Vaccination shot vaccine injection child nurse
Child Health, Measles, Newborn and Infant Health, Public Health, Vaccines

Combatting the measles threat means examining the reasons for declining vaccination rates

The anti-vaccine literature is not anti-science. It is filled with statistics and references to scientific studies, although the facts are often wrong. Parents who read this literature need more than the simple reassurance of experts that vaccines are safe and effective. They need to be shown evidence and have confidence that their concerns are being taken seriously.

Low poly style illustration of a sad, young mother in a darkened room with an infant child
Contraception, Health News, Health Policy, Newborn and Infant Health, Pregnancy, Women's Health

Maternal death reviews get political as state officials intrude

Every state has a committee of medical and public health experts tasked with investigating deaths that occur during and after pregnancy. But as data paints a clearer picture of the impact that state policies such as abortion bans and Medicaid expansion can have on maternal health, leaders in some states are rushing to limit their review committee’s work — or halt it altogether.

20230810 coronavirus omicron
Coronavirus, COVID, Newborn and Infant Health, Pregnancy, Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccination and boosting during pregnancy benefits pregnant people and newborns

The researchers found that pregnant women who received the COVID-19 vaccines generated antibodies against specific types of SARS-CoV-2. These antibodies crossed the placenta and were also found in the cord blood of vaccinated participants. This likely conferred some protection in the newborns against infection immediately after birth—a critical time when they are vulnerable to severe COVID-19 disease but are too young to be vaccinated.