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Researchers at McGill University have identified several unexpected chemical contaminants in human milk, finding traces of pesticides, antimicrobials and additives used in plastics and personal‑care products. The team said the data, drawn from Canadian and South African samples, could help strengthen chemical safety regulations and improve protections for infants and parents. (Fleur Afshar, 1/21)

Many everyday chemicals can impact your gut health and even male fertility, research shows. Proper food preparation, including washing and peeling fruits and vegetables, can protect from common pesticides. (Hille, 1/20)

On infant formula safety —

A little-known food toxin called cereulide is at the center of a global safety scare and has led to a wave of infant formula recalls worldwide from Nestlé SA, Danone SA and Groupe Lactalis. Though manufacturers said there are no confirmed illnesses linked to the toxin, which can cause food poisoning, authorities in multiple countries are investigating possible cases. (Deutsch and Kinzelmann, 1/22)

In other reproductive health care news —

The Trump administration is threatening to strip Illinois of federal health dollars over a state law requiring medical providers to refer patients for abortion services, even if the providers oppose abortion. The 2017 measure violates federal conscience protections, according to a notice to state officials sent Wednesday by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR). The action is the Trump administration’s latest signal it’s willing to use federal funding as a cudgel to advance its priorities. (Winfield Cunningham, 1/21)

Citing an increased demand for “permanent birth control” since the US Supreme Court overturned abortion access across the country, Planned Parenthood of Michigan will now offer vasectomy services to its patients. The minor surgery is being offered at Planned Parenthood of Michigan’s Irwin/Martin health center in Grand Rapids, with more locations expected to come online throughout the year. Planned Parenthood maintains 10 brick-and-mortar clinics in Michigan and a statewide telehealth program. The Michigan chapter ceased its vasectomy operations about a decade ago, officials said, but a newfound need has pushed the organization to resume its efforts. (Newman, 1/21)

Protesters are asking their legislators to live by the Missouri state motto: Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law. Nearly 20 advocacy groups organized a protest Wednesday that brought hundreds of people to the state Capitol in Jefferson City. Speakers called for legislators to protect abortion rights and reinstate paid sick leave – two measures Missouri voters approved in 2024. (Halloran, 1/21)

Abortion bans across the U.S. are increasing the health risks faced by pregnant women, according to new research that highlights how pregnancy continues to have a much high mortality rate abortion. Researchers who analyzed national birth and mortality data say women with high‑risk pregnancies are now more likely to carry them to term because they no longer have access to abortion care in many states, placing them at greater risk of dying in or after labor. (Fleur Afshar, 1/21)

Alycin Berry’s husband had just started a new job in early 2018 when the couple started to dig into his benefits. The amount they’d have to pay for health insurance, they realized, was “ridiculously expensive” — more than they could reasonably afford. (Luthra, 1/21)

Also —

When Clarel Antoine, MD, of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City, reflected on his decades-long career performing hundreds of cesarean sections, he realized his patients didn't seem to have the types of complications common after cesarean delivery. Women often experience long-term obstetrical complications, like having trouble getting pregnant again, pain during sex or menstruation, or placenta accreta spectrum, a serious complication where the placenta attaches at the site of a prior cesarean section because of scar defects. (Robertson, 1/21)