Latest news with #Jimenez
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
Ozempic Could Change Births in America
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. More babies could be born because of Ozempic as it can improve fertility and has led to surprise pregnancies, experts have told Newsweek. There have been multiple reports of an "Ozempic babies" phenomenon after women reported becoming pregnant on the drug, even while on birth control in some cases. Last month, the United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care, urged women on Ozempic and other similar weight loss drugs to make sure they are on effective birth control if they do not want to conceive. Professor Alexander Miras, a clinical professor of medicine who has led studies on how weight loss interventions influence live birth rates in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), told Newsweek that this is happening because women with obesity often have no periods and do not routinely use contraception. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/GettyCanva "Medications for obesity cause significant weight loss and this can rapidly improve fertility, thus the unwanted pregnancies," he said. Similarly, reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Patricia Jimenez, from WashU Medicine, told Newsweek: "For people with irregular menstrual cycles, weight loss has been shown to increase ovulation and therefore pregnancy." "Weight loss also can improve semen parameters," she added. However, Jimenez stressed that these drugs "are not fertility medications, and for people struggling with infertility, the best option is to talk with a specialist about fertility treatment." Meanwhile Karin Hammarberg, a senior research fellow at Monash University who has authored several pieces on "Ozempic babies," said that unwanted pregnancies from weight loss drugs could be a cause for concern. "They will cause some unexpected and unplanned pregnancies, which is concerning since we don't know how this drug might affect the growing fetus," she told Newsweek. While a lot is still unknown about Ozempic, its ability to affect fertility may have an impact on the number of births in America, which is, along with most other countries, struggling with declining birth rates. Could Ozempic Lead to an Increase in Birth Rates? "We may indeed observe an increase in birth rates because a previously untreated population of women with infertility will now have more access to effective pharmacotherapy for obesity that can rapidly improve their fertility," Miras said. While Hammarberg agrees that weight loss drugs could add a number of births to the total, she does not believe it "will make any difference to birth rates at a population level." Jimenez said "we need more data to understand whether these medications will have a significant impact on birth rates" as "there is no evidence that weight loss increases live birth rates in people with regular ovulatory cycles or with fertility treatments." America's fertility rates are projected to average 1.6 births per woman over the next three decades, according to the Congressional Budget Office's latest forecast released this year. This number is well below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman required to maintain a stable population without immigration. With financial struggles and worries often cited as reasons for people having fewer children, solutions often focus on calling for policies that include making child care, health care, housing and education more accessible. Others have focused on cultural impacts. For example, Norway is a global leader in parental leave and child care policies, but is still facing a birth rate crisis. Its Birth Rate Committee has pointed largely to cultural changes, including the fact that fewer people are having their first child before the age of 30 because lower rates of couples in their 20s are staying together. Dr. Jonathan Sher, founding partner of Scotland's Coalition for Healthier Pregnancies, Better Lives and the former deputy director of the Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland, is one of several who have urged countries to look at fertility and pregnancies as a way of tackling birth rates. He previously wrote that remedies linked to finances are "built on the assumption that people of childbearing potential are increasingly choosing not to become parents." Sher said that focusing on achieving healthier fertility and pregnancies could save multiple "unhappy endings" which includes miscarriages, stillbirths, therapeutic terminations, very premature deliveries, harm to the mother's health and/or her future reproductive life, as well as babies born with life-limiting birth defects. "These are pregnancies intended to be full term and produce healthy babies who will grow up to become net assets to their economies and societies," Sher said. Although saving all of these pregnancies would be impossible, "many of these unwelcome outcomes could, and should, have been prevented through robust, universal, effective policies and practices under the umbrella of preconception and interconception health, education and care," he said. How Does Ozempic Work? Ozempic is an injectable prescription drug that was developed to manage blood sugar levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes. It has surged in popularity because of how it assists weight loss. It is based on a naturally occurring human hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which plays an important role in regulating appetite and blood sugar levels. Its active ingredient is a molecule called semaglutide, which mimics the structure of this GLP-1 hormone and activates its receptors. In doing so, semaglutide induces feelings of fullness while delaying the emptying of the stomach, making users feel less hungry and therefore less likely to overeat. Jamie Winn, of the online pharmacy Universal Drugstore, previously told Newsweek that "Ozempic may interfere with the absorption of oral contraceptives, which can reduce their effectiveness and lead to an unwanted pregnancy." "If you are taking Ozempic and an oral contraceptive, it is recommended that you also use a barrier method of birth control such as a condom," Winn added. "Another option is to switch to a long-acting reversible contraceptive such as an IUD." But, like Jimenez, Winn said: "While Ozempic may increase fertility, caution should be taken if you get pregnant while on this medication. There is not enough information on the use of Ozempic by pregnant women, and there were adverse outcomes in animal studies. Pregnant rats that were given Ozempic had an increased rate of fetal death and birth defects. "Because it can take up to six weeks for Ozempic to be cleared from your body, it is recommended that you stop Ozempic at least two months before you plan on getting pregnant," Winn said. "If you become pregnant or think you are pregnant while on Ozempic, stop taking the medication and call your health care provider immediately."
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Shop local Tacoma artists at newly opened ‘Grit City Made' in Old Town
Tucked away a block from the Ruston Way waterfront in Old Town is a new business selling Tacoma artwork, from ceramic baby-head bolo ties to stickers, jewelry, magnets, glass planters and whimsical paintings. Grit City Made had its grand opening earlier this month at 2209 N. 30th St. The owners (who are Tacoma artists) describe the retail space as 'a treasure trove of eclectic creations' and each item 'an enchanting reflection of our community's uniqueness.' On Thursday, owners Krystal Jimenez, Mary Patton and Natalie Haywood told The News Tribune they were lucky to find a brick-and-mortar shop that checked their boxes. All owners still sell their work at local markets (find them at next week's Art on the Ave festival), but they wanted to have a permanent space where artists could sell their wares with less volatility. Jimenez, who uses they/them and she/her pronouns, said the choice to open the shop was an opportunity to 'reinvest into ourselves and our community.' Market sales can vary depending on the day, crowd or placement of an artist's booth, and sometimes artists make no sales despite investing time and money to sell at a market, they said. At Grit City Made, artists receive 65% of the sales from their work, with the remaining 35% going to support the business, Haywood said. 'Typically it would be a 50/50, and we know that that can be really difficult to survive on,' she said. 'We really just want to create a space where artists can thrive.' Patton said some shoppers have anxiety that prevents them from attending big markets, which can also have limited parking and hours. Grit City Made is accessible, intends to offer sensory-friendly and mask-wearing hours in the future, and will be open four days a week, she said. In the future Grit City Made hopes to offer classes and private events, possibly moving to a larger space with a studio, Patton said. Currently in the works is a 'Labubu and Me' workshop for people to create charm necklaces for themselves and their viral keychain plushie. Follow Grit City Made's Instagram or check out its website for a calendar of events. On the shelves are the owners' own creations. Jimenez (of Yo Its Cake) specializes in ceramics and is known colloquially as the 'baby head lady,' they said. Patton (of Patton Glass) makes hand-blown glass work, and Haywood (of Nat Haywood Vibes) is a multi-disciplinary artist who makes resin sculptures and paintings 'that border between mysticism and reality and how the natural world plays with us in that realm,' she said. Other artists featured now include Outer Rim Art, Jess Drew That, Lovesome Dove, Plastino Arts, Sketchboard Joy, Maxwell Woodworking, Change Face and Mythic Wick. Jimenez said all the artists made at least one sale the first day the shop was open. Haywood said as a single mom she wants to show her daughter she, too, can follow her dreams. 'No one, quite frankly, ever told me I could be an artist. No one told me I could be a small business owner. In fact, it's just been met with criticism and worries and projections,' she said. 'And I just want her to know, like, if something is your passion, you can make a living off of it. You can, you really can. And it helps doing it with your friends.' Although 'it's just really hard to exist right now,' Patton said, they're using the shop as 'an anchor or a stronghold for us.' 'We've kind of described this as, like, our soft rebellion,' Patton said. 'We're here, supporting our community, putting money back into it. A lot of our artists are disabled or BIPOC. A lot of them are full-time artists. Some of them do other jobs, like teach or work in the schools. So it's just really important to uplift our community directly.' ▪ Grit City Made is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. ▪ Any artists interested in selling their wares at the shop can contact hello@
Boston Globe
10-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
‘We can't eat 30% of the cost.' Price hikes from Trump's tariffs are coming for back-to-school and holiday shopping.
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Jimenez wouldn't say how many pairs she sold, only that it was fewer than last year. Advertisement 'I've never raised my price, so it was really hard on me because I know they don't have to buy my socks. They can literally go to Target and buy $3 socks,' said Jimenez, who predominantly sells to Catholic school students and has eaten most of the tariff increase. 'It was just because of a horrible decision by our government, and that is making it so hard for us.' Consumers around the country are starting to face a similar tariff reckoning while business owners wrestle with the same disheartening decision: whether to raise prices, and by how much, or delay inventory heading into the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons. Advertisement A promotional photo for Scholar Sox, which contributes a portion of each sale to scholarships. Scholar Sox Most imports must be ordered months in advance because of lengthy shipping times. That has led to a delayed reaction to The April 9 pause was set to expire on Wednesday, but 'A lot of folks took the opportunity to frontload and bring product in to kind of stock up before tariffs were put in place, and a lot of that inventory is starting to run out or has run out,' said Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy for the National Retail Federation trade group. 'As that stock gets replenished, that new inventory is coming in and has that tariff rate tied to it. So that's when you'll start to see some of those price increases.' Trump has falsely claimed that exporting countries pay the tariffs when they are actually paid by US importers when the goods arrive here. He has also asserted any costs will not be passed on to US customers. In May, 'The administration has consistently maintained that the cost of tariffs will be borne by foreign exporters who rely on access to the American economy, the world's biggest and best consumer market,' White House spokesperson Kush Desai said in a statement. He cited a Advertisement But the Federal Reserve and many economists are forecasting an acceleration in inflation in the second half of the year as tariff-related price hikes begin taking effect. 'It takes some time for tariffs to work their way through the chain of distribution to the end consumer,' Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said in June. 'We're beginning to see some effects, and we do expect to see more of them over coming months.' Spencer Murdock poured cumin into a grinder, nicknamed 'Bertha,' at the Curio Spice Co. factory in Winchester. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff The Still, even after moving up purchases, Curio Spice doesn't have enough on hand at its factory in Winchester to make it through the rest of the year. That includes the crucial October-through- December holiday season when Curio Spice also has a pop-up shop at the The spices it's ordered since then could be hit by higher tariffs that kick in before the shipments arrive. 'We're trying really hard not to raise prices,' Olivari said. 'Our products are already not the most inexpensive products in the world, and we want to be able to continue to support those farmers in that manner.' Advertisement So Curio Spice is looking at a combination of some price increases and reduced inventory the rest of the this year. 'If we run out of something, my hope is that people can understand,' said Claire Cheney, the company's founder and the 'blender-in-chief.' She also will suggest substitutes, such as allspice berries or clove buds instead of bay leaves, to try to keep customers. 'I don't think we're going to go out of business,' Cheney said. 'But it will severely impact our growth and our opportunity to introduce new products and to develop new blends.' Claire Cheney, founder and blender-in-chief at the Curio Spice Co. factory in Winchester. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Jim Rooney, chief executive of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, said the tariff uncertainty is adding up to a lost year for many businesses when it comes to expanding or hiring. He noted that toymaker 'There's an expectation, maybe grounded in hope, that . . . six months, a year from now, this will all be over,' Rooney said of the tariffs. 'But there's no guarantee of that.' Trump has said the tariffs are partly designed to lure more manufacturing back to the United States. But some products just can't be made here. Shortly after Jimenez started her company 11 years ago, she looked into producing her socks in the United States. But it was much more expensive given the handiwork and she would have had to charge nearly triple the price. Advertisement President Trump announced new tariffs in April. Mark Schiefelbein/Associated Press George White, chief executive of 'They're all handmade. It's super labor intensive,' he said. 'There's nowhere else to make them in the world.' The company does about a quarter of its business during the holiday shopping season and placed its order in May, not knowing what the tariffs on China ultimately would be. In early May, 'We are assuming that we're going to have a 30 percent tariff when it comes in,' White said. But given Trump's continual shifts, the actual tariffs when the products arrive between mid-August and mid-October are anyone's guess. Given the weekslong overseas shipping times, the tariffs can be dramatically different when the products arrive compared to when they were ordered. Containers and cargo ships at the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan in Ningbo, in China's eastern Zhejiang Province. HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images Then it's up to US business to decide how much of that cost to pass on to customers. White said he's boosting prices about 10 percent — assuming the 30 percent tariff. 'We can't eat 30 percent of the cost,' he said. Neither can Jenn Luna, owner of Advertisement Manufacturers are eating some of the cost, but Luna said she's still looking at increasing her prices by 7 percent to 10 percent. And all of that could change if Trump revises the tariffs again. 'Stuff that's on the water now, when it arrives, maybe it's going to be 100 percent, maybe it'll be zero,' Luna said. 'Nobody really knows. So we're all just doing the best we can.' Jim Puzzanghera can be reached at
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blue Jays make roster moves as Bo Bichette deals with injury
The post Blue Jays make roster moves as Bo Bichette deals with injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Toronto Blue Jays will be without Bo Bichette for a second straight game after he suffered a minor knee injury during batting practice on Monday before the team's game against the New York Yankees. Though Bichette is considered day-to-day, the team has called up Leo Jimenez from Triple-A Buffalo for added depth. Advertisement The Blue Jays sent outfielder Jonatan Clase down to make room for Jimenez, who is playing shortstop and batting ninth in the Toronto lineup on Tuesday. Bichette suffered his injury when he stepped on a baseball during BP before the series opener, a 5-4 Toronto win. The team did not seem worried about their shortstop as they continue a crucial series against a team they're chasing in the AL East. 'Bichette was taking ground balls early, and made a throw from the hole, was backpedaling and stepped on a ball that was sitting in the outfield,' Toronto manager John Schneider said after Monday night's game, per MLB reporter Hazel Mae. 'Docs checked him out. No tests are planned as of now.' Leo Jimenez gets his chance with the Blue Jays Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Bichette's injury will give Jimenez another chance to prove his worth in the Major Leagues. The 24-year-old played in 63 games with Toronto last year, slashing .229/.329/.358 in 179 at bats. Advertisement Jimenez's 2025, however, got off to an inauspicious start when a bout with mono caused him to miss the first six weeks of the season. The Blue Jays optioned him to Triple-A when he finally returned, and in 15 games, he's been productive, hitting .271 with a .750 OPS. Known as a contact hitter, Jimenez struck out more than his fair share in his small sample size last year (28.1% strikeout rate). But he has just 11 strikeouts in 15 games in Triple-A this season. When Toronto first called him up lat year, Schneider cited his physicality and intensity for reasons he was 'turning into the player that we envisioned when we put him on the roster a couple of years ago,' according to The Athletic's Kaitlyn McGrath. Related: Blue Jays GM reveals trade deadline plans Related: Blue Jays' Anthony Santander injury update brings faint glimmer of hope
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas News Anchor Rips Kristi Noem And Greg Abbott Over Flood Press Conference
San Antonio anchor Stephania Jimenez fumed Saturday over a press conference that featured Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott thanking each other and President Donald Trump instead of giving immediate updates on the lethal floods in central Texas. Other officials did the same and gushed over the emergency response, delaying pertinent details by nearly a half-hour, she said. (Watch the video below.) 'What I was struck by is that we really didn't get any concrete information until 27 minutes into that news conference where you had the governor speak, you had Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speak for a while,' KSAT's Jimenez said. 'But you know what people are wanting is information.' ″... I don't know what it is about people who run for federal office that whenever disasters like this happen, they take it upon themselves to first list all the names of people they want to thank. Um, not what we want to hear right now.' Noem and the other officials did not take questions until 26 minutes and 30 seconds into the presser, after Abbott performatively showed himself signing a disaster-aid request for Trump, declaring the president's love for Texas, expressing gratitude to Trump and asking for prayers multiple times. Noem thanked Abbott and mentioned how she had talked repeatedly with Trump about the tragedy. Other officials, including Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), followed in the same vein, thanking Trump, Abbott and Noem. Most of the participants bragged about the response to the tragedy, seemingly to score political points. 'If they don't have the latest information that they can give us, they should have said so,' Jimenez added. 'My point is that they spent way too long thanking each other. And this is something that is bipartisan. We see it whenever there's a disaster. Doesn't matter which president is in office. For some reason federal leaders tend to thank each other for a long time before they tell us what we actually need.' Jimenez hoped that leaders would get the message for the next press gathering on the disaster, which has claimed at least 82 lives since torrential rain generated flash floods in central Texas. 'People are on pins and needles waiting,' she said. CNN Anchor Reminisces About Attending Flooded Texas Camp In Heartbreaking Report Camp Mystic 'Grieving The Loss' Of 27 Campers, Counselors After Catastrophic Texas Floods After Texas Floods, GOP Leaders Offer Prayers — But Few Plans
