is associated

with stroke, kidney disease, poor

cognitive function and other

health problems.

The researchers say a history of

sexual trauma might be consid-

ered a risk factor for cardiovascu-

lar disease, and that questions

about that history could be useful

for directing health behaviors in

those women.

Those who have been sexually

harassed or assaulted are more

likely to have obesity or smoke,

which could be a result of stress

related to the sexual violence,

they write. The researchers say

that screening for those behaviors

could also help reduce the likeli-

hood of high blood pressure.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

Research shows women who experience assault,

harassment may develop high blood pressure

Sexual Violence and Risk of

Hypertension in Women in the

Nurses’ Health Study II: A 7-Year

Prospective Analysis

Journal of the American Heart

Association

http://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/

JAHA.121. 023015

BY STEPHANIE CLARKE

W

hether it’s due to

their rich, savory

flavor or claims

about their poten-

tial healing prop-

erties, mushrooms are having a

moment. Supermarkets are

stocking a variety, and fungi are

even featured in seasoning

blends, snacks and coffee. Sup-

plements that come in capsule,

powder, tincture (liquid extract)

or tea forms are increasingly

popular, too.

Here’s what to know about the

health benefits of mushrooms.

Know the types

The most familiar varieties are

white button mushrooms, which

have a mild flavor; crimini (a.k.a.

baby bellas), with a slightly deep-

er, earthier flavor; and large por-

tobellos, known for their meaty

texture.

Specialty mushrooms include

maitake (also called hen-of-the-

woods), shiitake, enoki, morel,

porcini and oyster. These can be

pricier because they take longer

to grow and require more main-

tenance.

Chaga, cordyceps, reishi and

turkey tail are some of the types

primarily used in powders and

other supplements, although

they can be found dried or fresh.

Benefits

Different types of mushrooms

have different amounts of nutri-

ents, but overall, “mushrooms

are wonderful sources of the

minerals potassium and seleni-

um,” says Joan Salge Blake, a

nutrition professor at Boston

University. “Potassium can help

lower high blood pressure, while

selenium is an antioxidant that

protects your cells from free radi-

cals. If free radicals accumulate

faster than your body can neu-

tralize them, their damaging ef-

fects can contribute to chronic

diseases such as heart disease

and age-related macular degen-

eration.”

Mushrooms are also the lead-

ing dietary source of ergothion-

eine, an antioxidant known for its

role in supporting the immune

system.

Certain mushrooms, particu-

larly white, baby bellas and por-

tobellos, can supply vitamin D.

Some producers expose the fungi

to ultraviolet light, which

prompts them to make the vita-

min, similar to the way that

sunlight on skin triggers vitamin

D production in the body. Look

for those listing 10 micrograms or

more per serving — about half

your daily need — on the label.

As a meat substitute

Mushrooms have a deep sa-

vory flavor called umami and a

meaty texture, making them

good substitutes for beef burgers.

There are two ways to do this. You

can grill a large portobello and

put it in a bun with burger

fixings, sans meat. Or you can

blend chopped mushrooms with

ground meat (1 cup per pound of

meat). “This lets you increase the

number of burgers you can make

and lowers the calories and satu-

rated fat per burger,” Blake says.

Blending mushrooms with

meat is great for the planet, too,

because it helps reduce the

amount of animal products con-

sumed. Overall, mushrooms are a

very sustainable food. They grow

with minimal water and produce

a high yield on a small plot of

land.

Supplements

Mushrooms have been part of

Eastern medicine for thousands

of years. Today, people who want

to use them to address health

concerns typically turn to supple-

ments.

Preliminary research suggests

that some varieties may comple-

ment the treatment of certain

types of cancers. But claims that

mushrooms boost immunity

(turkey tail), help with anxiety

and mood (reishi) or improve

concentration (Lion’s mane)

have only lab or animal studies

to support them.

If you want to try mushroom

supplements, check with your

doctor first, particularly if you

have a medical condition. Some

of them can lower blood pres-

sure, blood sugar or interfere

with medications. And as with all

supplements, mushroom supple-

ments aren’t tightly regulated,

which means you can’t be sure

that the product you’re buying

contains what the label says it

does.

FROM CONSUMER REPORTS

The many benefits mushrooms serve

ISTOCK

“Mushrooms are wonderful sources of the minerals potassium and selenium,” says Joan Salge Blake, a

professor at Boston University. Their meaty texture also makes them good substitutes for beef burgers.

Consumer Reports is an

independent, nonprofit organization

that works side by side with

consumers to create a fairer, safer

and healthier world. CR does not

endorse products or services, and

does not accept advertising. CR has

no financial relationship with

advertisers in this publication. Read

more at ConsumerReports.org.

280

million

people

Depression affects about 280 million
people worldwide, including about 5
percent of all adults, according to data
from the World Health Organization
and a report from the World Psychiatric
Association Commission, an
international research group. The
commission describes depression as
“one of the leading causes of avoidable
suffering and premature mortality in
the world” and labels it a neglected
global health crisis. In the United States, an estimated 21 million adults,
or about 8 percent of those 18 and older, are living with depression,
according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In addition, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that roughly 11 percent
of all physician office visits and emergency department visits are
related to depression. ¶ Though most everyone feels sad or gloomy from
time to time, depression — what the medical world refers to as
depressive disorder or major depression — goes beyond simple mood
fluctuations. Rather, such feelings as sadness, hopelessness or low self-
worth, loss of interest in usual activities, sleep problems and lack of
energy persist for two weeks or more, interfering with a person’s
everyday life. Genetics, chemical changes in the brain and stressful
events are among factors believed to be responsible for depressive
episodes. ¶ Left untreated, depression can have devastating effects. But
treatment — which may include such approaches as talk therapy,
medication, exercise, light therapy or acupuncture — can ease
symptoms and help prevent a recurrence. However, the World
Psychiatric Association Commission report, published in the Lancet,
notes that about half of people suffering from depression in high-
income countries are not diagnosed or treated, a number that increases
to as much as 90 percent of those with depression who live in low- and
middle-income countries.
— Linda Searing

BIG NUMBER

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