U.S. Maternal Mortality Rate Soared 40% During the Pandemic

The U.S. maternal mortality rate, already far higher than peer countries, soared during the pandemic. More than 1,200 women in the U.S. died of complications arising from pregnancy or childbirth in 2021, a 40% jump from 2020, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That amounts to 32.9 … Read more

Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills: U.S. Health Care Is Causing Patient Burnout

You haven’t been feeling well lately. You’re more tired than usual, a bit sluggish. You wonder if there’s something wrong with your diet. Or maybe you’re anemic? You call your primary-­care doctor’s office to schedule an appointment. They inform you the next available appointment is in three weeks. So, you wait. And then you wait … Read more

Flu Shots Have Been Working Well This Season, Data Suggest

The influenza vaccine has worked fairly well this season, preventing serious flu cases and hospitalizations across age groups, according to preliminary data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu shot efficacy varies from year to year, since different strains of the virus circulate each flu season. Experts do their best … Read more