Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Arizona's Highest Court Set To Rule Today On Near-Total Abortion Ban
AZ Mirror: Abortion Access In AZ Will Be Decided Tuesday, When The Supreme Court Rules On An 1864 Ban
The Arizona Supreme Court’s long-awaited ruling on whether virtually all abortions performed in the Grand Canyon State should be outlawed will be released Tuesday morning. In December, the high court heard oral arguments in an appeal launched by an anti-abortion doctor hoping to reinstate a near-total ban from 1864 — nearly six decades before Arizona became a state — that prohibits all abortions except for those to save the life of the mother. The legal challenge seeks to overturn the decision from a lower court that determined the 1864 law shouldn’t overrule nearly 50 years of new laws, and a more recent 15-week gestational ban, passed in 2022, should be upheld instead. (Gomez, 4/8)
Slate: Indiana's Religious Exemption From Abortion Bans Is A Big Deal.
On Thursday afternoon, in an important lawsuit seeking to clarify which religious objectors will be taken seriously when they seek legal exemptions, a group of plaintiffs in Indiana scored a notable win: A three-judge panel on the Indiana Court of Appeals agreed to enjoin Indiana’s near-total abortion ban, as applied against a class of religious plaintiffs who had argued that the ban violates a state law protecting religious freedom. In its unanimous 76-page opinion, authored by Judge Leanna K. Weissmann, the panel determined that a preliminary injunction granted to a group of plaintiffs who had alleged that Indiana’s abortion law violated their rights under the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act could remain in place. The case now proceeds to trial, or more likely to a direct appeal to the state Supreme Court. (Lithwick and Schwartzman, 4/8)
Other news about pregnancy and sex education —
The Washington Post: Pregnancy Linked To Faster Aging, New Research Suggests
The fatigue and pangs of pregnancy have made many women feel older than their years. Now there’s new research that suggests pregnancy may, in fact, accelerate the aging process. Two new studies of genetic markers in the blood cells of pregnant women suggest that their cells seem to age at an exaggerated clip, adding extra months or even years to a woman’s so-called biological age as her pregnancy progresses. (Reynolds, 4/8)
Axios: Pregnant At 35: The Start Of "Advanced Maternal Age" Shouldn't Be Feared
More than half of U.S. babies born in 2023 had birth mothers in their 30s and older, according to provisional CDC data. Why it matters: In the last few years, age 35 has gone from the start of "geriatric pregnancy" to potentially a maternal-age sweet spot. (Mallenbaum, 4/8)
NPR: Male Fetuses' Sex Hormones Can Affect Female Siblings Before They're Even Born
A sibling can change your life — even before you're born. That's because when males and females share a womb, sex hormones from one fetus can cause lasting changes in the others. It's called the intrauterine position phenomenon, or intrauterine position effects, and different versions of it have been observed in rodents, pigs, sheep — and, probably, humans. ... The phenomenon is more than a scientific oddity. It helped establish that even tiny amounts of hormone-like chemicals, like those found in some plastics, could affect a fetus. (Hamilton, 4/9)
CBS News: Parents Concerned Over Modesto Sex Education Curriculum, Attorney General Responds
There's a battle brewing in Modesto over a sex education curriculum and whether it actually complies with California law. ... California Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office has received complaints from parents that the curriculum may contain religious doctrine when it comes to the topic of abortions. "Access to unbiased and comprehensive sexual education for students is not just a matter of choice; it is a fundamental necessity that builds a foundation of success for our children," Bonta said in a press release Monday. (Ramos, 4/8)
KFF Health News: Readers Speak Up About Women's Health Issues, From Reproductive Care To Drinking
Letters to the Editor is a periodic feature. KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories. (4/9)
