Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Wisconsin Supreme Court Goes Liberal, AG Tackles Anti-Abortion Law
The Washington Post: Wisconsin Supreme Court Flips Liberal, Creating A ‘Seismic Shift’
Liberal groups, long accustomed to seeing the court as hostile terrain, quickly maneuvered for potential victories on a string of major issues, including abortion. (Marley, 8/27)
Politico: The Next Big Abortion Battleground: Pennsylvania
Less than a month after their double-digit victory on abortion rights in Ohio, Democrats are preparing to pour millions of dollars into the next big battlefront over the hot-button policy. Across the border in Pennsylvania, a seat on the state Supreme Court is up for grabs this November, and a Democrat who has vowed to protect “women’s reproductive rights” is running against a Republican who’s promised to defend “all life under the law.” (Otterbein, 8/27)
AP: After Roe V. Wade, The Fight Over Abortion Access Moves To New Mexico
In the year since Roe v. Wade was reversed, New Mexico has emerged as a safe haven for those who provide abortions and those who need them. (Ebbers and Kavathas, 8/25)
Kansas City Beacon: Missouri Groups Look For The Strongest Abortion Rights That Voters Would Back
The fight over the Missouri abortion ban begins with language. Eager to once again legalize the procedure in the state after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year made way for the General Assembly to ban it, abortion-rights supporters have been floating 11 versions of a petition to ask voters for a change in November 2024. They submitted those would-be changes to the state constitution to Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to sort out what sort of summary could actually show up on ballots. (Cunningham, 8/28)
KFF Health News and PolitiFact: Untangling Ron DeSantis’ Debate Anecdote About An Improbable Abortion Survival Story
When the topic of abortion came up during the first Republican primary presidential debate this week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shared a perplexing anecdote about a woman he’d met who he said had survived the procedure. “I know a lady in Florida named Penny,” DeSantis said. “She survived multiple abortion attempts. She was left discarded in a pan. Fortunately, her grandmother saved her and brought her to a different hospital.” Some accused the governor of fabricating the story. (Putterman, 8/25)
In other reproductive health news —
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Health Problems After Childbirth Are Becoming More Common In Pa.
Pennsylvania is facing a worsening crisis of severe health problems after childbirth, according to a new state report that found a 40% rise in the rate of poor outcomes between 2016 and 2022. The data released this week offers a chilling snapshot of a national maternal health crisis that disproportionately affects people of color and low-income families, even as more health resources were devoted to improving prenatal and postpartum care. (Gantz, 8/26)
Chicago Tribune: New Video Technology At Chicago Hospital Offered To New Mothers
A new technology at St. Anthony Hospital is now connecting mothers and newborns with family and friends across the U.S. and Mexico. The new system is just the latest in an array of services the community hospital is offering to make its patients feel welcome regardless of citizenship status as Chicago’s migrant population has grown to over 13,500 in the past year. (Salzman, 8/28)
Fox News: AI Chatbot Aims To Provide Support For Women With Postpartum Depression: 'A Tool, Not A Replacement'
About one in every eight women experiences symptoms of postpartum depression, also known as perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), per CDC data — and with a national shortage of mental health providers, many may find it difficult to get care. Researchers at the University of Texas are looking to bridge that gap by using artificial intelligence, according to a report from Kris 6 News in Texas. (Rudy, 8/26)
