Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Maternity Care Desert Problem Isn't Easing In Rural America, Report Finds
NBC News: Many Pregnant Women Travel More Than An Hour To Give Birth, New Report Finds
If you are pregnant in rural America, especially in the South, chances are you are among the millions of women for whom the nearest prenatal care or maternity hospital is more than an hour away. (Alvino, 8/11)
In other reproductive health news —
The Hill: Texas AG Intervenes In Dallas Surrogacy Case
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has intervened in a Dallas County surrogacy case involving an unborn baby with a severe heart defect, seeking to ensure the fetus receives life-saving medical treatment after birth despite objections from his intended parents. The unborn child, who Paxton’s office referred to as “baby Gabriel,” was diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome — a congenital condition in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped and unable to properly pump blood throughout the body. (Swai, 8/11)
The New York Times: Ocasio-Cortez Opened Up About Freezing Her Eggs. She Got Women Talking
Eight long years ago, Meg Quinn decided not to share the details of a big decision. She was 37 and just out of a long-term relationship when she started panicking. Was she running out of time to have children? Feeling helpless, she decided to do something that was expensive but might help her chances of becoming a mother. She froze her eggs. (Macur and Hartocollis, 8/11)
The Hill: GLP-1s May Impact Birth Control Pill Effectiveness, Fertility: Study
People taking GLP-1 drugs may find themselves part of an unexpected baby boom, with experts noting the popular weight-loss drugs can affect medications and fertility. Researchers say it is unclear exactly how GLP-1s interact with birth control pills, but there is some evidence that the drugs, which include Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy, could reduce the effectiveness of the pills. One possible explanation has to do with how GLP-1 drugs work. The medications work on hormones that control appetite as well as how food moves through the digestive tract. (Whiteside, 8/11)
KFF Health News: Hospitals Say They Found A Tool To Help Reduce Childbirth Risks: Wristbands
Hospitals across the U.S. are trying to reduce maternal deaths and complications after pregnancies using one small tool: a silicone wristband stamped with the declaration “I Gave Birth.” The wristbands are part of a growing initiative first launched by North Carolina-based ECU Health as Congress sought to address the nation’s growing maternal mortality crisis during the covid pandemic. Since 2021, nearly 50 North Carolina hospitals and the state’s health department have begun distributing the wristbands, to give mothers and care providers a visual reminder of the life-threatening health risks after birth. (Jones, 8/12)
