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.

Pregnancy, Rural Health, Rural Hospitals, Women's Health

For Many Rural Women, Finding Maternity Care Outweighs Concerns About Abortion Access

A study that examined nearly 5,000 acute care hospitals found that by 2022, 52% of rural hospitals lacked obstetrics care after more than a decade of unit closures. The health implications of those closures for young women, the population most likely to need pregnancy care, and their babies can be significant. Research has shown that added distance between a patient and obstetric care increases the likelihood the baby will be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU.

Abortion, Pregnancy, Technology, Women's Health

Telehealth abortion still on the rise, especially in states with shield laws, report shows

From January to March 2024, there were about 19,700 telehealth abortions per month, according to the report. The states with the biggest jumps in the average number of abortions per month compared with the first three months of 2023 include New York, California, Virginia, Kansas and Pennsylvania. Kansas saw 59% more telehealth abortions and 29% more in-person abortions each month.

Picture of a doctor standing in a hospital hallway with arms crossed holding a stethoscope
Hospitals, Pregnancy, Women's Health

The Powerful Constraints on Medical Care in Catholic Hospitals Across America

More than half a million babies are born each year in the U.S. in Catholic-run hospitals, including those owned by CommonSpirit Health, Ascension, Trinity Health, and Providence St. Joseph Health. That’s 16% of all hospital births each year, with rates in 10 states exceeding 30%. In Washington, half of all babies are born at such hospitals, the highest share in the country.