What: After passage of the Affordable Care Act, Democratic-leaning states generally chose to expand Medicaid, while Republican-leaning states did not. That set up a natural study to see how better access to healthcare affected moms with gestational diabetes and their babies. This piece looked at maternal and newborn health in Maryland (expanded Medicaid) and Georgia (did not expand Medicaid) among nearly 53,000 women.
Why it matters: Researchers found better outcomes for newborns in Maryland, including “Agar scores, the need for assisted ventilation, and the need for neonatal intensive care.” In other words, expanded health care access led to better outcomes.