My story of sex, gender, and women's health in a pandemic.
Sabra L KleinPublished in: Immunological reviews (2022)
After more than 20 years of studying sex differences in viral pathogenesis and immunity to vaccines, the COVID-19 pandemic provided me with a unique opportunity to raise awareness about biological sex differences. The scientific community and public, alike, embraced the clinical and epidemiological data and supported inquiries into how males are twice as likely to be hospitalized and die from COVID-19. Immunological changes associated with pregnancy also contribute to worse outcomes from COVID-19. Collectively, we are finding that inflammation is a critical mediator of worse outcomes for males and pregnant females. The pandemic gave me a platform to discuss and address sex differences on a bigger stage, but two decades of studies working with other viruses prepared me for this moment in history.
Keyphrases
- sars cov
- coronavirus disease
- mental health
- healthcare
- respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- pregnancy outcomes
- public health
- oxidative stress
- polycystic ovary syndrome
- pregnant women
- electronic health record
- preterm birth
- high throughput
- big data
- metabolic syndrome
- emergency department
- machine learning
- case control
- insulin resistance
- cervical cancer screening
- breast cancer risk
- risk assessment
- single cell
- glycemic control
- adverse drug
- drug induced
- genetic diversity