pregnancy
Here are the states that arrest and punish the most pregnant women
Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma and South Carolina lead the nation in arresting and criminally punishing women for allegedly posing a danger to their fetuses, according to a report released by advocacy group Pregnancy Justice. Nationwide, nearly 1,400 people were arrested or subject to disparate bail, sentencing and probation for conduct related to their pregnancies between 2005 […]
Pregnant workers have new protections. Here’s what to expect from your boss.
Almost two months after workplace accommodations for pregnant workers became law, the rules surrounding what employers can and cannot do have yet to be finalized — but that doesn’t mean the protections are not in place. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s proposed regulations are expected to offer more clarity once finalized, but workers can still […]
Few states extend fertility treatment coverage to Medicaid recipients
As more states require private insurers to cover fertility-related health care, many efforts to extend similar protections to Medicaid patients this year have foundered over cost concerns. Only two states provide significant fertility coverage through Medicaid: New York, which offers fertility medications, and Illinois, where Medicaid will cover the storage of sperm or eggs for those […]
Fertility health coverage is still hard to come by in many states
As fertility rates drop and more women postpone childbirth into their 30s and 40s, more states are considering mandating that private insurers cover fertility treatments to help people start a family without the crushing out-of-pocket expenses. Such laws would help people such as Miraya and Andy Gran of Bloomington, Minnesota, who ended up spending $102,000 to have their […]
Study shows sharp increases in maternal deaths over two decades
A study from the University of Washington released last week shows maternal mortality rates more than doubled in some states between 1999 and 2019, with sharp increases for some racial and ethnic groups. Researchers touted it as the first study to provide such maternal mortality calculations for every state. Previous reports have not included rates for […]
Column: Current postpartum coverage leaves out some of Michigan’s most vulnerable pregnant people
In our training as medical students, we have had the privilege to participate in the care of new parents during postpartum visits. We were surprised to see the different types of health complications that can come after giving birth. We talked to new parents experiencing postpartum depression, saw exacerbations of high blood pressure, diagnosed new-onset […]
Abortion bans skirt a medical reality: For many teens, childbirth is a dangerous undertaking
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Maryanna’s eyes widened as the waitress delivered dessert, a plate-sized chocolate chip cookie topped with hot fudge and ice cream. Sitting in a booth at a Cheddar’s in Little Rock, Maryanna, 16, wasn’t sure of the last time she’d been to a sit-down restaurant. With two children — a daughter she […]
CDC study: Getting vaxxed while pregnant protects baby from COVID-19
Updated, 8:50 p.m., 2/22/22, with comment from DHHS New research has found that pregnant people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are sharing those antibodies with their unborn child, potentially protecting the baby from contracting the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since COVID-19 vaccines have not yet been approved for […]
Rural midwives fill gap as hospitals cut childbirth services
For the past year or so, Toni Hill, a midwife in the lowlands of northern Mississippi, has received an influx of calls from women across the state who live in areas with no hospitals and only a smattering of health care providers. As COVID-19 rates increased, some pregnant women did not feel safe receiving care […]
Pregnant people in prison have been shackled while giving birth. Whitmer plans to change that.
When Siwatu-Salama Ra received the news yesterday that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced a policy directive meant to overhaul the way pregnant people in prison are treated, she was in the hospital watching her 3-year-old son struggle to breathe. “He’s being so strong in the hospital now, and I remember him as a baby who, at […]
We’re losing our humanity, and the pandemic is to blame
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Kurt Thigpen clenched his hands around the edge of the table because if he couldn’t feel the sharp edges digging into his palms, he would have to think about how hard his […]
CDC strongly advises pregnant people to get a COVID-19 vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a health advisory Wednesday recommending urgent action: People should get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible, before or during pregnancy. That includes those already pregnant, trying to get pregnant and who might want to get pregnant, as well as recently pregnant people, including those lactating. […]