Why Your Pregnancy History Still Matters Years Later

What's Happening

Health

Why Your Pregnancy History Still Matters Years Later

What's going on: For decades, the medical community has assumed that a woman’s body simply “bounces back” after giving birth. No time machine required, apparently. Experts now say certain pregnancy complications may speed up diseases later in life. One study found that women who experience pregnancy-related health issues — think preeclampsia and high blood pressure — develop coronary artery disease about seven years earlier than those who don’t. They also face double the risk of heart attacks, even without major artery blockages. Those with gestational diabetes are 10 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes as they get older, which already raises the risk for heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Who else feels tempted to ground their kids?

What it means: Researchers still don’t know whether pregnancy complications cause issues later in life or reveal existing vulnerabilities. Some now believe it’s a mix of both. This isn’t common knowledge. Medical intake forms don’t even screen for a woman’s pregnancy health history, and most doctors don’t ask about it. One expert told The New York Times that skipping these questions is a “missed opportunity” — the understatement of the century. This information could lead to earlier testing and better preventative care, including additional screenings for diabetes or heart disease. If your doctor doesn’t ask, speak up anyway. The CDC has a script you can follow. Better safe than sorry.

Related: The Reason You Should Ask Your Doctor About Lung Cancer Screenings (Self)

Travel

Holiday Flyers, the Government Has Notes

What's going on: Thanksgiving air travel is the group project no one wants. There’s the passenger with a questionable meal perfuming the cabin and another who’s FaceTiming their entire family on speakerphone before the 7 am flight even takes off. So the Department of Transportation has decided it’s time for… a manners intervention. It just launched the “Golden Age of Travel Starts with You” campaign, complete with a nostalgia-soaked video from dreamy retro jet-set scenes to tense music, a bare foot planted on an in-flight screen (a crime), and a montage of mid-air brawls. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wants travelers to consider five questions, including whether you’d help a pregnant passenger lift a bag, if you’re dressed “with respect” (please let leggings count), and if you remembered to thank your flight crew.

What it means: A nicer travel vibe sounds lovely — but many flyers have their own wishlist: fewer delays, real refunds, and maybe not being charged for simply existing. Still, chaos season has arrived, and a little courtesy does go a long way, whether you ask politely for overhead-bin Tetris help, offer a smile to a mom in the trenches, or thank the flight attendant who slipped you three extra Biscoffs because they sensed you were at your limit. Sure, we all complain about delays and bad weather, but tossing the pilot a little love beats clipping them with your carry-on on the way out. But to be clear, we’re still reclining our seat. That’s non-negotiable.

Related: Can Dressing Up Actually Make Flying Less Feral? (NYT Gift Link) 

Relationships

Women Are "Quiet Quitting"... Their Marriages

What's going on: From Betty Draper in early Mad Men to Lady Danbury in Queen Charlotte, pop culture has never lacked women unhappily slogging through their marriages. The Cut reports that more midlife women now show a real-world version of that frustration: They stay married while either “subconsciously uncoupling” or outright “quiet-quitting” emotional and physical intimacy. The divorce rate has fallen steadily since its peak in the 1980s, partly because people marry later — but another factor is that some women no longer see a stressful, expensive divorce as worth the hassle.

What it means: Of course, there are plenty of couples that do eventually divorce — not just because of everyday frustrations, but for reasons of safety, whether financial, physical, or emotional. On the other hand, some couples try therapy, others separate while staying legally married, and about 3% of married couples live apart but still call themselves “together,” per 2022 Census data. Some explore open relationships. Whatever the setup, the trend reflects a 2025 truth: Many want commitment without sacrificing autonomy. And in this case, why not have your wedding cake and eat it, too?

Related: Did Nicole Kidman Drop Some Early Hints That Her Marriage Was Struggling? (E! News)

On Our Calendar

A few things to jot down today…

🗓️ President Donald Trump issues his presidential turkey pardons to Gobble and Waddle.

🗓️ Grab your tap shoes: The Dancing with the Stars finale airs on ABC.

🗓️ It’s National Blasé Day. Time to look up what that means.

Psst…For more dates worth knowing this week, check out the Skimm+ calendar.

Your Political Briefing

The week in political chaos.

Breathing a sigh of relief?: That would be James Comey and Letitia James, after a judge dismissed the DOJ indictments against them. 

It’s costing them: More voters believe President Donald Trump’s policies are pushing prices up. And yes, this is impacting his approval rating. 

All is fair in love and war?: FBI Director Kash Patel is under the microscope (again) for deploying SWAT teams to be his girlfriend’s personal security guards. If he wanted to, he would.

Together with Avocado

The Chicest Sleep Gifts 

Here’s a dream scenario: gifts they’ll actually use every day (and night). Enter Avocado — the brand making organic, sustainable sleep look and feel luxe. Case in point:

• A hand-knit weighted blanket that’s basically the equivalent of a hug

• A silk pillowcase that’s doing the beauty work while they snooze

• And more cozy must-haves for instantly upgrading their sleep this holiday season

Settle This

Once and for all, is pumpkin or sweet potato pie the ultimate Thanksgiving sweet treat?

Game Time

Start your Tuesday off right with Typeshift, a fun new game that challenges you to create words from a set number of letters. Warning: It’s very addicting. Start playing.