Put It In The Bank

Someone’s Gotta Give 

What's going on: If we had Uncle Sam posters for 2026, they might say your country wants you... to give blood. Last week, the American Red Cross (ARC) declared its second-ever national blood crisis in its 145-year history. In response, the nation’s top blood supplier is rationing all remaining Type O blood (including O-negative, the only “universal” blood type). And, the org has less than a day’s worth of type O-positive blood left, which makes up 60% of its supply and is used by about 80% of patients. ARC says someone in the US needs blood “every two seconds” for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, etc. If the shortage gets more severe, that would mean delayed surgeries and limited transfusions for patients, including expecting and postpartum mothers.

How’d it get so bad?: Usually, demand for blood rises in the summer due to “trauma season.” More time outdoors equals more accidents. But a few factors make this summer especially bad — and it's all thanks to climate change. Extreme heat, poor air quality, and foodborne illnesses like cyclospora have contributed to a historically low donor turnout. The ARC says tens of thousands of donors showed up in recent days to fill up a vial (or three). But the organization fears the shortage will continue — even though 62% of Americans are eligible to donate, only 3% do. So, they're pulling out all the stops: In July, they offered donors free movie tickets; in August, it’s Amazon gift cards (with a bonus for type O-verachievers).

Related: An Iowa Woman Donated How Many Gallons of Blood? (KCRG)

News

The Lindsay Clancy Case Goes to Trial

Note: This story discusses postpartum psychosis, suicidal ideation, and infanticide. If you need help, call the confidential National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA, or call or text 988 to reach SAMHSA’s confidential 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

What’s going on: The first-degree murder trial for Lindsay Clancy, a 35-year-old former labor and delivery nurse from Duxbury, MA, began last week. In 2023, Clancy killed her three young children and attempted suicide while her husband, Patrick, was out running errands. Lawyers for both sides agree on those facts. The question is if it was premeditated, or whether Clancy was in the throes of a postpartum mental health emergency and shouldn't be held criminally responsible.

A serious medical crisis: During his court testimony, Patrick said his wife had dealt with anxiety after the births of her first two kids, and was experiencing suicidal ideation and intrusive thoughts following the birth of her third. In the four months before she killed her children, Clancy was prescribed at least nine psychiatric medications by multiple providers. Later, she checked into a day program for postpartum depression, and eventually was admitted into a psychiatric hospital. Nineteen days after she was discharged, she heard a voice instructing her to kill her children and herself.

What to know about postpartum psychosis: Clancy was never formally diagnosed with postpartum psychosis, though her symptoms were consistent with the condition. It is a complication of childbirth that occurs in about one to two women per 1,000 births (and is not the same as postpartum depression). Symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, and thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. With the right treatment, which always includes emergency care, women can make a full recovery. According to the Americans With Disabilities Act, parents with mental health conditions won't automatically lose custody of their kids — though that can change if a child wouldn't receive proper care at home. In 2024, Patrick told The New Yorker, "I wasn't married to a monster — I was married to someone who got sick."

Related: There’s a Troubling New Link Between Abortion Bans and Teen Girls’ Mental Health (The 19th)

Reproductive Health

Wait… Ovarian Cancer Doesn’t Start in the Ovaries?

What’s in a name: PCOS just got a new name — could ovarian cancer be next? Researchers now believe most cases of the condition, and nearly all of the deadliest ones, begin not in the ovaries but in the fallopian tubes (which The New York Times describes as “gummy worm-shaped” ducts that carry eggs to the uterus… we can’t unsee it). That discovery has experts pushing to make tube removal (which is different from getting your tubes tied) a routine add-on during other abdominal surgeries like hysterectomies, gallbladder removal, or hernia repairs. Tube removal can cut ovarian cancer risk by roughly 80%, according to the American College of Surgeons — though many younger women may choose not to do this, since it makes getting pregnant without IVF impossible. Advocacy groups, meanwhile, now want to make offering this option a standard medical practice because ovarian cancer is so difficult to catch early.

A path to prevention: If you’re already going in for a routine procedure — and you’ve either finished completing your family, or kids aren’t in the picture — it could be worth asking your doctor if they’d offer this option. Of course, consult your gynecologist about whether tubal removal makes sense given your risk factors (here they are). Researchers also want to make sure this cancer-fighting movement doesn’t push women toward tube removal if they don’t want it, especially given America’s long, troubling history with forced sterilization, particularly of Black and Native American women, and disabled folks. Also of note: Many insurance plans only cover tube removal for cancer prevention when it's connected to another medically necessary surgery, and not as an elective procedure (though it might be covered for sterilization). Meanwhile, go to the doctor if you experience these symptoms, and if you’re going under the knife already, add this to your list of considerations. 

Related: She Had One Simple Surgery — Now Her Ovarian Cancer Risk Is Much Lower (Yahoo Health)

PS: Your body didn't come with a user manual — so we’re building one, one Wednesday at a time. The Skimm Well + Good newsletter breaks down the biggest stories in health, nutrition, and fitness, plus the practical steps you can take to incorporate them in your real life. Sign up here.

Quick Hits

🥩 A new study finds that Big Protein might be “overselling” how much we actually need on a daily basis. Meatless Mondays, anyone?

🧢 Over 4,000 fans showed up to watch the first professional women’s baseball game in almost 30 years. Finally, a league of their own. 

💊 Melatonin, or magnesium for sleep? It depends on what’s keeping you up at night.

🫐 Yes, you’re washing your blueberries, but are you doing it right? 

🎨 Say it with us: “No more neutrals.” These paint colors will give your space the jolt it needs.

🚫 These are a few surefire ways to tank your Uber rating and possibly keep cars from picking you up. If only we could be as picky about our drivers.  

👀 Dakota Johnson literally pulled this old T-shirt out of the back of her closet. You might even have the same one. 

Main Character Energy

The Skimm Shopping team loves to read, and with two dedicated book editors on staff, we also take recommendations very seriously. To keep our audience in the know, we sat down to debate our top picks — the books you’ll actually find nestled on our shelves at home. Pick up…

• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

• Famesick by Lena Dunham

• Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

• And more within six genres

Skimm'd by: Anna Davies, Marisa Iallonardo, Molly Longman, Kylie McConville, Aryanna Prasad Bhullar, Kate Preziosi, and Jessica Prois. Fact-checked by Sara Tardiff.