Category: Newborn and Infant Health
Research: Policies to Keep Rural Maternity Units Open Not Working
Maternity care is a service that is necessary, but not well reimbursed, and in rural areas with a heavy reliance on Medicaid for financial support, continuing to fund that service can be a difficult decision for hospital administrators to make.
The pediatrician association’s move comes on the heels of unprecedented changes made earlier this year by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, in how the government approves and issues guidance on vaccines.
Despite federal shift, state health officials encourage COVID vaccines for pregnant women
Experts say the federal shift puts the onus on state health agencies to ramp up vaccine guidance and outreach. Clinicians and public health organizations are trying to dispel misinformation and make sure information reaches low-income people and people of color, who had higher maternal death rates during the pandemic.
Measles isn’t just dangerous – it may erase your immune system
Emerging research suggests that the measles vaccination may offer surprising additional health benefits. Children who receive the vaccine have been shown to have a significantly lower risk of infections from diseases unrelated to measles. One explanation for this broader benefit is the idea of “measles amnesia.” This refers to the ability of the measles virus to erase parts of the body’s immune memory.
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.
‘Pandemic babies’ turn 5: Here’s what research tells us about their development and remarkable resilience
Given the effects early-life stress exposure has on a child’s development, many people worried the pandemic would create a generation of children who wouldn’t achieve their potential. But the most recent evidence suggests that pandemic babies are doing better than anyone expected.
Flu kills two area children
The first was an elementary-age child. The second was a preschool-age child.
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.
Study: Obstetrics Units in Rural Communities Declining
According to the researchers, the decline of obstetrics units in rural communities is contributing to rising maternal morbidity rates.
How mother’s diet affects baby’s health: What insights from different cultures can tell us
A high-quality diet in pregnancy and healthy weight before pregnancy can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and reduce the chance of transmitting this risk to one’s offspring.
How did polio reemerge in Gaza after a quarter of a century? Q&A with a virologist
We asked a virologist to explain how the virus emerged in the region after all this time, and how it will be dealt with._
Health News Headlines
60% of baby food doesn’t meet nutrition standards – High school football has become a public health crisis – Catching up on sleep at weekends may lower heart disease risk by a fifth
Wildfire smoke is a health risk for pregnant people — both physically and mentally
As the West’s wildfire season worsens, a new Human Rights Watch report urges policymakers to address the toll it’s taking on pregnancy and birth outcomes.
Measles outbreak in Oregon continues to spread
The outbreak of 23 measles cases coincides with spreading cases of whooping cough, which have surpassed 400 this year
Prenatal supplements fall woefully short in providing crucial nutrition during pregnancy – and most women don’t even know it
Prenatal supplements are not the insurance plan that many doctors believe them to be.