Sepsis and malnutrition stalk the new mothers and babies of South Darfur

Sepsis and malnutrition stalk the new mothers and babies of South Darfur

CAIRO — Mothers and children in the Sudanese region of South Darfur are experiencing one of the “worst” health emergencies in the world, humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders said Tuesday, one of the consequences of the violence that has engulfed the country since April 2023. Doctors Without Borders, also known as MSF, said in its … Read more

Hundreds of places in the US said racism was a public health crisis. What’s changed?

Hundreds of places in the US said racism was a public health crisis. What’s changed?

More than 200 cities and counties declared racism was a public health crisis in the past few years, mostly after George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis in May 2020. Racial justice advocates said they finally felt heard by the quick swell of political will to address disparities like disproportionate COVID-19 deaths or infant … Read more

She fought to become a midwife. Now she’s fighting to save mothers and their babies in South Sudan

She fought to become a midwife. Now she’s fighting to save mothers and their babies in South Sudan

BENTIU, South Sudan — Elizabeth Nyachiew was 16 when she watched her neighbor bleed to death during childbirth. She vowed to become a midwife to spare others from the same fate in South Sudan, a country with one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates. “If I saw people dying, I wanted to know why,” … Read more

COVID-19 falls to No. 10 cause of death in US

COVID-19 falls to No. 10 cause of death in US

EMBARGOED FOR 1 PM ET U.S. death rates fell last year for all age groups compared with 2022, federal health officials said Thursday. Here’s what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showed: — COVID-19 fell to the 10th leading cause of death. Early in the pandemic, the coronavirus was the nation’s third leading … Read more

Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?

Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?

NEW YORK — Microplastics have been found in the ocean and the air, in our food and water. They have been found in a wide range of body tissues, including the heart, liver, kidneys and even testicles. But are they actually harming you? Evidence suggests they might, but it’s limited in scope. Some researchers are … Read more

Democrats hope Harris’ bluntness on abortion will translate to 2024 wins in Congress and White House

Democrats hope Harris’ bluntness on abortion will translate to 2024 wins in Congress and White House

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden might not often use the word “abortion” when he talks about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but Vice President Kamala Harris sure does. She’s also toured a Minnesota Planned Parenthood clinic where the procedure is performed and routinely links the fall of Roe to the larger issue of rising … Read more

Infant mortality rate rose 8% in wake of Texas abortion ban, study shows

COVID-19 falls to No. 10 cause of death in US

In the wake of Texas’ abortion ban, the state’s infant death rate increased and more died of birth defects, a study published Monday shows. The analysis out of Johns Hopkins University is the latest research to find higher infant mortality rates in states with abortion restrictions. The researchers looked at how many infants died before … Read more