Latest news with #reproductiveHealth
The Guardian
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
What it's really like … to know I'm going to miss my Harvard graduation because of Trump's travel ban
Next May, I should be walking across a stage at Harvard – my two-year-old daughter in my arms, my name called out, my doctoral hood placed over shoulders that have carried far more than academic ambition. It was going to be more than a graduation. It was to be a culmination, a reclamation. My daughter's presence would symbolise not only my personal triumph but the very journey that led me here: discovering my own uterine fibroid when I decided to become a mother inspired my doctorate. Together, mother and daughter would cross a finish line that generations before me weren't even allowed to approach. This summer, after years of balancing motherhood, research and rigorous study, I was ready to return briefly to Harvard to defend my doctoral dissertation – one final, vital step before next year's graduation. Instead, I am in Sierra Leone, denied the ability to return – not due to misconduct, overstaying or fraud – but simply for being Sierra Leonean. Under new restrictions enacted in June 2025, Sierra Leoneans – and nationals from several other countries – are now denied non-immigrant visas. Our individual circumstances do not matter. I have met every previous legal requirement. I have complied with every visa stipulation throughout my academic journey. I can demonstrate a clear intent to return home. My research is on African women's reproductive health, and I intend to continue working on the continent. Still: no. The sudden denial, without recourse or meaningful appeal, sends a chilling message to thousands of international students who now face a similar fate: educational dreams suspended, futures uncertain, doors closed without warning or reason. This amplifies the already overwhelming fears and hurdles we face. It has never been easy to get a visa. I had to prove financial solvency, undergo invasive medical screenings, pass extensive background checks, and demonstrate to US immigration authorities that my presence would constitute 'national value'. Even after fulfilling these rigorous demands, students such as me are now vulnerable to sudden exclusion. The impact of this ban reaches deeper than individual disappointments. It disrupts academic communities, weakens critical international collaborations, and undermines global scholarship that profoundly benefits the US. My research – focusing on uterine fibroids, a condition severely affecting women's lives across Africa and globally – is critical to advancing women's health. Through my social impact venture, Youterus Health, we centre African women's experiences, turning insight into action by mobilising resources and creating systemic solutions for neglected gynaecological conditions – including abnormal uterine bleeding, fibroids and adenomyosis. These conditions directly affect maternal health, economic empowerment and global equity. Our work elevates uterine care within maternal and reproductive health agendas, challenging historic neglect and reshaping healthier futures for women and communities everywhere. Harvard has embraced me and my work. When I gave birth to my daughter in 2023, I sat for my written exams just two weeks later. Harvard's unwavering support during that intense period made me believe that merit would always outweigh difficult circumstances. The US government's decision undermines this belief, revealing a deeper systemic issue: a harsh, bureaucratic racism selectively silencing voices from African and Middle Eastern countries. This exclusion is neither isolated nor new. African scholars have long navigated bureaucratic hurdles designed to quietly but persistently deny our presence. This latest policy continues a historical pattern of selective exclusion. Yet even during earlier restrictions, such as bans during Trump's first term, many of us held hope. We believed our achievements, resilience and the genuine value of our work would speak louder than our passports. Today, students from banned countries face intensified exclusion without clear paths for appeal or resolution. I have tried to remain positive, to respond with grace. But the truth is, this decision cuts deeply. It denies me not only the moment I earned on that graduation stage but dims the aspirations of countless others who, like me, envision using their education as a force for global good. What do we do when we've done everything right yet find ourselves standing at locked doors? We speak louder. We write bolder. We name these wounds clearly, defiantly. And we persist in rewriting the narrative. I am not just missing the Harvard graduation. The US will be missing what I can offer. Our value – my value – is not defined by a stamp in a passport. Yet, this moment calls for allies in academia, policy and beyond to recognise and actively challenge these systemic barriers. Because a closed door for some diminishes the potential of all. Fatou Wurie is a doctoral candidate at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and founder of Youterus Health, a pioneering African women's health venture.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Scientists discover toxic 'forever chemicals' that can impact human FERTILITY in 98% of UK rivers
A chemical that could affect human reproduction has been found in major rivers across the UK. Researchers analysed samples from 32 rivers across the UK's four nations and found traces of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in 31 of them. TFA is a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS), a group of human-made chemicals used widely in consumer products that do not break down for thousands of years. This particular 'forever chemical' is thought to damage fertility and child development, and some experts want it to be classed as toxic for reproduction. For the study, scientists sampled five rivers in Wales, three in Northern Ireland, 13 in Scotland and 11 in the north of England. They found 98 per cent contained traces of TFA, with the highest concentration recorded on the River Kelvin in Glasgow. This concentration – 78,464ng (nanograms) per litre – is the second highest TFA river contamination ever recorded globally. The only river not to contain traces of the chemical was the River Ness, which flows from Loch Ness to the Moray Firth. 'This molecule is everywhere,' Alistair Boxall, professor of Environmental Science at the University of York, told the BBC. 'We will all be drinking water containing TFA every day – so we'll be exposed throughout our lifetime. 'It's that long-term, low level exposure that is the big concern.' Recent studies in the EU have found TFA to be widespread. It has been detected in wine and food, human blood and breast milk. In the last two decades TFA levels in drinking water in Germany have increased fourfold, and experts are trying to establish what impact it might have on human health. Authorities there have applied to the European Chemicals Agency for TFA to be classified as toxic for reproduction and harmful to the environment. They cited studies that showed TFA affects rabbit and rat foetuses. If approved, the classification could lead to recommendations about how products containing TFA should be controlled. Dangerous PFAS can enter our bloodstream Known as 'forever chemicals', PFAS are manmade and used in non-stick water-proof products and firefighting foams. They are ubiquitous, appearing in everything from cosmetics to clothing to products that scrub away grease and oil. Due to their abundance, PFAS chemicals can contaminate drinking water and cause health problems when consumed by humans. According to the US's Endocrine Society, PFAS chemicals affect our biology by mimicking fatty acids – the building blocks of fat in our bodies. They also act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) due to their ability to interfere with hormone systems. Germany currently holds the record for the highest TFA concentration ever recorded, with a sample from the Neckar River measuring 140,000ng per litre in 2016. TFA is currently found in a wide range of products including cereal, bread, pasta, some personal care products and cleaning products. It is also found in pesticides and in certain refrigerants used in air conditioners. Experts warned TFA is persistent, with no viable way to remove it from the environment, and that concentrations are expected to increase. The study, which was funded by environmental charity Fidra, concludes: 'The widespread detection of TFA in UK water samples provides compelling evidence of the presence of TFA and PFAS in UK waterways. 'These data should be further analysed to try and establish the drivers of TFA contamination in UK surface waters and routes for source control should be prioritised.' The team added: 'We urgently need a PFAS restriction to prevent further contamination of forever chemicals.' Currently there are no rules or regulations in place to identify or reduce the concentrations of TFA either in the environment or in drinking water supplies in the UK. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), which monitors and regulates drinking water quality in England and Wales, has just commissioned its own research. 'The information signposted by the University of York suggests that TFA can be formed from the degradation of PFAS-containing pesticides,' Ann Bunting, Principal Inspector at the DWI, said. 'It is important that the fate of pesticides and other chemicals in the environment is understood, in order to protect drinking water sources.' A spokesman for Water UK, which represents the UK's water companies, said: 'We want to see PFAS, including TFA, banned and the development of a national plan to remove it from the environment which should be paid for by manufacturers.' The 31 rivers found to contain toxic 'forever chemicals' Northern Ireland River Bann River Cusher River Lagan Scotland River Dee River Don River Nith River Tay River Ythan River Almond River Kelvin Kilmarnock Water River Forth River Helmsdale River Thurso River Wick England River Blyth River Derwent (Northumberland) River Tyne River Wear River Wansbeck River Aire River Calder River Colne River Foss River Ouse River Derwent (Yorkshire) Wales Cardiff Bay Melingruffydd stream River Ogmore Roath Park Brook River Taff
Bloomberg
12-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Monash IVF CEO Steps Down After Latest Embryo Transfer Mix-Up
Monash IVF Group Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Michael Knaap resigned, days after the pioneering reproductive health-care company disclosed a second embryo transfer incident that sent shares tumbling. Malik Jainudeen, the company's longtime chief financial officer and company secretary, has been appointed acting CEO, the Melbourne-based firm said in a statement Thursday. Monash IVF pioneered the world's first IVF pregnancy in the 1970s.
The Guardian
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Democrats introduce bill that aims to protect reproductive health data
Three Democratic members of Congress are introducing a bill to limit companies' ability to hoover up data about people's reproductive health – a measure, they say, that is necessary to protect women from persecution in the post-Roe v Wade era. Representative of California, Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon on Wednesday will file the My Body, My Data Act in both the US House and Senate. The bill aims to block companies from collecting, using, retaining or disclosing information about someone's reproductive health unless that data is essential to providing a requested service. This provision would apply to information about pregnancy, menstruation, abortion, contraception and other matters relating to reproductive health. 'Young people live our lives online, right? That includes tracking our periods, but it also includes our phones tracking our location and using Google to think about your medical care or how to obtain an abortion for yourself or a friend, or ordering abortion pills online, or using an Uber to travel to an abortion clinic,' Jacobs said. 'All of those things are tracked online, and none of those are protected right now.' Law enforcement officials have already attempted to use people's data trails to identify abortion seekers. In 2022, the year that the US supreme court overturned Roe, Nebraska levied a series of felony and misdemeanor charges against a teenager and her mother in connection to the teen's abortion. The charges relied on Facebook chats, which the social media giant had turned over. (Both the teenager and her mother pleaded guilty and were sentenced to time behind bars .) In 2023, anti-abortion activists used cellphone location information to send anti-abortion messages to people who had visited some Planned Parenthood clinics. And in May, a Texas police officer searched tens of automatic license plate reader cameras, including in states that permit abortion, for a woman who officials suspected of self-managing an abortion. The post-Roe landscape is also creating more opportunities for online surveillance. In recent years, orders for abortion pills online have spiked, as tens of thousands more Americans have used online services to obtain pills to 'self-manage' their own abortions. A number of women have also faced criminal charges over miscarriages, leading abortion rights advocates to worry that women who Google phrases like 'how to get an abortion' and then miscarry could find themselves in law enforcement's crosshairs. 'It doesn't deal with everything in terms of data brokers, but it does put women in a much stronger position to protect their rights,' Wyden said of the My Body, My Data Act. 'Reproductive rights are the ultimate privacy priority, because the fundamental right of a woman to control her own body and her own healthcare is as private as it gets.' An earlier version of the bill was introduced in 2023. Given that Republicans control Congress, the bill is not likely to pass. 'I have many Republican colleagues who say they care about data privacy. We work together on data privacy in every other area, but when it comes to anything abortion-related, they refuse to do it,' Jacobs said. 'This is also the third oldest Congress in history, and I'll be honest, many of my colleagues don't understand how period tracking apps or website searches or location data even work.' Jacobs says she uses a period tracker run by a company based in Europe that is subject to the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, a set of strict regulations that governs how businesses obtain and handle people's online data. While the US has no similar regulations on the federal level, Washington state in 2023 became the first in the country to create a state version of the My Health, My Data Act. That law covers health data that is not otherwise protected by the US Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (Hipaa) – including information about reproductive healthcare services – and requires companies to give their customers more privacy disclosures and seek their authorization before selling their data. It also gives Washington residents the ability to demand those companies delete their personal information. Jacobs advises people to use apps based in states with some degree of protection for reproductive health data. She added: 'If you live in a state that is really criminalizing abortion and going after people, you should be careful about what you put online.'
Japan Times
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Trump's cuts are 'devastating' for vulnerable women worldwide, U.N. says
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has faced budget cuts before, but the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's policies has been even more "devastating" for reproductive health worldwide, chief Natalia Kanem said. The agency has been targeted by U.S. conservatives since the Kemp-Kasten Amendment's enactment in 1985 by Congress, when the administration of then President Ronald Reagan rallied against China's population policies, accusing Beijing of promoting forced abortions and sterilizations. All subsequent Republican presidencies have cut U.S. funding to UNFPA, and the second Trump administration is no exception. "We've had over $330 million worth of projects ended," virtually overnight, in "some of the hardest-hit regions of the world" like Afghanistan, Kanem said in an interview coinciding with the release of the UNFPA's annual report Tuesday. "So yes, we are suffering." Kanem pointed to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan as an example, where, over the years, more than 18,000 pregnancies were delivered by "heroic midwives" who "conducted these over 18,000 deliveries without a single maternal death, which you know, in a crisis situation is extraordinary." "Those maternity wards today have closed. The funding cuts immediately have meant that those midwives are no longer able to do their jobs," Kanem said. Although it is too soon to estimate the precise impacts of the U.S. cuts, they will inevitably result in increased maternal mortality and more unintended pregnancies, according to Kanem. "What's different this time for UNFPA is that our ecosystem of other reproductive health actors who might be able to fill in for us," Kanem said, adding they are "reeling from huge impact of having their funding denied." The Trump administration has slashed many such external aid programs. "So, it is very lamentable that this year, to me, has been drastically worse than ever before, precisely because now everybody is caught up in the whirlwind. "The withdrawal of the United States from the funding arena for reproductive health has been devastating," Kanem said. American policy is not only marked by funding cuts, but also a challenge to gender equality matters. "There will be debates about concepts, but there shouldn't be any debate about the nonnegotiability of the rights and choices of women and adolescent girls," Kanem emphasized. "We always embrace change, but we should not compromise on these common values which spell the difference between life and death for women and girls all around the world," she continued. "Women deserve support. Adolescent girls deserve to finish their schooling, not become pregnant, not be bartered or sent off into marriage as a nonsolution to issues that families may face." The UNFPA's annual report, published Tuesday and based on the results of an survey of 14,000 people from 14 countries — nations which represent over a third of the world's population — also underscores concerns that millions of people around the world cannot create the families they desire. More than 40% of those over the age of 50 reported not having the number of children they wanted — with 31% saying they had fewer kids than they desired and 12% saying they had more than they wanted. More than half of respondents said economic barriers prevented them from having more children. Conversely, one in five said they were pressured into having a child, and one in three adults reported an unintended pregnancy. The majority of people "live in countries where fertility rates have fallen so far and so fast that they are below replacement," Kanem said. "We know that the issue of population pressure takes almost like a headline drastic view. Some people think there are way too many people. Others are saying we don't have enough, women should have more babies," Kanem said. "What UNFPA really cares about is a woman's true desire, rights and choices," Kanem said.
