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Expecting a baby? Get 24/7 virtual health support for you and your family - Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
BLET members covered under the National Health & Welfare Plan can take advantage of several benefits for maternity and newborn care. Expecting a baby? T ...
Supreme Court fight over birthright citizenship threatens ‘chaos’ in proving newborns’ status
Justice Brett Kavanaugh sounded like a fired-up prosecutor last year as he shot off a withering series of nuts-and-bolts questions about how President Donald Trump would carry out his plan to rewrite of the way birthright citizenship has been understood in the United States for more than a century.
Can pesticide exposure before pregnancy affect babies’ health?
A new study suggests a correlation between certain chemical compounds and lower newborn health scores.
Glyphosate: A story of science, risk, and nuance
In the summer of 2014, a California groundskeeper named Dewayne Johnson started noticing patches of raw, weeping skin spreading across his body. He had spent years applying Roundup, Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide, for a school district, sometimes drenched in it when equipment malfunctioned. By 2014, he had a diagnosis: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2018, a jury awarded him $289 million in damages, later reduced on appeal. Tens of thousands of lawsuits followed. The story hasn’t quieted down. It’s all over the internet, swinging between “this will kill you, buy organic” and “relax, you’re fear-mongering.” Some of that recent chatter stems from an Executive Order protecting glyphosate and its production, which set off intense infighting within the MAHA movement. Some of it reflects a deeper truth: Americans genuinely care about harmful chemicals in their environment (see poll below). And the conversation isn’t going anywhere, with a Supreme Court case involving Monsanto set for this April. Glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup) is one of the most widely used herbicides in the world. But does glyphosate cause cancer? And how much exposure is actually risky? With so much mistrust in institutions and corporations (and some genuine conflicts of interest), making sense of the actual scientific evidence is genuinely hard. Here is a translation of what the scientific evidence actually says. Does glyphosate cause harm? Glyphosate is an herbicide that kills most plants it contacts rather than targeting specific species. It works by blocking an enzyme pathway (EPSPS) that plants and many microorganisms need to produce essential amino acids. Without those amino acids, the plant can’t grow and dies. Glyphosate was first developed by Monsanto in the 1970s and became ubiquitous after the company introduced “Roundup Ready” crops in the 1990s. In 2024, Bayer removed glyphosate from residential Roundup-branded products due to litigation pressure. But today it is still the most widely used herbicide in the world. Farmers also discovered they could spray it directly on crops like oats, lentils, beans, and peas just before harvest to dry them out faster and make harvesting easier. Because of its widespread use, it’s obviously really important to understand if it’s harmful to humans. The key principle: The dose makes the poison The most important concept in toxicology is that “the dose makes the poison.” Sixteenth-century physician Paracelsus articulated what remains the foundational principle of toxicology: sola dosis facit venenum. Water will kill you if you drink enough of it. Aspirin saves lives at 81 milligrams and causes internal bleeding at higher chronic doses. So, at what dose is glyphosate poisonous? The LD50 in rats (the dose that kills half the test animals) is around 5,600 mg/kg body weight. Table salt is roughly 3,000 mg/kg. By that classic measure, glyphosate is less acutely toxic than salt. But some people are exposed to a lot of glyphosate through their work. And among the general public, there are many questions about low-dose, cumulative exposure from multiple sources over long periods. Does glyphosate cause health problems? Cancer Correlation maps are striking, with one analysis finding that 60% of counties that spray the most glyphosate have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates above the national average. But correlation alone doesn’t establish cause, which is why animal and human studies matter. In animals: Rat studies are typically what most fear is rooted in, but most people don’t know the study details on the dosage given to rats. A pooled analysis of the 13 most rigorous rat studies found evidence that very high doses, around 55,000 times greater than typical food residue exposure, can cause certain cancers. In humans: One of the strongest studies followed 55,000 herbicide users over 20 years and found no overall increased cancer risk. There was one signal: among those with the highest use, rates of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) appeared elevated. A broader meta-analysis of 18 human studies also found no overall cancer risk, though a separate meta-analysis focused specifically on non-Hodgkin lymphoma found that people with high cumulative glyphosate exposure faced a 41% higher relative risk compared to those with low or no exposure. These human studies are observational studies (randomized controlled trials would be unethical), and meta-analyses are only as reliable as the studies they pool. But the story seems consistent: at very high exposure levels, there may be some cancer risk. But that’s about as far as the science currently takes us. Emerging research: gut and reproductive health Gut: Because glyphosate targets a pathway that exists in some gut bacteria, scientists have questioned whether it could affect the microbiome. In mice, a 2023 University of Iowa study found that glyphosate altered gut bacterial composition and raised markers of intestinal inflammation. A 2024 systematic review found similar patterns: disrupted gut bacteria and problems with the mucus layer that protects the intestinal wall in mice. Whether this translates to humans is an open question. The human gut is highly variable and resistant, and we don't yet have strong studies confirming the same effects in people. Reproductive health: Animal studies have found that glyphosate-based herbicides can interfere with reproductive hormones, including disrupting egg cell development in mice and reducing the number of eggs available in sheep’s ovaries. However, the doses used in these experiments were high, so it’s not yet clear whether the same effects would occur in humans. On the human side, a 2021 pilot study led by Mount Sinai researchers tested urine samples from pregnant women across the U.S. and found glyphosate in 95% of them. The study also found a possible connection between higher glyphosate exposure during pregnancy and a subtle physical difference measured in female newborns. That said, some connections weren’t statistically reliable and this was a small study. The researchers themselves said more and larger studies are needed before drawing firm conclusions. What do regulators say about glyphosate safety? In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A). The classification is worth taking seriously. But, there’s an important distinction: IARC classifies hazard, meaning the potential to cause harm under some conditions. It does not assess risk, which accounts for actual exposure levels and the real-world probability of harm. The U.S. EPA, the European Food Safety Authority, Health Canada, and regulatory agencies in Australia and Japan have all concluded that glyphosate is “unlikely to be carcinogenic to humans” at realistic exposure levels. They’re asking a different question: given how much of this people actually encounter, what is the probability of harm? Your actual exposure is what determines your actual risk. What does glyphosate mean for your daily life? At the grocery store: Food residues are small. The EPA’s acceptable daily intake is 1.75 mg/kg of body weight per day. To hit that threshold from oatmeal alone, a 150-pound adult would need to eat roughly 50 pounds of oats every day. But this calculation addresses only one pathway (food), and we don’t yet have robust tools to measure people’s actual total exposure. If reducing exposure matters to you, organic certification prohibits synthetic herbicides, and organic oat products generally test at lower or undetectable levels. Either way, a diet rich in whole grains, conventional or organic, is far better for your health than one that omits them out of fear of residues. On the farm: Occupational exposure is orders of magnitude higher than consumer exposure. Farmers and farm workers who mix, load, and apply glyphosate-based herbicides, especially without protective equipment, face meaningfully different risk profiles. Proper PPE isn’t optional. Integrated weed management strategies that rotate chemical modes of action are also worth taking seriously, both for health and for long-term effectiveness. If you live near a farm: Spray drift is real. Concentrations near field edges can spike during and after application, particularly on windy days. This is an area where I think public health could really step up and empower rural communities with buffer zones, rather than placing the onus on individuals. But for now, knowing your local agricultural calendar and keeping windows closed during application are the first steps. Bottom line Dewayne Johnson was exposed to glyphosate at levels most people will never encounter, and a jury decided he deserved compensation. That outcome is not evidence that the oatmeal in your pantry is dangerous. But it is a reminder that the dose, the context, and the person doing the exposing all matter enormously. Glyphosate is a chemical tool with benefits, trade-offs, and genuine open scientific questions. Learning to hold that complexity without collapsing into panic or dismissal is, honestly, one of the most useful and hardest things to do in navigating modern health science. Love, YLE Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is founded and operated by Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, MPH PhD—an epidemiologist, wife, and mom of two little girls. Hannah Totte, MPH, is an epidemiologist and YLE Community Manager. YLE reaches more than 425,000 people in over 132 countries with one goal: “Translate” the ever-evolving public health science so that people will be well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
It’s not just vaccines: Parents are refusing other routine preventive care for newborns
Doctors across the nation are alarmed that skepticism fueled by rising anti-science sentiment and medical mistrust is increasingly reaching beyond vaccines to other proven, routine, preventive care for babies.
Segment: Financing Action on Extreme Heat and Maternal and Newborn Health: The Way Forward
The segment “Financing Action on Extreme Heat and Maternal and Newborn Health: The Way Forward” will examine how innovative and better-aligned financing approaches can respond to these growing risks. Discussions will highlight country experiences in mobilizing domestic resources, opportunities to unlock and scale climate finance, and the role of heat-smart innovations in building resilient health systems. Particular attention will be given to low- and middle-income countries, where exposure and vulnerability remain highest, and where integrated solutions can deliver the greatest impact.
Can pesticide exposure before pregnancy affect babies’ health?
A study co-authored by UCLA researchers suggests certain chemical compounds correlated with lower newborn health scores.
It's not just vaccines — parents are refusing other routine preventive care for newborns
Doctors are alarmed that skepticism fueled by rising anti-science sentiment is increasingly reaching beyond vaccines to other proven, routine, preventive care for babies.
Progress in reducing child deaths slows as 4.9 million children die before age five
An estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns, according to new estimates released today. Most of these deaths are preventable with proven, low-cost interventions and access to quality health care.
Providing Medicaid to immigrants who are children or pregnant is costing Colorado 611% more than expected
The state predicts that the Covering All Coloradans program will cost Colorado $104.5 million in the fiscal year that began July 1. Nonpartisan fiscal analysts estimated the cost would be $14.7 million.
Whooping Cough Continues Wyoming Spread - Wyoming Department of Health
Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) officials are concerned about the ongoing, active spread of pertussis (whooping cough) across the state. Kaylyn Friesen, vaccine-preventable disease epidemiologist with WDH, said there have been 26 confirmed pertussis cases in Wyoming so far this year. “While roughly two-thirds of the reported cases have been among Fremont County residents, pertussis […]
America’s vaccine skepticism is starting to show up in health data
RKF Jr. wanted parents to question the science. A study of 12 million newborns shows they listened.
Times Opinion: Diseases don’t care about politics. Vaccines save Tennesseans’ lives
As a family physician in Tennessee, I have the privilege of caring for people at every stage of life, from newborns to grandparents, often all within the same family.
James Webb spots a galaxy with tentacles in deep space
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have spotted the most distant “jellyfish galaxy” ever seen — a cosmic oddity streaming long, tentacle-like trails of gas and newborn stars as it speeds through a dense galaxy cluster. The galaxy appears as it was 8.5 billion years ago, revealing that the early universe may have been far more violent than scientists expected.
Echoing RFK, Dr. Casey Means softens her social media persona in surgeon general bid
Means once said that birth control had “horrifying health risks” and newborns shouldn’t get hepatitis B vaccines. She adopted a more measured tone at Wednesday's Senate hearing.
Denmark becomes first country in the European Union to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis
The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Denmark for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV and syphilis, recognizing the country's sustained commitment to ensuring every child is born free of these infections.
Hepatitis B vaccine rates are dropping
After a period of growth, the percentage of newborns being vaccinated against hepatitis B has seen significant declines in the last couple years, research finds
Maternal and Newborn Health Services (RH) Annual Report 2025
Other in English on Yemen about Health; published on 16 Feb 2026 by Deem
Advancing Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health: Key Advocacy Messages for the 39th African Union Summit
At the 39th African Union Summit, PMNCH underscores urgent priorities to advance women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health across Africa, where preventable deaths remain disproportionately high despite longstanding commitments. In 2023, more than 70% of global maternal deaths occurred on the continent, with an estimated 182,000 women dying from pregnancy-related causes, alongside nearly 58% of global under-five deaths, almost half of newborn deaths and a stillbirth rate of 21.7 per 1,000 total births. PMNCH’s key messages call for accelerated implementation of existing commitments, stronger financing for sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, prioritization of fragile settings, and reinforced partnerships to translate political will into measurable progress.
What parents need to know about Trump Accounts: An FAQ
There has been a lot of attention paid to the new Trump Accounts – especially the promised $1,000 federal government contributions for eligible newborns and the public declarations by companies and philanthropists that they will be making contributions, too.
Scientists Played Bach to Sleeping Newborns and Discovered They Can Track Rhythm Just 48 Hours After Birth
Newborns arrive ready to predict the beat, but melody is a skill learned later.
Newborn parties are scrambling Japanese politics
Though small, they have large megaphones
New Mexico newborn dies from Listeria infection after mother drank raw milk while pregnant: state officials
Newborn dies from Listeria infection likely linked to mother drinking raw milk during pregnancy, according to New Mexico health officials who renewed warnings.
A newborn's death likely linked to the mom drinking raw milk while pregnant
Health officials in New Mexico have said a newborn baby died from a listeria infection likely linked to the child's mother drinking raw milk during pregnancy.
New Mexico warns against drinking raw milk after newborn dies from listeria
Big businesses back Trump accounts
Companies will match government contributions to investment accounts for newborns after a push from the White House.
Launch of the United Advocacy Working Group for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH)
A new United Advocacy Working Group for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) has been officially launched to strengthen coordination and collective voice across global, regional and country levels. Established as a light-touch platform, the Working Group aims to align advocacy efforts, share evidence and political intelligence, and coordinate key messages and moments in support of EWENE-CSA priorities and the broader MNCH agenda.
A vaccine trial is called 'unethical' and a 'unique' opportunity. Is it on or off?
The U.S. is giving $1.6 million to researchers to study how the hepatitis B vaccine affects newborns in Guinea-Bissau. Local officials say the trial is suspended. U.S. officials say that's inaccurate.
Scientists uncover a hidden type of diabetes in newborns
Researchers have discovered a rare new type of diabetes that affects babies early in life. The condition is caused by changes in a single gene that prevent insulin-producing cells from working properly. When these cells fail, blood sugar rises and diabetes develops, often alongside neurological problems. The findings help explain a long-standing medical mystery and deepen understanding of diabetes overall.
Shaping healthy futures: Meet Public Health Nurse Aarin Urevig
For the past four and a half years, Aarin Urevig has supported Bloomington families as a public health nurse in the Family Home Visiting program, helping parents prepare for birth, navigate the newborn stage and connect with community resources.
The 11 strangest scientific discoveries of 2025 | BBC Science Focus Magazine
The good, the bad and the bizarre: from the world’s oldest newborn to a body-snatching bug, here are 2025’s strangest scientific discoveries
A Christmas tree 80 light-years wide appears in space
This Christmas, astronomers are highlighting a spectacular region of space that looks remarkably like a glowing holiday tree. Known as NGC 2264, this distant star-forming region sits about 2,700 light-years away and is filled with newborn stars lighting up clouds of gas and dust. The stars form a triangular shape called the Christmas Tree cluster, crowned by the dramatic Cone Nebula and wrapped in the swirling Fox Fur Nebula below. Together, these features create a festive cosmic scene spanning nearly 80 light-years, showing how young stars shape their surroundings on a truly galactic scale.
Entertainment and more in the Mid-Ohio Valley
PARKERSBURG — Artsbridge calendar of events for the week. TODAY * Belpre Holiday Lights, Civitan Park * Christine Rhodes multi-medium artwork display, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., WesBanco, Market Street, Parkersburg * Here the Pioneers Landed, exhibit, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Campus Martius Museum and Ohio River Museum, Marietta * Storytime, newborn-preschool, 10:15-11:15 a.m., Barlow Branch Library WEDNESDAY, […]
5 Michigan health systems continue hepatitis B vaccines for newborns
Gaza’s maternal and newborn health system ‘decimated’, UN warns
Gaza’s health system for mothers and newborns has been “decimated”, the UN said on Thursday, with Israeli attacks destroying almost all hospitals, cutting off medical supplies and driving sharp rises in maternal deaths, miscarriages and newborn fatalities amid mass displacement and hunger.
NH health officials urge continued vaccination of newborns for hepatitis B despite CDC committee vote
New Hampshire health officials are urging parents to continue the standard hepatitis B vaccination regimen for newborns despite a vote from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee to remove the recommendation.
RFK Jr. succeeds in changing hepatitis B recommendation
A vaccine panel led by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has voted to end the recommendation for hepatitis B shots for all newborns.
Confusion, Anxiety for Parents as Vaccine Guidelines for Children are Upended
Conflicting recommendations leaves parents with more questions than answers when it comes to vaccines for their newborn children.
‘Babies are at risk’: Health reporter breaks down CDC panel’s new Hepatitis B vaccine rules
The health community is in an uproar following a Friday vote by a federal vaccine committee ending a decadeslong recommendation that all newborns be immunized at birth against hepatitis B.
Most countries make progress towards universal health coverage, but major challenges remain, WHO–World Bank report finds
A new joint report from WHO and the World Bank Group reveals that most countries – across all income levels and regions – have made concurrent progress in expanding health service coverage and reducing the financial hardship associated with health costs, since 2000.
US health panel ditches guidance to give hepatitis B vaccine to newborns
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has faced swift backlash for its change to government guidance.
CDC advisers vote to overturn decades-long policy on hepatitis B vaccine for infants
In a controversial move, the vaccine advisory group reversed a recommendations for universal immunizing of newborns intended to protect them from a virus that attacks the liver.
CDC advisory panel expected to vote on hepatitis B vaccine for newborns
The vote was delayed on Thursday because of disagreements and confusion over the voting language.
Kennedy’s handpicked CDC advisers to weigh major change to childhood vaccine schedule
Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may vote this week to make a major change to the childhood vaccine schedule, potentially delaying a dose of the hepatitis B vaccine given to newborns by weeks or even years.
Doctors warn delaying hepatitis B shot for newborns could revive a deadly threat
As RFK Jr.'s new vaccine panel ponders changing the hepatitis B vaccination schedule, some doctors recall past patients, including children, who died painful deaths before there was a vaccine.
Sens. Cruz and Booker urge business leaders to support 'Trump accounts' program
Bipartisan senators Ted Cruz and Cory Booker urged Fortune 1000 companies to support the new "Trump Accounts" federal savings program for newborn Americans.