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Remember when the news was about what happened, not how to feel about it? 1440's Daily Digest is bringing that back. Every morning, they sift through 100+ sources to deliver a concise, unbiased briefing — no pundits, no paywalls, no politics. Just the facts, all in five minutes. For free.
Why The Five & One?
Health care doesn’t fail women because we lack information. It fails because systems are slow to change and rarely built around women’s bodies, lives, or timelines. The Five & One exists to make those systems visible.
Each week, we share five signals shaping women’s health across care, policy, research, and access, plus one thing just for you. Not trends. Not tips. The real forces that decide what care women can get, and when.
This week: insurers are finally covering doulas, more states are extending postpartum care, and leaders across government and industry found surprising common ground. Here’s what it means for you.
01. Finding Common Ground in Women’s Health
51&’s Founder and CEO Jodi Neuhauser is fresh off a women’s health forum coordinated by HHS. Stakeholders from across clinical, policy, and innovation communities came together to discuss the future of women’s health — many of whom rarely share the same platform. While perspectives differed, the conversation revealed meaningful alignment around the things that matter most.
THE COMMON GROUND
Everyone agreed: women’s health needs far more research money and scientific attention.
Care guidelines need to actually account for how women’s bodies work differently from men’s.
Insurance reimbursement has to change so that new treatments and approaches can actually reach patients.
The goal should be women’s health across their whole lives — not just treating one condition at a time.
Progress requires people with different views to work together. That’s not easy. But it happened.
THE SIGNAL
Progress in women’s health may depend less on everyone agreeing on tactics — and more on shared commitment to the same goals. Bringing together people with different philosophies but overlapping priorities reflects a real maturing moment in women’s health policy. Because finding common ground is one of our core principles at 51&, we’re more optimistic than ever.
02. A New Signal in Maternity Care Reimbursement
We focus a lot on what isn’t covered by insurance — so it’s nice to report on what’s expanding. Doulas are shifting from being seen as a birth-day luxury to being recognized as essential, outcomes-improving support that health systems and insurers can no longer afford to overlook.
THE BREAKDOWN
Studies show doulas can reduce C-sections, improve birth experiences, and help close racial gaps in maternal health outcomes.
Black women in particular have been underserved by a system that undervalues continuous, culturally competent care.
Coverage for doulas is still inconsistent across states and insurers — access isn’t equal yet.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
Medicaid and private insurers are now covering doulas in more places — a sign that the healthcare system is starting to recognize that supportive care saves money, improves outcomes, and advances equity in maternity care.
Source: NBC
03. Closing the Postpartum Coverage Gap
More states are extending Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months. This matters because maternal health risks don’t end when you leave the hospital — they often peak in the weeks and months that follow.
THE BREAKDOWN
Historically, coverage ended just 60 days after birth — even though many serious complications show up months later.
Gaps in mental health care, chronic condition management, and follow-up treatment have contributed to the U.S.’s dangerously high maternal mortality rate.
Low-income women on Medicaid are disproportionately affected — and disproportionately benefiting from this change.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
Extending postpartum coverage to 12 months treats the postpartum period as what it actually is: a long-term health window, not a quick follow-up visit. That shift improves physical recovery, mental health, and long-term outcomes for mothers and their families.
Source: KFF Medicaid Tracker
04. The Research Equity Gap Widens
Recent NIH funding cuts are hitting women, Black scientists, and early-career researchers hardest. The areas most at risk are the ones already most underfunded — including women’s health and health disparities research.
THE BREAKDOWN
Women’s health and disparities research are historically underfunded — these cuts make that worse.
Early-career researchers are especially vulnerable, threatening the next generation of innovation.
When research funding disappears, the health topics that were already getting the least attention fall even further behind.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
People are paying attention. The cuts are generating real pressure on institutions, funders, and policymakers to make research investment fairer — and that scrutiny is itself a form of progress. The visibility of what’s being lost may be the thing that prevents more of it.
Source: STAT News
05. Beyond the Annual Cholesterol Check
New heart health guidance is pushing clinicians to start cardiovascular risk assessment earlier — and to do it more comprehensively. Heart disease doesn’t appear suddenly in midlife. It builds over decades. Our screening habits haven’t caught up to that reality.
THE BREAKDOWN
Standard screening often relies on a single cholesterol number and a short-term risk calculator — tools that dramatically underestimate lifetime risk.
Women’s cardiovascular risk is frequently missed because it often shows up differently than it does in men, and because it tends to change at hormonal turning points.
A prevention model that waits until midlife to start monitoring is already too late for many women.
THE BREAKTHROUGH
A shift toward earlier, more complete testing and lifelong cardiovascular monitoring is a prevention-first model — and it’s especially important for women. Heart disease risk can spike during pregnancy complications, perimenopause, and menopause. A once-a-year cholesterol check misses all of that. Earlier, more complete screening means catching risk when you can actually do something about it.
Source: University of Virginia Health
Your+1: We have new member events on the calendar
New member events are on the calendar and open for registration!
April 8 | 1:00–1:45 PM ET
The Bone Health Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight
Bone loss is silent — millions of women are losing density without any symptoms, until a fracture changes everything. Catherine Balsam-Schwaber, CEO of Solaria Bio, and Mark Charbonneau, VP of R&D, will unpack why bone loss is so common, how it connects to hormones and nutrition, and where the healthcare system is falling short. Members only.
May 15 | 12:00–1:00 PM ET
Beyond Kegels: It’s Time to Talk About Pelvic Floor Fitness
Most of us were never taught about our pelvic floor — and that gap leads too many women to accept pain, leaking, and discomfort as just part of life. Melody Roberts Co-founder & CEO, Liv Labs) and Dr. Melissa Stendahl, PT (Fitness Expert & Pelvic Health Clinician) will give you real answers, no jargon. Members only.
And stay tuned for more details about our weekly whole-body series in May with LERA Health.
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P.S. If someone forwarded this to you, this is what 51& members get every week — plus access to the events above, member-only discounts, and a community of women who are done navigating the healthcare system alone. Join us for $100/year !