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Gestational diabetes is on the rise, another indicator of inequities in health care
A new study by Northwestern University found that the rates of gestational diabetes among pregnant people in the U.S. have increased by 36% from 2016 – 2024. And, according to the study, the burden isn’t evenly distributed. Native American, Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations experience higher rates of gestational diabetes than…
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Health care in court: A prep session for a big June
Buckle up: The Supreme Court is expected to rule before the end of June in a number of cases with significant implications for health in America. With transgender health care, Planned Parenthood funding, preventive care, and several environmental cases, among others, in the balance, what’s the best way to prepare to cover these important stories?…
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Underreported twin health crises: Gun violence and maternal mortality
Many health risks to pregnant people are well-known, whether it’s preeclampsia, gestational diabetes or hemorrhage during delivery. Another culprit at the center of the maternal mortality epidemic is firearms. Murders are a leading cause of maternal mortality in the U.S. — and maternal homicides are most often perpetrated with guns, commonly at the hands of an…
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Obstetric care continues to vanish from rural areas
When rural hospitals go into the red, they often have little choice but to stop delivering babies. The result can be terrifying. Harrowing roadside births have been documented in news stories and online. Maternal unit closures that put women and their babies in rural areas at heightened risk of complications and death aren’t a new…
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Could doulas improve maternal health outcomes in the U.S.?
As policymakers, health care providers, and researchers continue to explore ways to address the maternal health crisis in the United States, doulas are proving to be a valuable resource in the pursuit of safer, more equitable childbirth experiences. Maternal health outcomes in the United States remain among the worst of any high-income country, with significant…
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Here’s what we all should learn from that scary tampon study
The Food and Drug Administration announced last month that it has commissioned an investigation into the ingredients in tampons after a small study in July identified the presence of heavy metals in multiple brands. When it was first published, the study caused quite a stir, with (far too many) stories and sensational headlines and a…
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Senators Have Mental Health Crises, Too
Senators Have Mental Health Crises, Too The Host Julie Rovner KHN @jrovner Read Julie’s stories. Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KHN’s weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy…
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