Topic: Maternal Health

CDC data shows a record high in vaccine exemptions among U.S. kindergartners, with rates for measles dropping below the 95% threshold. In a separate report, Nebraska Public Media is critiqued for using the term "birthing people" during coverage of Black Maternal Health Month. The hosts highlight the shift in language and the increasing skepticism toward public health mandates.

Pfizer announced that its new RSV vaccine, administered to pregnant women in their late second or third trimester, showed 82% effectiveness in protecting newborns from severe illness. The company plans to submit the vaccine for FDA approval by the end of the year. The hosts express skepticism regarding the timing of the vaccine's release and the safety of maternal immunization.

Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech for the "Maternal Health Day of Action," focusing on the high mortality rates for Black and Native American women during childbirth. The hosts critique her use of "we need to do something" as a repetitive catchphrase that lacks specific policy action. The terminology is compared to the shift toward "birthing person" and "birthing comrade" in modern political discourse.