It’s not just vaccines — parents are refusing other routine preventive care for newborns - AP News

AP News
March 21, 2026
2 views
3 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

Some parents are refusing routine preventive medical care for newborns beyond vaccines, raising public health concerns.

How This Affects You

Infants whose parents decline standard early screenings and treatments may develop serious health conditions that could have been prevented, increasing infant mortality and disease rates in affected communities.

AI Summary

Some parents are declining routine preventive medical care for newborns beyond just vaccines, according to reporting by AP News. The resistance extends to standard screenings and treatments that pediatricians recommend in the first weeks and months of life to catch health problems early. This trend mirrors broader vaccine hesitancy among certain groups of parents but now encompasses a wider range of preventive services. Medical experts view the pattern as a potential public health concern, as these early interventions are designed to identify and treat conditions before they become serious. The scope of care being refused suggests the issue goes beyond specific vaccine concerns to reflect deeper skepticism about routine medical protocols for infants.

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

More parents are refusing routine newborn preventative care, study finds
Health

More parents are refusing routine newborn preventative care, study finds

Doctors fear that skepticism, fueled by anti-science sentiment and mistrust, is extending beyond vaccines to other proven, routine care.

CBS NewsMar 21
What ACA enrollees are cutting back on to afford health care, according to a new poll - AP News
Health

What ACA enrollees are cutting back on to afford health care, according to a new poll - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipgFBVV95cUxQS0NtT2cwdWpXUHo1dG9sb0pVazR4cVlsSHdCdUtFSndpeGpLQkFvTVllSGxCYjhFeEVYLWJfZUJYQW44N1RTaDJaUm4xeFBjeG9LX1psSk9mamE4TDlnSXR4SHNBYy16NlB0eUpuYWtRTnR2Rm5ONkEwWVhRSm0xY1JueVdKb3ZiWVBUOEtXME4yTEllSjJvd0tyWDdOZVJKb1k1Zkln?oc=5" target="_blank">What ACA enrollees are cutting back on to afford health care, according to a new poll</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 19
Judge rules US government overreached with transgender health care declaration - AP News
Civil Rights

Judge rules US government overreached with transgender health care declaration - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiswFBVV95cUxPVFRBSHQ5alBTMHp6S2QxQkRySFpQR190YVJkYWZKcHdPckV3ZEhDZEZMUXVWdXFCeVVEX2V0LXNvRVZlbmdxWG5tVGV1YV9nalJJV0Z0RkpUS0dRMFlGVVFiQWpYQmFEU1VWdW84ZGltaUxyaGZIdk1IaGF5UHdpMUFvM1VHNmVFVUZWVzN0cUVmaWJ0MVAwY2dWRWcwYzJvQUtyUHBWUDl6OXBuY2tCNXdpNA?oc=5" target="_blank">Judge rules US government overreached with transgender health care declaration</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsMar 20
How a Minneapolis childcare center survived the ICE surge – and is moving forward
Civil Rights

How a Minneapolis childcare center survived the ICE surge – and is moving forward

<p>Dozens of volunteers, mostly over the age of 70, offer rides and serve as interpreters</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/17/sign-up-for-the-breaking-news-us-email-to-get-newsletter-alerts-direct-to-your-inbox?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_STANDFIRST&amp;utm_campaign=BN22326&amp;utm_content=signup&amp;utm_term=standfirst&amp;utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB">Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox</a></p></li></ul><p>On a February afternoon at a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/series/the-guardian-in-spanish">Spanish</a>-immersion childcare center in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/minneapolis">Minneapolis</a>, dozens of toddlers grabbed puffy coats out of cubbies as parents shuffled them out the door.</p><p>Down the hall, Michael, the husband of the center’s director, stared intently at a monitor streaming the building’s security footage, watching for any vehicles that might be carrying agents from US <a...

The Guardian US NewsMar 20
The Trump health care policy red and blue states are embracing - Politico
Politics

The Trump health care policy red and blue states are embracing - Politico

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxObC1uX0RtZG9VY1p1NGVLWDhMZnJKb1k1cHZHcDRRSjZHcXlWMVVoSnplVlBfWS1KTXkyNFJYM1pPcnVETWpqOUJnbGpuVjJPNHFnUF9DUllCY1V0d29GR1VaZktOTHY1T2tiTXRqZVdLMV8zTXl0SjlVN1BLdjZJVTVZWE4xN3VrZXdLMGUxbERnbXpUV1lxdQ?oc=5" target="_blank">The Trump health care policy red and blue states are embracing</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Politico</font>

PoliticoMar 15
Man pleads guilty to threatening slain healthcare CEO's family - USA Today
Civil Rights

Man pleads guilty to threatening slain healthcare CEO's family - USA Today

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiswFBVV95cUxNQjAzcE12VHQ3MnhIVXNROTBhR2JuTEhwRXYySW8ydkFiVENjcEhUazU4cUNPVzNzaHhVMnAxN2tqZnJ5QXduX0VjVjFRMno5NllPbUxGdjFrYjljTU4yMEFmazZfdk9Vc3hYYURWcXVpOHE5NXRUSzNwRjlyVkdTMmJFOGhyYl8wdHRQMXAyTEtUS3I5dm5FY3NJY3ppVnpuelZxT1JUb2VTSmZTQzdNVHJMdw?oc=5" target="_blank">Man pleads guilty to threatening slain healthcare CEO's family</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">USA Today</font>

USA TodayMar 19
Read Next
Many Americans plan to cut food to afford ACA health insurance, new poll shows
Health

Many Americans plan to cut food to afford ACA health insurance, new poll shows

About 8 in 10 Americans who re-enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplace coverage say their health care costs are higher this year, according to a new survey from the health care research nonprofit KFF.

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources