US Edition
HHS Eliminates CDC Staff Who Made Sure Birth Control Is Safe for Women at Risk
- In late March and early April 2024, approximately two-thirds of the CDC's Division of Reproductive Health staff were dismissed, including a team responsible for issuing national guidelines on contraception safety.
- This downsizing followed the Trump administration's rapid federal workforce cuts and disrupted programs protecting women and infants, sparking concerns from clinicians and advocacy groups about increased health risks.
- For over ten years, a dedicated CDC team developed national recommendations to help healthcare providers safely prescribe birth control to millions of women with medical conditions such as heart disease, sickle cell anemia, lupus, and obesity.
- Brianna Henderson, a mother from Texas diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy after her second child, relies on a progestin-only implant for birth control because contraceptives containing both estrogen and progestin are considered too risky due to increased chances of blood clots and heart complications.
- The firings eliminate critical safety monitoring, potentially leaving no way to update guidelines promptly and threatening women's health, as experts warn that effective contraception guidance can be a matter of life or death.
11 Articles
11 Articles
HHS Eliminates CDC Staff Who Oversee Birth Control Safety
For Brianna Henderson, birth control isn’t just about preventing pregnancy. The Texas mother of two was diagnosed with a rare and potentially fatal heart condition after having her second child. In addition to avoiding another pregnancy that could be life-threatening, Henderson has to make sure the contraception she uses doesn’t jeopardize her health. For more than a decade, a small team of people at the Centers for Disease Control and Preventio…
kffhealthnews.org
HHS Eliminates CDC Staff Who Made Sure Birth Control Is Safe for Women at Risk
For Brianna Henderson, birth control isn’t just about preventing pregnancy. The Texas mother of two was diagnosed with a rare and potentially fatal heart condition after having her second child. In addition to avoiding another pregnancy that could be life-threatening, Henderson has to make sure the contraception she uses doesn’t jeopardize her health. For more than a decade, a small team of people at the Centers for Disease Control and Preventio…
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