Trump Administration Decimates Birth Control Office in Layoffs
The New York Times, October 15, 2025
The decimation of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Population Affairs – part of a larger effort by President Donald Trump to fire federal employees during the government shutdown – threatens a program that has existed for over 50 years and also offers testing for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, as well as basic infertility care … Upon learning of the layoffs, reproductive health advocates said they feared that the dismantling of the office would deprive women of critical services that allow them to decide whether and when they want to have children.
The EPA Followed Up on an Unusual Request About Abortion Pills
The New York Times, October 10, 2025
Senior officials at the Environmental Protection Agency directed scientists over the summer to assess whether the government could develop methods for detecting traces of abortion pills in wastewater – a practice sought by anti-abortion activists seeking to restrict the medication … Scientists who specialize in chemical detection told the senior officials that there are currently no E.P.A.-approved methods for identifying mifepristone in wastewater – but that new methods could be developed, according to two people familiar with the events, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information.
C-Section Rates Vary Widely by Hospital, But Transparency Is Rare. A Map Shows the States That Withhold Data.
Business Insider, October 10, 2025
Roughly one in 10 pregnant women in the U.S. undergoes a cesarean section that experts say could have been avoided. One of the strongest predictors of her risk of a medically unnecessary C-section isn’t her age, health, or pregnancy complications – it’s the C-section rate at the hospital where she delivers…Only 11 states make hospital C-section rates easily accessible on public websites, Business Insider found. Most states either say hospital C-section rates are confidential or release data only in response to formal public records or data requests. Some hospitals voluntarily disclose their C-section rates in response to annual consumer surveys; many do not.
Missouri Appeals Court Rules Against Attorney General, Allows Abortions To Continue
Missouri Independent, October 14, 2025
Abortion will remain available at Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri, the Western District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, rejecting a request by the attorney general’s office to reinstate several restrictions on the procedure. Earlier this year, former-Attorney General Andrew Bailey accused Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang of abusing her discretion when she issued a temporary injunction that struck down several “targeted regulation of abortion providers,” or TRAP laws, as unconstitutional under the reproductive rights amendment approved by voters in November. That injunction allowed Planned Parenthood clinics in Kansas City, Columbia and St. Louis to start offering procedural abortions for the first time in years.
The Feds Are Cutting Off Public Money for All Planned Parenthoods, Following a Playbook That Began in Texas
The Texas Tribune, October 15, 2025
Over more than a decade of the Texas Legislature booting Planned Parenthood from various funding programs, the organization has slashed its number of clinics by more than half, merged affiliates and unveiled online services. In Texas, Planned Parenthood now operates 29 clinics plus telehealth. With no access to public funding currently, the state’s affiliates lean on donors, their parent organization and private insurance…Texas’ Planned Parenthood affiliates have altered their services, administrative structures and funding sources, but they have no plans to change their name.
ICYMI: In Case You Missed It
One major life event – a new baby, a sudden illness, or a family emergency – can unravel financial security for restaurant workers. But research shows that with family policies like paid leave, we’d see five million more women in the workforce.
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Note: The information contained in this publication reflects media coverage of women’s health issues and does not necessarily reflect the views of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
