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Tag: period

  • Student loan borrowers in default may see wages garnished in 2026

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    The Trump administration said on Tuesday that it will begin garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers who are in default early next year.The department said it will send notices to approximately 1,000 borrowers the week of Jan. 7, with more notices to come at an increasing scale each month.Millions of borrowers are considered in default, meaning they are 270 days past due on their payments. The department must give borrowers 30 days notice before their wages can be garnished.The department said it will begin collection activities, “only after student and parent borrowers have been provided sufficient notice and opportunity to repay their loans.”In May, the Trump administration ended the pandemic-era pause on student loan payments, beginning to collect on defaulted debt through withholding tax refunds and other federal payments to borrowers.The move ended a period of leniency for student loan borrowers. Payments restarted in October of 2023, but the Biden administration extended a grace period of one year. Since March 2020, no federal student loans had been referred for collection, including those in default, until the Trump administration’s changes earlier this year.The Biden administration tried multiple times to give broad forgiveness to student loans, but those efforts were eventually stopped by courts.Persis Yu, deputy executive director for the Student Borrower Protection Center, criticized the decision to begin garnishing wages, and said the department had failed to sufficiently help borrowers find affordable payment options.”At a time when families across the country are struggling with stagnant wages and an affordability crisis, this administration’s decision to garnish wages from defaulted student loan borrowers is cruel, unnecessary, and irresponsible,” Yu said in a statement. “As millions of borrowers sit on the precipice of default, this Administration is using its self-inflicted limited resources to seize borrowers’ wages instead of defending borrowers’ right to affordable payments.”

    WASHINGTON —

    The Trump administration said on Tuesday that it will begin garnishing the wages of student loan borrowers who are in default early next year.

    The department said it will send notices to approximately 1,000 borrowers the week of Jan. 7, with more notices to come at an increasing scale each month.

    Millions of borrowers are considered in default, meaning they are 270 days past due on their payments. The department must give borrowers 30 days notice before their wages can be garnished.

    The department said it will begin collection activities, “only after student and parent borrowers have been provided sufficient notice and opportunity to repay their loans.”

    In May, the Trump administration ended the pandemic-era pause on student loan payments, beginning to collect on defaulted debt through withholding tax refunds and other federal payments to borrowers.

    The move ended a period of leniency for student loan borrowers. Payments restarted in October of 2023, but the Biden administration extended a grace period of one year. Since March 2020, no federal student loans had been referred for collection, including those in default, until the Trump administration’s changes earlier this year.

    The Biden administration tried multiple times to give broad forgiveness to student loans, but those efforts were eventually stopped by courts.

    Persis Yu, deputy executive director for the Student Borrower Protection Center, criticized the decision to begin garnishing wages, and said the department had failed to sufficiently help borrowers find affordable payment options.

    “At a time when families across the country are struggling with stagnant wages and an affordability crisis, this administration’s decision to garnish wages from defaulted student loan borrowers is cruel, unnecessary, and irresponsible,” Yu said in a statement. “As millions of borrowers sit on the precipice of default, this Administration is using its self-inflicted limited resources to seize borrowers’ wages instead of defending borrowers’ right to affordable payments.”

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  • Rain expected through Monday as several storms move across L.A.

    Rain expected through Monday as several storms move across L.A.

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    The first in a series of Pacific storms moved across Southern California on Saturday, bringing rainfall and showers and prompting a high surf advisory along west-facing beaches.

    Another weaker system was expected to move through Saturday night and Sunday morning, to be followed by a stronger storm Monday, according to the National Weather Service. The storms will not be as powerful as the systems that drenched Southern California in late December and resulted in huge waves pounding area beaches.

    About a quarter-inch of rain was expected Saturday across the Los Angeles region, the weather service said. Some areas in San Luis Obispo County reported more than an inch.

    Because the storms originated in warmer parts of the Pacific and not off the Alaskan coast, snow was expected only at the highest elevations in local mountains, according to Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the weather service in Oxnard.

    The weather service is predicting an inch to 2 inches of snow between 6,500 and 7,500 feet and 6 to 12 inches above that altitude. The three storms were expected to drop an inch to 3 inches of rain in coastal areas of Southern California and up to 5 inches in the mountains.

    Since Oct. 1, Los Angeles has experienced rainfall levels significantly below normal, said meteorologist Joe Sirard with the weather service’s Oxnard office.

    For the period, Sirard said, the climate station in downtown Los Angeles has recorded 3.4 inches, compared with the average of 5.9 inches.

    However, so far over the water year, which began July 1, L.A. has received 6.4 inches of rain— above the normal of 6.1 inches, Sirard said. This includes rain from Tropical Storm Hilary that battered areas of Southern California in August.

    These figures do not include the rain from Saturday’s storm.

    High surf through Sunday was expected along beaches on the Central Coast and in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, with the possibility of minor flooding in some areas during periods of high tides in the early morning, according to the weather service.

    Wofford said swells would be far smaller than the waves in late December — some of those as high as 20 feet—which led to flooding and forced officials to shut down beaches and piers in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

    In Northern California, the weather service issued a winter storm warning through Monday for parts of the Sierra Nevada and said that 2 inches to 6 inches of snow could fall above 6,500 feet. Wind gusts up to 30 mph were also possible, forecasters said.

    In Southern California, drier weather is expected for much of next week.

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    Robert J. Lopez

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  • Say Goodbye to Your Period? There Are Options

    Say Goodbye to Your Period? There Are Options

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    SOURCES:

    American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology: “Your First Gynecologic Visit,” “General Approaches to Medical Management of Menstrual Suppression.” 

    American Association for Cancer Research: “Time-Dependent Effects of Oral Contraceptive Use on Breast, Ovarian, and Endometrial Cancers.”

    Western Journal of Medicine: “Myths and variations in normal pubertal development.”

    National Cancer Institute: “Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk.”

    Neurology: “Sex Hormones and Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide in Women With Migraine: A Cross-sectional, Matched Cohort Study.”

    Guttmacher Institute: “An Overview of Consent to Reproductive Health Services by Young People.”

    Krishna Upadhya, MD, adolescent medicine specialist; vice president of quality care and health equity, Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

    Sloane Berger-Chen, MD, gynecologist specializing in pediatric and adolescent reproductive health, University of California, San Francisco.

    Julia Cron, MD, chief, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, New York City.

    Shazia Chowdhury. 

    Sarah Bramblette, board chair, Lymphedema Advocacy Group; co-chair, Obesity Action Coalition’s Access to Care Committee, Miami.

    Charles Thompson, MD, director, obstetrics and gynecology residency program, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock.

     

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  • Florida bill would ban elementary school students from learning about menstruation

    Florida bill would ban elementary school students from learning about menstruation

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    A controversial piece of legislation in Florida, which would prevent educators from teaching about menstruation and other sex education topics in elementary school, advanced out of the House Education Quality Subcommittee last week.

    The bill is sponsored by Republican Florida state Representative Stan McClain, and would mandate that only children from grades sixth through 12 can learn about human sexuality topics, such as reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases.

    During last week’s subcommittee hearing, Democratic state Rep. Ashley Gantt questioned McClain, asking if it would restrict children who get their period at a younger age from getting their questions answered in school.

    “So if little girls experience their menstrual cycle in fifth grade or fourth grade, will that prohibit conversations from them since they are in the grade lower than sixth grade?” Gantt asked.

    McClain responded, “It would.”

    According to the Cleveland Clinic, girls in the U.S. typically get their first period between ages 11 and 14, but can get them as early as age 9 and as late as age 15. Children in third and fourth grades are typically 8 to 10 years old.

    Gantt also asked if teachers would face disciplinary action for broaching the subject of menstruation with students who get their first period but are not yet in sixth grade.

    “We hadn’t contemplated that, but that would not be the intent of the bill,” McClain said, adding he would be “amenable” to changing some of the text of the bill to allow for those conversations.

    HB 1069, like several other proposed pieces of legislation in the state, also stipulates how instructors can define sex and reproduction to their students, adding that reproductive roles are “unchangeable.”

    The bill’s suggested version of sex education would “teach that sex is determined by biology and reproductive function at birth; that biological males impregnate biological females by fertilizing the female egg with male sperm; that the female then gestates the offspring; and that these reproductive roles are binary, stable, and unchangeable.”

    The legislation also stipulates teachers should instruct older students about abstinence, emphasizing heterosexual relationships.

    “Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school-age students while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage,” the bill reads.

    This is not the first time Florida schools have been in hot water over the topic of menstruation. Earlier this year, the state responded to heavy criticism after making it mandatory for female athletes to include their menstrual history on the medical forms they have to submit in order to participate in school sports. Florida removed that requirement in February, though it still requires athletes to note down their “sex assigned at birth” rather than just their sex.

    Simrin Singh

    Simrin Singh is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.

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  • Premenstrual Exacerbation: When Your Period Can Be Life-Threatening

    Premenstrual Exacerbation: When Your Period Can Be Life-Threatening

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    Feb. 24, 2023 – Most women are aware of the emotional ups and downs that can occur before their monthly period, known as  PMS, or  premenstrual syndrome. Some women’s PMS symptoms are so severe that they may receive a diagnosis  of  PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which often  comes with severe mood swings. But a lesser-known condition might be the worst of all: premenstrual exacerbation, or PME. 

    PME occurs when there are hormonal changes in the luteal phase of your cycle, between ovulation and menstruation. One or 2 weeks before a woman’s period, PME can cause the symptoms of a preexisting disorder, like major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar illness, or other mood disorders, to flare. One study found that 58% of women with depressive disorders also have PME, raising their risk of suicide during this premenstrual phase. 

    “PME, PMS, and PMDD are all related to mood problems before your period,” says Lauren M. Osborne, MD,  vice chair for clinical research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. “The difference is, women with PMS and PMDD don’t have a mood disorder. PME causes really significant mood symptoms 2 weeks before a woman’s period if she has an underlying mental health condition.”

    Women with PME show an abnormally heightened sensitivity to fluctuating sex hormones during their menstrual cycle, which appears to be its trigger, according to German researchers. 

    What Are the Symptoms of PME? 

    PME can manifest itself through “premenstrual breakthrough.” This means that symptoms of a mental health condition that can be controlled when a woman isn’t premenstrual become more obvious when she is. For example, if a woman takes medication for bipolar disorder, she may find that the dose that normally works well suddenly isn’t preventing her from having mood shifts. 

    “The difference between PMS, PMDD, and PME is often a different symptom quality,” says Monica Rosen, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist at University of Michigan Health Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI. “You can feel anxiety before your period with PMS or PMDD, but with PME, you’ll have a full panic attack.”

    According to the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), symptoms of the following conditions can also worsen due to PME:

    • Alcoholism
    • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
    • Borderline personality disorder
    • Schizophrenia
    • Eating disorders 
    • Posttraumatic stress disorder
    • Persistent depressive disorder
    • Psychosis
    • Substance use disorders

    How Is PME Diagnosed? 

    PME is not yet a recognized diagnosis on its own. Rather, it is linked to the diagnosis of an underlying mental health condition.

    “It’s much harder to manage a depressive episode or anxiety attack when it comes on seemingly out of nowhere,” says Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in New York City. “In PME you have the advantage of time, which affords knowledge of the days which might be more difficult.”

    But “many women who have PME haven’t recognized that they have a mood disorder,” says Osborne. “They may have undiagnosed depression, and seeking help for PME symptoms is often the way they get that diagnosis.”  

    According to the IAPMD, about half of women who seek medical help for what they believe is either PMS or PMDD discover they actually have PME, or a psychiatric condition they were unaware of. 

    To confirm PME, a doctor will most likely ask the patient to note how they feel right before their period.  

    “It’s important to be self-aware of what specific symptoms trigger you,” Rosen says. “Many of my patients use a tracking app, which is very helpful in identifying how you feel on any given day.”  

    How Is PME Treated? 

    PME is primarily addressed by treating the mental health condition that causes your symptoms to worsen.  

    “For women who do have a diagnosis and are using antidepressants, bumping up the dose during their premenstrual period may stop their symptoms,” says Osborne. “Sometimes when we properly treat depression, PME goes away.”

    If not, stepping up other forms of treatment can make a difference. 

    “Talk therapy is always helpful,” says Rosen. “Also, medication to help with hormone cycling such as birth control pills or rings can work for many women.” As a last resort, some women may elect to have surgical menopause to stop extreme PME symptoms.

    It’s important to know that self-help can also make a big difference in gaining relief from PME. 

    For instance, it might be helpful for women who have PME to rearrange their schedule the days before their period to lighten the workload and avoid excess stress as much as possible. 

    Those struggling with PME should also avoid isolating themselves from others.  

    “Schedule time with your friends in advance,” suggests Romanoff, as this sense of connection can help lessen symptoms. Patients can also find PME support groups online, to talk with other patients who can offer great advice.

    The bottom line: “PME is controllable,” says Romanoff. 

    Take PME seriously, but don’t focus on fear. Instead, seek out the help you need, and look forward to feeling better.

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  • Periods Are Normal. Showing Them Should Be Too

    Periods Are Normal. Showing Them Should Be Too

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    New Libresse Global Feminine Care campaign #bloodnormal tackles period stigma head-on.


    LONDON, October 17, 2017 (Newswire.com)
    –
     Leading global feminine care brand Libresse continues its mission to break down period taboos with the launch of #bloodnormal. In a world-first, Libresse launches a global film which features the experience of periods, and period blood, openly and honestly in an attempt to normalise periods in mainstream culture. Libresse identified that periods are largely absent from mainstream culture and is leading the way to add positive period representation to the cultural map.

    The #bloodnormal film, created by AMV BBDO, follows a series of young women in real life scenarios, going about their daily lives whilst having their period. The film sensitively portrays the everyday journey whilst women menstruate; demonstrating that periods — in all their forms — are normal and that showing them should be too.

    Libresse worked with a selection of female and male collaborators, as well as members of the public, to depict periods in a true to life way. We see French actress Victoire Dauxerre ask a friend for a pad across a dinner party table, we see 12-year-old stand-up comedian Saffron Herndon deliver the punchline “I pulled out a pad and it was like I had my own hall pass” and fashion blogger Julian Hernandez casually buys pads in a convenience store. No big deal. The film ends with a young woman changing her pad in a bathroom; a scene depicting what so many girls and women go through and see every month. It should be such a normal thing. And nothing to be ashamed of. It’s just a little blood. Sadly, while the film seeks to project a “normal reality”, this world doesn’t quite exist yet, which is demonstrated by the restrictions placed on the film.

    In a first for a feminine care brand, the typical blue used to denote blood is replaced with a more realistic red to demonstrate a pad’s absorbency and crucially blood is shown on women’s pads. Shot in a truthful, real style the film beautifully reveals scenarios which aim to educate rather than shock. Each scene provides an insight into how periods are a normal part of everyday life, to convince the audience that showing them should be too.

    Tanja Grubner, Global Marketing & Communications Director at Essity, comments: “Periods are a normal part of life, but are largely ignored by mainstream media. They simply don’t feature in the representation of female characters that we see every day. As a leader in feminine hygiene, we want to challenge the stigma around periods. We believe that like any other taboo, the more people see it, the more normal the subject becomes. We want to lead the way with a campaign that tackles the taboo head-on by positively showing periods in action in everyday life truthfully and honestly – because we feel it’s the right thing to do for society.”

    The film builds on Libresse’s 2016 campaign, Red.fit, which tackled the taboo around the menstrual cycle and exercise. From ballet dancers to boxers, rugby players to runners, the campaign captured the passion, dedication and determination of women who participate in sport all over the world. The film showed how they were not held back by their periods and celebrated blood by portraying it as a symbol of women’s strength.

    The 2017 #bloodnormal campaign film was shot by award-winning director Daniel Wolfe, who passionately believed in the importance of addressing the topic. He comments, “Periods are still clearly taboo; the more women I chatted to of every age, the more I saw the taboo from a varied demographic. In the weeks running up to the shoot there was a number of interesting articles in the mainstream press challenging the status quo, and numerous pithy social media posts calling for change. ‘Can’t wait for the day when women no longer pass tampons to a friend like they are a Class A drug’ – was a quote which offered particular inspiration. We wanted to create something that provided a platform for discussion rather than trying to tell people what to think. And we hopefully made a film which isn’t defined by the gender of its director. A film which both women and men will take something from, hopefully helping instill the idea of a new normal.”

    A recent survey of 10,000 people found that half of people believed there is a stigma attached to periods, with 9 in 10 women attempting to hide their periods. In a society that is becoming increasingly tolerant, the survey found that over a third of respondents thought periods as taboo over and above mental health problems and the gender pay gap.

    Tanja Grubner, continues: “Our ambition is to continue to break down category taboos. Even creating this film has faced period stigmas head on. Currently, we are not able to broadcast this film on television without pixelating an everyday bathroom scene of a woman changing her pad as we have been told by broadcasters that the sight of period blood is deemed unacceptable. We find this shocking given that we are normalized to seeing blood in scenes of violence, yet we are not able to show blood in one of its most natural forms. One day we hope that we live in a society that accepts periods and allows them to be seen in a natural and positive way. We look forward to tackling this important issue for years to come and welcome everyone’s opinion using the hashtag #bloodnormal.”

    French actress Victoire Dauxerre who starred in the #bloodnormal film comments, “I am so passionate about this topic and proud to be part of this campaign; it is speaking to people in an open-minded and true to life way. It shouldn’t shock anyone. Periods come every month. They are a part of our life”.

    12-year-old comedian Saffron Herndon who also appears in the film adds, “I think there’s a taboo surrounding periods because there’s blood involved and it bloody hurts sometimes. I want people to be able to speak about periods without hesitating. Mainstream culture doesn’t reference periods as much as I would like it to. If periods are mentioned, it is usually in a negative way. I’d like to see that changed to a normal way.”

    Fashion blogger Julian Hernandez says, “When I first heard of the campaign, it sounded like a really unique project raising awareness around an important message. I immediately wanted to get on-board to give a male point of view.”

    To continue the normalisation of periods in global culture, Libresse will be funding the creation of three short films openly referencing periods. Working with global commissioning platform Flare Studio, who support aspiring creative talent, three emerging filmmakers will each receive a bursary to make their films, each inspired by #bloodnormal.

    – Ends –

    Notes to Editors:

    For more information on #bloodnormal, the survey, the collaborators who appeared in the film Essity please contact charlotte.wood@ketchum.com or alexandra.marsh@ketchum.com +44 207 755 6400.

    YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm8vCCBaeQw&feature=youtu.be

    The campaign will launch in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands & UK.

    libresse.se/bloodnormal

    libresse.fi/bloodnormal

    libresse.dk/bloodnormal

    libresse.no/bloodnormal

    Libresse.nl/bloodnormal

    bodyform.co.uk/bloodnormal

    Survey methodology:

    Essity commissioned an online survey among 10,017 men and women aged 13 to 50 living in the UK, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Russia, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, China, and Malaysia. Survey interviews took place between 18 April and 9 May 2017. The margin of error for this study is +/- 0.98%. The survey was administered by Bilendi, a global research and survey company.

    About Essity

    Essity is a leading global hygiene and health company that develops, produces and sells Personal Care (Baby Care, Feminine Care, Incontinence Products and Medical Solutions), Consumer Tissue and Professional Hygiene products and solutions. Our vision is; Dedicated to improving well-being through leading hygiene and health solutions. Sales are conducted in approximately 150 countries under many strong brands, including the leading global brands TENA and Tork, and other brands, such as Leukoplast, Libero, Libresse, Lotus, Nosotras, Saba, Tempo, Vinda and Zewa. Essity has about 48,000 employees and net sales in 2016 amounted to approximately SEK 101bn (EUR 10.7bn). The business operations are based on a sustainable business model with focus on value creation for people and nature. The company has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Essity used to be part of the SCA Group. More information at www.essity.com.

    Source: Libresse

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