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— Bette Midler on wanting to join "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Someone hand her a diamond.

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The Story

Women are going viral for sharing their IUD insertion stories.

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Multiple women have recorded themselves during their intrauterine device (IUD) insertion and posted their pained reaction videos on TikTok. An IUD is a safe and effective form of long-term birth control that is inserted into the uterus. That procedure (and the recovery) can sometimes be uncomfortable and painful. Now, more women are opting for IUDs and speaking out about the insufficient range of options provided to address their pain. In fact, when researchers at Duke looked at the top TikTok videos that mentioned #IUD, most of them focused on the pain patients felt during and after the procedure. According to the Washington Post, those videos are reigniting the conversation about how women’s concerns and pain are often dismissed.

Explain.

Although the degree of discomfort during IUD insertion varies among patients, reports suggest a disparity exists between the physician's perception of pain and the actual experience reported by the patient. One study found that most women put their pain level at around 65 on a 100-point scale during IUD placement, whereas doctors estimated it to be around 35. Additionally, ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatories are recommended for pain management, but many women find them inadequate. Meanwhile, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stated that research still hasn't found “an effective strategy to mitigate this discomfort.”

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As more women turn to social media to share their IUD experiences, OBGYNs have been working to communicate about pain management options and create better experiences for patients. But health experts have also expressed concern that the TikTok videos may dissuade women from considering highly effective contraception methods.

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Where some people are getting a paycheck bump...

California. Starting today, most of the state’s fast food workers will earn at least $20 an hour as a new law takes effect. The measure applies to fast food chains with at least 60 locations nationwide like McDonald's and Chipotle. Pay for fast food workers has been stagnant for decades, but has quickly been rising since the pandemic, according to one study. Now, the pay rate in California is the highest minimum wage across the restaurant industry in the US. The new law is considered a W for the more than half a million fast food workers in the state, but critics warn the added cost for employers could lead to layoffs and higher prices for consumers. Now, eyes are on employment levels as some experts note that raising the minimum wage doesn’t lead to job losses.

Where there are protests...

Israel. Over the weekend, tens of thousands of Israelis gathered across Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, calling for an early election to oust PM Benjamin Netanyahu and for the government to secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas. Yesterday's demonstrations was one of the largest domestic protests against Netanyahu's government since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war. Israelis have largely been united following the deadly Oct 7 attacks. But six months later, their political divisions are back on center stage as Netanyahu faces growing internal and international pressure for a cease-fire in Gaza. The protests in Israel are expected to continue for several days and coincide with Egyptian media reports of renewed cease-fire negotiations in Cairo.

What's got people saying what the beep...

An AT&T breach. Over the weekend, the telecommunications giant said it’s investigating how the personal data of its 73 million past and present customers got leaked onto the dark web. The data includes account holders’ Social Security numbers, but doesn’t appear to include financial info or call history. AT&T advised customers to reset their passwords and monitor their accounts for any questionable activity.

What’s no (April Fool’s) joke…

Mercury in retrograde.

Who’s speaking out…

Another “Zoey 101” star.

What could be a tail wagger…

American Airlines’ updated pet policy.

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