Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Stillbirths In US Occur Far More Often Than Previously Reported, Study Finds
The Washington Post: U.S. Stillbirth Rates Higher Than Reported, With Black Families At More Risk
Despite advances in prenatal care, stillbirths in the United States are far more common than previously reported, with a significant number of them striking without warning. A sweeping analysis of nearly 2.8 million pregnancies finds that nearly 19,000 stillbirths occurred between 2016 and 2022, a rate higher than recorded in federal data. The study published Monday shows that nearly 30 percent of stillbirths occurred in pregnancies that did not appear linked to any previously identified health or clinical risks. (Malhi, 10/27)
More reproductive news from Wisconsin, Maine, and elsewhere —
AP: Wisconsin Planned Parenthood Resumes Offering Abortions After Pausing Them Due To Federal Law
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin resumed scheduling abortions on Monday after a nearly monthlong pause due to federal Medicaid funding cuts in President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill that took effect at the beginning of October. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said it was able to resume scheduling abortions as of noon on Monday because it no longer fits the definition of a “prohibited entity” under the new federal law that took effect this month and can receive Medicaid funds. (Bauer, 10/27)
CBS News: The Quiet Collapse Of America's Reproductive Health Safety Net
In late October, Maine Family Planning announced three rural clinics in northern Maine would close by month's end. These primary care and reproductive health clinics served about 800 patients, many uninsured or on Medicaid. "People don't realize how much these clinics hold together the local health system until they're gone," George Hill, the group's president and CEO, told CBS News. "For thousands of patients, that was their doctor, their lab, and their lifeline." (Gounder, 10/27)
On the spread of flu, West Nile virus, measles, and rabies —
Bloomberg: Flu Vaccination Decline Raises Fears Of A Deadlier US Winter
Americans are heading into winter less protected against one of the season’s deadliest viruses, with flu vaccination rates forecast to fall more than 10% this year, according to CSL Ltd., the world’s second-biggest maker of the shots. CSL expects US vaccination rates for the 2025-2026 season to drop 12% overall and 14% among people ages 65 and older compared with last year, Chief Executive Officer Paul McKenzie told the company’s annual meeting in Melbourne on Tuesday, citing insurance-claims data. (Tong, 10/28)
CIDRAP: First West Nile Death Of 2025 Confirmed In LA County
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health late last week confirmed the first West Nile Virus death of the year in a resident of San Fernando Valley, who was hospitalized and died from neurologic illness following a severe West Nile virus infection. This tragic loss reminds us how dangerous mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus and dengue can be,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer in a press release. (Soucheray, 10/27)
CIDRAP: Measles Outbreak In South Carolina Grows; Canada’s Elimination Status Threatened
The Upstate South Carolina measles outbreak has grown by 2 more cases, raising the state total to 25. Health officials said both infections were linked to close contacts of known cases, who had been under quarantine at home following exposures at two schools with a high percentage of unvaccinated students. Of the state’s 25 cases, 22 have occurred as part of the Upstate outbreak. (Soucheray, 10/27)
The New York Times: Vaccine Skepticism Comes For Pet Owners, Too
Anti-vaccine sentiment is spilling over into veterinary medicine, making some owners hesitant to vaccinate their pets, even for fatal diseases like rabies. (Anthes and Rosenbluth, 10/27)
