Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Many Women Who Go Out Of State For An Abortion Go To Illinois, Data Show
Stateline: Nearly 1 In 4 People Seeking Abortions Out Of State Chose Illinois. Here’s Why.
The state’s geography explains part of its popularity; in five of the six border states, abortion is either banned or largely inaccessible. But Illinois also is among the states that have put in place new policies — along with millions of dollars — to welcome patients who aren’t their residents. Advocates and providers say other safe-haven states should replicate the investments. (Moseley-Morris, 4/15)
More abortion news —
WIS10: Latest Effort To Ban Abortion In South Carolina Heads To Full Senate Committee
The latest effort to ban abortion in South Carolina received a favorable vote from a group of lawmakers on Wednesday. The South Carolina Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee approved S.1095 a day after an over two-hour hearing that got heated at times. The bill will now head to the full Senate Affairs Committee, where it will be heard on Thursday. The latest proposal, known as the “Unborn Child Protection Act,” would effectively replace the state’s current ban on abortion after six weeks. The bill would prohibit abortions once a pregnancy is clinically diagnosable and eliminate existing exceptions for rape, incest and fatal fetal anomalies. Abortions would be permitted only in cases of medical emergencies to prevent a woman’s death or a “substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.” (Biddix and Owens, 4/15)
NBC News: DOJ Hosts Anti-Abortion Advocates After It Fired Staff For Work With Abortion-Rights Orgs
Anti-abortion advocates met with Justice Department officials Wednesday, just hours after the Trump administration fired prosecutors it accused of coordinating too closely with abortion-rights advocacy groups during the Biden administration. (Reilly, 4/15)
On vasectomies, umbilical cord care, and the birth rate —
Denverite: Jefferson County, Colo., Tries Something New: Vasectomy Fridays
Have testicles and don’t want kids … ever? Now, you can head on down to Jefferson County Public Health. For the first time, the local health agency will offer in-house vasectomies on a sliding scale. Each Friday, around 10 patients can get a scalpel-free contraceptive operation. (Harris, 4/14)
CIDRAP: Antiseptic Umbilical Cord Care Reduces Infection Risk In Low-Income Settings, Review Suggests
Applying chlorhexidine, a simple antiseptic, to the umbilical cord likely lowers the risk of cord infection in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to a recent review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. The practice may also reduce neonatal deaths in these settings. The umbilical cord, which connects the fetus to the placenta during pregnancy, is composed of blood vessels and connective tissue. When the umbilical cord is clamped and cut after birth, it leaves behind a temporary stump that can be an entry point for harmful bacteria and other germs. (Bergeson, 4/15)
KFF Health News: As US Birth Rate Falls, Feds’ Response May Make Pregnancy More Dangerous
The number of babies born in the United States fell again last year. According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3.6 million births in 2025, a 1% decline from 2024. The fertility rate dropped to 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, down 23% since 2007. (Gounder, 4/16)
Also —
Mother Jones: Creating Baby Geniuses To Thwart The AI Threat? (Yes, Really.)
The new wave of Silicon Valley–backed gene-editing startups is straight out of “Brave New World.” (Vesoulis, 4/16)
