The Scan by 2 Minute Medicine®: A Misconception about Miscarriage, Scandal and ADHD, 10000 Steps per Day and Marijuana During Pregnancy!

The Scan by 2 Minute Medicine® is a new pop-culture medical newsletter designed to bring a physician perspective to trending topics. The Scan by 2 Minute Medicine® is an exclusive benefit for 2 Minute Medicine Plus subscribers, but enjoy the first few on us as we roll out! Issues are published twice per month. 

A Misconception about Miscarriage

The Story: Chrissy Teigen; former model, wife to singer John Legend, mom of two and world class chef has just announced her fourth pregnancy. Alongside her announcement, Teigen also made a “confession” about her 2020 miscarriage, stating that she just learned it was actually termed a spontaneous abortion in her medical records. So why does this matter to us everyday people? Maybe it’s because most of us don’t know what a spontaneous abortion is.

So, what is it?

The difference between an abortion and spontaneous abortion is that the latter describes a miscarriage before 20 weeks which may or may not require medical management. Teigen, for example, was hospitalized with severe bleeding and had a medically induced abortion, which although meant the loss of their third child, meant saving her own life.

Keep going…

When Teigen announced her miscarriage in 2020, she did so with the goal of helping to normalize this tragedy. Instead, some are focusing on the negative, claiming she is trying to stay relevant by milking her tragedy. In fact, at least 10% of pregnancies end in miscarriages. But for many, like Teigen, it’s the choice between their life or the life of their unborn child. In fact, 80% of maternal pregnancy-related deaths in the US are preventable according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How do you know what to look for?

In a nutshell, somewhere between 8-20% of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, with the total number likely being higher as many people miscarry before even knowing they are pregnant. Knowing the signs and symptoms may help an individual to identify when to seek medical attention. Most commonly, it presents as bleeding, cramping or abdominal pain, and may be associated with infections, poor access to healthcare, substance use and smoking, trauma, certain medical conditions like clotting disorders, and extremes of age. Being aware and seeking medical attention early may be the difference between life and death.

Scandal and ADHD

Maroon 5 frontman, Adam Levine was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager, and is now at the centre of a scandal alleging he has been cheating on his pregnant wife and mom of his two daughters. This has sparked a question about why people cheat.

A recent study suggests that being exposed to infidelity in a manner that normalizes it, think celebrity scandals, can actually lessen an individual’s resistance to temptation and make them more likely to have an extra-relationship affair. Additionally, research has shown that cheaters in one relationship are more likely to cheat in subsequent relationships. But is there more to it than just exposure? Is there an inherent reason why people cheat? Specifically, is infidelity related to ADHD? Two studies suggest that there is a genetic variation seen in ADHD that may be related to incidence of infidelity and promiscuity. Part of ADHD symptomology is impulsiveness, and given that sometimes people cheat out of impulsiveness, it is possible that there is a connection between them. However, we cannot claim causation just yet, and more research needs to be done before we can confirm if there is a link between the two. For now, perhaps it’s just a weird genetic coincidence.

Could 10,000 Steps per Day Keep the Doctor Away?

Globally, over 55 million people suffer from dementia, 537 million adults suffer from diabetes, and almost 50% of adults will develop some type of cardiovascular disease. This means that these account for a significant portion of medical care. Exercise can greatly decrease the burden of these diseases, but the question remains, does it need to be high intensity exercise or is walking enough? And if I am walking, do I really need to walk 10, 000 steps? Many people think so! And Tiktok has made getting those steps in even trendier by calling it a hot girl walk. Recent research suggests that it may not be the number of steps but the quality of the steps we take that matters more. This represents great news for those of us who can’t walk that much because of our physical ability, time commitments, or just because we don’t like walking. So fewer steps done at a higher intensity can still have a positive impact by reducing dementia risk, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality. The more steps we take, the greater the benefits, but at least we don’t all need to hit that magic number 10, 000!

Motherhood and Marijuana

Cannabis is more and more commonly being used for medicinal purposes or even as dietary supplement. With the current trend of decriminalization and legalization of cannabis for these purposes, there is also an increase in the incidence of use globally. This is represented in many different populations, including pregnant and lactating women. During these periods, marijuana may be used for a variety of reasons, such as managing pregnancy-related nausea or sleep disturbances, managing pre-existing conditions, to improve stress or mood, or simply for enjoyment. But is it safe? Studies are suggesting that marijuana actually crosses the placenta and into breastmilk, resulting in a relationship between maternal cannabis use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and outcomes such as prematurity and low birth weight and may even impact neurodevelopment in children. But the jury is still out on how much is too much. While it is entirely possible that a small amount of cannabis in pregnancy would be unharmful to the developing fetus, there is not enough research on the dose-effect relationship to confidently say how much a pregnant or breastfeeding individual can use without concern. So for now, just as many of us were told through PSAs and in middle school health class, the safest option is to just say “no”.

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