IOM Topic: Women's Health

Standing Committee on Family Planning

5/18/2012

Both days of the meeting is closed to the public.

Followup to a 1982 IOM Study on Research Issues in the Assessment of Birth Settings: A Workshop

5/16/2012

The IOM and the National Research Council will convene a committee to plan and conduct a two-day public workshop that will review updates to the 1982 IOM-NRC report Research Issues in the Assessment of Birth Settings. The workshop will feature invited presentations and discussions that will highlight research findings that advance our understanding of the effects, on maternal labor, clinical and other birth procedures, and birth outcomes, of maternal care services in different types of institutional settings, including conventional hospital labor and delivery wards and alternative birth settings that may be hospital-affiliated or free-standing.

Ending Violence @ Home

3/27/2012

Following the momentum of the mPreventViolence workshop, The Avon Foundation for Women and the Institute of Medicine are challenging teams of individuals from the fields of domestic violence prevention and communications technologies to come together to raise awareness about and to help prevent domestic violence against women and children. This is a global challenge, and teams from both the US and abroad are encouraged to register.

Institute of Medicine and Avon Foundation for Women Issue Challenge for Apps to Prevent Domestic Violence

3/8/2012

Domestic violence affects millions of people worldwide, particularly women and children. To jump-start the development of innovative ways to tackle this global problem, the Institute of Medicine and Avon Foundation for Women have launched the "Ending Violence @ Home App Challenge." Offering $25,000 in prizes, the contest challenges teams of individuals from the fields of domestic violence prevention and communications technologies to work together to raise awareness about and help prevent violence in the home. Registration for the challenge opened today to coincide with International Women's Day 2012.

"Like" the IOM on Facebook

3/6/2012

For every new "like" on the IOM's Facebook page, a donor will contribute $1 toward improving the nation's health, up to $5,000.

What You're Reading - February 2012

3/1/2012

A list of the most viewed IOM reports for the month of February, 2012.

Contest Seeks Apps to Prevent Domestic Violence

2/28/2012

Preventing domestic violence demands the use of effective tools. To jump-start the development of innovative ways to tackle this global problem, the Institute of Medicine and Avon Foundation for Women will launch the "Ending Violence @ Home App Challenge" on March 8. The contest will encourage participants to create mobile- or Web-based apps that can help prevent physical assaults, verbal abuse, and other acts of domestic violence, or aid victims and those trying to help them. Prizes up to $10,000 will be awarded.

Clinical Preventive Services for Women: Closing the Gaps

2/15/2012

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) addresses preventive services for both men and women of all ages, and women in particular stand to benefit from additional preventive health services. The Department of Health and Human Services charged the IOM with reviewing what preventive services are important to women’s health and well-being and then recommending which of these should be considered in the development of comprehensive guidelines. The IOM recommends that women’s preventive services include, among other services, improved screening for cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV; a fuller range of contraceptive education, counseling, methods, and services; services for pregnant women; at least one well-woman preventive care visit annually; and screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence.

What You're Reading - January 2012

2/1/2012

A list of the most viewed IOM reports for the month of January, 2012.

What You're Reading - December 2011

2/1/2012

A list of the most viewed IOM reports for the month of December, 2011.

Sex-Specific Reporting of Scientific Research - Workshop Summary

1/27/2012

In 2010, the IOM released a report that found, among other things, data not being reported by sex had slowed progress in women’s health. The number of women participating in clinical trials has increased over the last two decades, though they are still underrepresented. Even when women are included in these trials, however, the results are often not analyzed separately by sex. On August 30, 2011, The IOM’s Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice hosted a workshop to address the recommendation that journals should adopt a guideline that all papers report the outcomes of research on males and females separately.

IOM Report Identifies Steps That May Reduce Women's Risk For Breast Cancer Associated With Environmental Factors

1/27/2012

Women may be able to reduce their risk for breast cancer by avoiding unnecessary medical radiation, forgoing use of combination estrogen-progestin menopausal hormone therapy if possible, limiting alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco use, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. These preventive steps focus on the environmental risk factors for which there is consistent scientific evidence of an association with breast cancer.

Breast Cancer and the Environment: A Life Course Approach

1/27/2012

More than 230,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2011. The IOM was asked to review the current evidence on breast cancer and the environment, review challenges in studying this topic, explore evidence-based actions that women might take to reduce their risk, and recommend future research. Overall, it finds that major advances have been made in understanding breast cancer and its risk factors, but more needs to be learned about its causes, how environmental exposures affect risk for the disease, and how to prevent it.

Women’s Preventive Services Recommended by IOM to be Covered Under Affordable Care Act

1/27/2012

The passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 marked a profound shift away from reactive care and toward a system focused on prevention, including a new provision that ensures preventive health services will be covered with no out-of-pocket costs. On August 1, 2011, less than two weeks after the release of Clinical Preventive Services for Women: Closing the Gaps, HHS adopted the IOM’s recommendations outlining which services for women should be included.

Updating the USDA National Breastfeeding Campaign - Workshop Summary

1/27/2012

Support for breastfeeding has been a priority of the WIC program since its inception in the 1970s. The Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work campaign, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services launched in 1997, emphasizes key components needed for a breastfeeding mother to be successful. More than a decade after the campaign began, USDA wants to update it, taking into account changes in the WIC program, participants, and technology. On April 26, 2011, the IOM hosted a workshop to bring together experts to discuss what has changed since Loving Support began, lessons learned from other public health campaigns, and suggestions for where to take the campaign in the future.

Key Reports in 2011

1/27/2012

Key Reports in 2011

Breast Cancer and the Environment: IOM Report Release Dec. 7

1/27/2012

Although women have little or no control over some of the risk factors for breast cancer, such as those related to aging and genetics, they may be able to reduce their chances for developing the disease by avoiding certain environmental risks. Breast Cancer and the Environment: A Life Course Approach, a new report from the Institute of Medicine, assesses the breast cancer risk posed by various environmental factors, identifies actions that offer potential to reduce women's risk for the disease, and recommends targets for future research. The report, sponsored by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, will be released with a press briefing and presented at a plenary session at the 2011 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS).

Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines: Dissemination Workshops and Related Activities

1/27/2012

The IOM and the National Research Council will develop a series of information resources to support guidance based on the recommendations of the report "Weight Gain During Pregnancy: Reexamining the Guidelines."

Standing Committee on Family Planning: January 2012

1/27/2012

Public meeting with various segments of federal goverment whose work pertain to reproductive health and related preventive health services.

Expert Meeting on Updating the USDA Breastfeeding Campaign

1/27/2012

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) through a contract with the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM), sought input about how best to reinvigorate the Loving Support campaign and strengthen FNS’ efforts to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates among WIC participants. Discussions during a workshop held in April 2011 highlighted many innovative ideas and strategies regarding a successful health promotion campaign. As is sometimes the case, some of the questions remained unanswered about recommended steps FNS should take in updating the campaign. Thus, as a continuation of this project, IOM is planning to hold a meeting to address these questions. Invited participants will include 15 subject matter experts on social marketing, breastfeeding promotion and support strategies, and breastfeeding intervention programs. The workshop summary Updating the USDA National Breastfeeding Campaign will provide a starting point for the discussion.

What You Read 2011

12/29/2011

A list of the most viewed IOM reports for the year 2011.

Preventive Services for Women

12/27/2011

The IOM will review what preventive services are necessary for women's health and well-being and should be considered in the development of comprehensive guidelines for preventive services for women.

What You're Reading - November 2011

12/5/2011

A list of the most viewed IOM reports for the month of November, 2011.

Preliminary Assessment of Readjustment Needs of Veterans, Service Members, and Their Families

11/11/2011

Nearly 1.9 million U.S. troops have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since October 2001. Many service members and veterans face serious challenges in readjusting to normal life after returning home. This initial report presents findings on the most critical challenges, and lays out the blueprint for the second phase of the study to determine how best to meet the needs of returning troops and their families.

What You're Reading - October 2011

11/2/2011

A list of the most viewed IOM reports for the month of October, 2011.

IOM Elects 65 New Members, Five Foreign Associates

10/26/2011

The IOM announced the names of 65 new members and five foreign associates on October 17 in conjunction with its 41st annual meeting. Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

Breast Cancer and the Environment: The Scientific Evidence, Research Methodology, and Future Directions

10/18/2011

Each year nearly 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. At the request of Susan G. Komen for the Cure^®, the IOM is examining evidence for environmental factors that may increase women’s risk for the disease.

Assessing the Medical Risks of Oocyte Donation for Stem Cell Research: Workshop Summary

10/6/2011

The oocyte donation process that allows vital stem cell research is not without its risks to the donors, and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine contracted with the National Academies (NAS) to assemble a workshop that would bring together experts from various areas to address the questions of what is known about these risks, what needs to be known, and what can be done to minimize them. In response, the NAS formed the Committee on Assessing the Medical Risks of Oocyte Donation for Stem Cell Research that held a workshop in San Francisco on September 28, 2006, devoted to those issues.

What You're Reading - September 2011

10/4/2011

A list of the most viewed IOM reports for the month of September, 2011.

Pregnancy Weight Gain Guidelines: Dissemination Workshops and Related Activities

9/6/2011