Common Corpus No. 14
For all women, for life
Welcome back to Common Corpus, our weekly curation of the best evidence-based women’s health content designed to help you navigate, optimize, and advocate for your well-being at every stage of life.
This week, we look at how to know when you’re in perimenopause, access to abortion in the US, the fascinating link between periodontal disease and breast cancer, the mind-body libido connection, a new report on the failings in maternity care in the UK, and more.
We hope you find this week’s resources insightful, useful, and empowering as you navigate your own health journey. If you’re enjoying Common Corpus and finding it useful, please share it with anyone else who might be interested.
And if you want to learn more about what Common Corpus is, and why we do what we do, please visit our About page.
News & Noteworthy
What’s making the news in women’s health
How to know when you’re in perimenopause
Perimenopause is an unpredictable, multi-year hormonal transition diagnosed through observable menstrual changes and clinical symptoms rather than routine blood tests.
When it starts: It typically begins around age 47, roughly four years before the final period. The earliest signs are irregular cycles and changes in bleeding.
Symptom progression: Erratic estrogen fluctuations trigger cascading symptoms over time, ranging from early flow changes to severe hot flashes (affecting up to 80% of women), sleep disruption, depression, and vaginal dryness.
Why blood tests fail: Because daily hormone levels swing wildly during this phase, standard blood work is unreliable. Doctors instead rely on symptom tracking and medical history for diagnosis.
The takeaway: Tracking your menstrual shifts and daily symptoms is the most reliable way to identify perimenopause, as standard laboratory tests often miss the transition. Recognizing and documenting these patterns is essential for securing a clinical diagnosis and accessing treatment.
Planned Parenthood to offer “just in case” abortion pills in parts of the US
Planned Parenthood has launched a new initiative in Washington and Hawaii to provide “just in case” abortion pills in advance of pregnancy, aiming to protect access amid growing nationwide restrictions in the US.
Clinics in Washington and Hawaii will now offer abortion medication in advance via telehealth and in-person visits for local residents, making them the first Planned Parenthood locations to adopt this proactive model of care.
Having the medication on hand before becoming pregnant helps patients bypass severe, time-sensitive logistical hurdles, such as navigating rural geography, securing time off work, escaping intimate partner violence, or overcoming financial barriers.
The takeaway: As legal and logistical barriers to reproductive healthcare mount across the US, advance provision acts as a crucial safeguard for bodily autonomy and timely medical care.
The Latest Research
The latest in academic research in women’s health
The link between breast cancer and periodontal disease
New research from reveals a surprising link between periodontal disease and breast cancer, demonstrating that the common gum-disease bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum can travel through the bloodstream to breast tissue. Once localized in the breast, the microbe triggers inflammation, error-prone DNA damage, and precancerous lesions while accelerating tumour growth, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance in existing cancers. Cells carrying inherited BRCA1 gene mutations are exceptionally vulnerable, as their cell surfaces naturally attract and absorb higher quantities of the destructive bacteria. This research shows how oral health is tied to cancer risk, beyond previously studied cancers like colon cancer, but also breast cancer.
Listen & Learn
The latest in women’s health audio content worth your time
Closing the mind-body libido gap with Dr. Lori Brotto
In this episode of Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information, host Dr. Lauren Streicher and clinical psychologist Dr. Lori Brotto explore the prevalent issue of low libido in women, explaining that it frequently stems from a profound mind-body disconnect rather than a purely physical dysfunction. A major key takeaway is that daily stressors, menopause, and self-criticism can severely distract the brain, causing it to completely miss or ignore the body’s physical arousal cues. To bridge this gap, Dr. Brotto highlights the proven effectiveness of mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in helping women stay present and tune into their bodies without judgment, which has been shown to significantly increase sexual desire.
The Global Perspective
Women’s health around the world
New report on failings in maternity care in England
A major government-commissioned inquiry into England's NHS maternity system has concluded that current services are "not set up to deliver consistently safe, high-quality and compassionate care." The independent review, chaired by Baroness Valerie Amos, uncovered racism and discrimination embedded within the system that directly compromises patient safety and contributes to preventable harm among mothers and babies. The inquiry is demanding an urgent, comprehensive overhaul of the healthcare system, including the appointment of an independent maternity and neonatal commissioner to drive national standards and accountability. In response to the report, the government has pledged to take immediate action to address these systemic failings, which officials admitted "shame our society."
Common Interest
Quick hits that we found interesting, thought-provoking, or useful this week
Kelsey Pfendler just made history as the first American woman to row solo across 2,400 miles of the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii, shattering both the male and female records in the process. LINK
From fleeing the Taliban to running soccer clinics in Mexico City, exiled Afghan soccer captain Khalida Popal is fighting to ensure the World Cup leaves a lasting social legacy for the vulnerable women and girls outside the stadium gates. LINK
A succinct but nuanced explanation of how the male body became the default in medicine, and what a correction needs to look like. LINK