Sepsis Rates Increased After Abortion Ban In Texas, Analysis Shows
Rates shot up by more than 50% for pregnancies lost in the second trimester, and the maternal mortality rate rose in Texas, bucking national trends. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood in Missouri has resumed abortion procedures after a judge temporarily blocked state licensing requirements imposed on clinics. Other news comes from Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Illinois, and California.
ProPublica:
Texas Banned Abortion. Then Sepsis Rates Soared.
Pregnancy became far more dangerous in Texas after the state banned abortion in 2021, ProPublica found in a first-of-its-kind data analysis. The rate of sepsis shot up more than 50% for women hospitalized when they lost their pregnancies in the second trimester, ProPublica found. The surge in this life-threatening condition, caused by infection, was most pronounced for patients whose fetus may still have had a heartbeat when they arrived at the hospital. (Presser, Suozzo, Chou, Surana, 2/20)
More reproductive health updates —
The New York Times:
Missouri Clinics Resume Abortions
Abortion clinics in the staunchly Republican state of Missouri this week resumed procedures for the first time in years, despite a continued push by conservative state leaders to block a constitutional amendment enshrining abortion rights that voters approved in November. It was a remarkable moment after an extended fight. Missouri was the first state to enact an abortion ban after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Then in 2024, it became the first state with a near-total ban to approve a citizen-sponsored abortion rights amendment. (Zernike, 2/19)
CBS News:
Pennsylvania Hospital Uses Remote Monitoring To Protect New Mothers From High Blood Pressure
Doctors at Main Line Health can now monitor new mothers' blood pressure remotely to keep them safe and healthy. High blood pressure is a leading cause of maternal mortality. Now, Lankenau Medical Center has a user-friendly way to help moms at risk. Newborn baby Adonis is thriving, but his mother, Jennifer Noble, is being carefully monitored for preeclampsia, chronic high blood pressure that can be very dangerous. (Stahlv, 2/19)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Drug Overdose Deaths Rising Again In S.F. After Months Of Declines
Accidental drug overdose deaths in San Francisco are ticking back up after several months of declines, according to preliminary figures released by the Medical Examiner’s office Wednesday. January marked the third consecutive month that overdose fatalities increased — a reversal of the hopeful downward trend that began last summer and held through most of the fall. (Ho, 2/19)
KFF Health News:
An Ice Rink To Fight Opioid Crisis: Drug-Free Fun Vs. Misuse Of Settlement Cash
A Kentucky county nestled in the heart of Appalachia, where the opioid crisis has wreaked devastation for decades, spent $15,000 of its opioid settlement money on an ice rink. That amount wasn’t enough to solve the county’s troubles, but it could have bought 333 kits of Narcan, a medication that can reverse opioid overdoses. Instead, people are left wondering how a skating rink addresses addiction or fulfills the settlement money’s purpose of remediating the harms of opioids. (Pattani, 2/20)
The Texas Tribune:
Texas Mental Health Licensing Board Gives Initial OK To Remove Training Requirement Associated With DEI
The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to give preliminary approval to remove language that requires cultural competency as part of continuing education requirements for several licensed mental health professions. This move has prompted support from those who are against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and opposition from mental health providers who say it will hurt the experience for patients, particularly those of color. However, officials with the state’s mental health licensing authority say people have misunderstood their motives, as political discussions surrounding DEI have turned a simple rule change into something more. (Simpson, 2/19)
CBS News:
Heartland Alliance Health Reverses Decision To Close Chicago Clinics, Food Pantries
Heartland Alliance Health announced Wednesday that its clinics and food pantries will remain open, reversing an earlier decision to close at the end of the month. The nonprofit said on its website that all its health clinics, food pantries, and medical case management and outreach services will remain open and active. (Harrington, 2/19)
CNN:
An 11-Year-Old Girl In Texas Died By Suicide After She Was Bullied About Her Family’s Immigration Status, Her Mother Says
A young girl’s death by suicide is being investigated by school police after her mother says she was bullied by other students who hurled insults at her, claiming her family was in the US illegally. Eleven-year-old Jocelynn Rojo Carranza died on February 8 – five days after her mother found her unresponsive at their home in Gainesville, Texas, according to an online obituary. Her funeral took place Wednesday morning. (Mascarenhas, Lavandera and Killough, 2/19)
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