Sociologist and women’s health activist who was a co-author of the groundbreaking book Our Bodies, Ourselves

In 1958, Norma Meras Swenson, who has died aged 93, gave birth to her daughter, Sarah, in Boston, Massachusetts. The experience opened her eyes to how little agency American women had over something as natural as childbirth, and this set her up for a lifetime of activism.

She became an expert in reproductive health and women’s rights and the book she co-wrote, Our Bodies, Ourselves, changed the landscape of women’s health. It brought into the open subjects such as contraception, birth and masturbation and has been compared to Dr Spock’s Baby & Child Care in terms of impact. Since 1970, it has been through nine editions, sold more than 4m copies and has been translated into 31 languages. In 2012, it featured in the Library of Congress exhibition Books that Shaped America.

Study shows combination treatment for aggressive breast cancer delays advance by average 17 months and chemotherapy by two years

A new triple therapy for aggressive, advanced breast cancer slows the progression of the disease, delays the need for further chemotherapy and helps patients live longer, research reveals.

The combination treatment is made up of two targeted drugs: inavolisib and palbociclib, and the hormone therapy fulvestrant. It improved overall survival by an average of seven months, compared with the patients in the control group, who were given palbociclib and fulvestrant.

The ban, enforced from Sunday, is designed to reduce youth vaping and tackle environmental damage

Vapers have been warned not to stockpile soon-to-be-banned disposables before Sunday’s outright ban as they “pose a significant fire risk”.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said users were stocking up on single-use e-cigarettes while they could, as shops would face fines for selling them after the ban takes effect.

London transport body says allowing Bpas adverts on its network could bring police and City Hall into disrepute

Transport for London has blocked adverts that urge people to lobby their MPs to vote to decriminalise abortion from running on its network because it claims they could bring the police and City Hall into disrepute.

Parliament is expected to vote on whether to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in the coming weeks, with amendments tabled to the crime and policing bill seeking to change the law.

Global trial shows immunotherapy drug significantly lowers chance of cancer spreading or returning

An immunotherapy drug can ward off head and neck cancers for twice as long as the standard treatment, in the biggest breakthrough in two decades.

Pembrolizumab stimulates the immune system to fight cancer, targeting a specific protein that enables the drug to wipe out cancer cells.

Doctor whose discovery helped create mifepristone was ‘guided by his commitment to progress made possible by science’

French scientist Étienne-Émile Baulieu, the inventor of the abortion pill, has died at the age of 98 at his home in Paris.

The doctor and researcher, who achieved worldwide renown for his work that led to the pill, had an eventful life that included fighting in the French resistance and becoming friends with artists such as Andy Warhol.

Currently women are only eligible for breast screening from the age of 50, but thousands are diagnosed younger

Millions of women in their thirties could be offered breast cancer checks on the NHS after a world-first trial identified those with a higher risk of developing the disease.

Currently, women are only eligible for breast screening from the age of 50. But about 10,000 women under 50 are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK each year, including 2,400 in their thirties. Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 35 to 50.

Faaiza Munir responds to Archie Bland’s article about his son and shares her own life-altering experience

Archie Bland’s article about his son and his family’s experience mirrors that of my own family (The boy who came back: the near-death, and changed life, of my son Max, 24 May). My son, who is now nine years old, had a blood clot in his small intestine which led to two major life-saving operations in 48 hours, and a complete change in his health, capabilities and lifestyle. My life has now been for ever split between “Before 16 April 2023” (the day my son nearly died) and “After”.

Archie detailed the intense emotions of every step beautifully. One of the hardest things when you go through nearly losing a child, and having an altered child return to you, is the loneliness. He depicts this so well, as even if you are lucky enough to be surrounded by family and friends, it is hard to not feel as though you and your partner are the only two people in the world who are dealing with this fear, sadness, worry and desperate need to help your child.