Need To Know | October 08, 2021

U.S. Behind World in Paying for Child Care; California Bill Supporting Black Maternal Health Passes; New Campaign Reminds Us Drinking is Breast Cancer Risk

In Nyssa's weekly 'Need to Know' series, we recap the three most important stories related to reproductive health, sex education, and bodily autonomy.

How Other Nations Pay for Child Care. The U.S. Is an Outlier., New York Times

The U.S., one of the wealthiest countries in the world, spends the least amount of money on child care, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a global economic organization.

To put this in perspective, the U.S. spends .3 percent of its GDP on child care for children 2 and under; and the average wealthy country spends .7 percent of its GDP for the same age range.

In other words, the U.S. spends roughly $200 per year for most families while Denmark, for example, pays over $23,000 per child per year. This piece digs into child care support across the globe and how the U.S. can improve.

California signs 'Momnibus Act' to support Black moms and infants, pay for doulas, extend Medicaid coverage, ABC News

The Momnibus Act was signed into California law this week; the bill dedicates funds to grow and diversify the midwifery workforce, covers doula expenses through Medicaid and extends Medicaid coverage to postpartum women. “Gov. Newsom’s signing SB 65, the California Momnibus Act, represents a significant victory for Black maternal and infant health.

Despite our medical advances, more U.S. babies and mothers die during birth than in all other high-income countries, and these preventable deaths are disproportionately higher for black families,” said Senator Nancy Skinner, who authored the bill.

The federal Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act was introduced in February and maternal health advocates continue to push for its passing.

Alcohol Is the Breast Cancer Risk No One Wants to Talk About, Wired

Drink Less for Your Breasts is a social media campaign reminding women, non-binary and trans people and men alcohol contributes to breast cancer risk. According to the campaign, even one drink a day—the limit recommended by U.S. dietary guidelines for women—-raises breast cancer risk by 14 percent, although individualized factors play a role.

“The evidence is so strong that they [governments] cannot ignore alcohol as a health problem,” David Jernigan, an alcohol policy expert at Boston University, told Wired.

Priscilla Martinez, who leads the campaign hopes women’s health advocates will support the cause after October when Breast Cancer Awareness Month ends.