Alison Gemmill
@alisongemmill.bsky.social
Demographer/Epidemiologist. Associate Professor @UCLA. Repro/perinatal/population health, fertility, life course, health equity.
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
This is quite the all-star lineup of demographers with expertise in fertility.
Period fertility (or mortality) rates are not destiny.
If we are really that concerned about future population growth, perhaps we should just make it easier for people to have families? It's in our power
Period fertility (or mortality) rates are not destiny.
If we are really that concerned about future population growth, perhaps we should just make it easier for people to have families? It's in our power
Don’t Panic: Population Projection is Not a Crystal Ball
sites.utexas.edu
August 21, 2025 at 1:53 PM
This is quite the all-star lineup of demographers with expertise in fertility.
Period fertility (or mortality) rates are not destiny.
If we are really that concerned about future population growth, perhaps we should just make it easier for people to have families? It's in our power
Period fertility (or mortality) rates are not destiny.
If we are really that concerned about future population growth, perhaps we should just make it easier for people to have families? It's in our power
Hi friends! Some bittersweet news to share:
I’m thrilled to be coming back to California to join UCLA as an Associate Professor in the Dept of Epidemiology! 🌴🔵🟡
Immensely grateful to my Hopkins colleagues & students who made the past 6 years so rewarding. ❤️
I’m thrilled to be coming back to California to join UCLA as an Associate Professor in the Dept of Epidemiology! 🌴🔵🟡
Immensely grateful to my Hopkins colleagues & students who made the past 6 years so rewarding. ❤️
August 21, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Hi friends! Some bittersweet news to share:
I’m thrilled to be coming back to California to join UCLA as an Associate Professor in the Dept of Epidemiology! 🌴🔵🟡
Immensely grateful to my Hopkins colleagues & students who made the past 6 years so rewarding. ❤️
I’m thrilled to be coming back to California to join UCLA as an Associate Professor in the Dept of Epidemiology! 🌴🔵🟡
Immensely grateful to my Hopkins colleagues & students who made the past 6 years so rewarding. ❤️
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
We cannot rely on private philanthropy to address structural and systemic issues over the long run because the changing whims of private donors means investments are piecemeal and seldom sustained for long enough to make a difference. wapo.st/3ZRonor
The Chan-Zuckerbergs stopped funding social causes. 400 kids lost their school.
Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg’s retreat from funding social issues forced the closure of a school Chan opened for disadvantaged families in Silicon Valley.
wapo.st
June 29, 2025 at 8:28 PM
We cannot rely on private philanthropy to address structural and systemic issues over the long run because the changing whims of private donors means investments are piecemeal and seldom sustained for long enough to make a difference. wapo.st/3ZRonor
Does this mean I get my NIH grant back?? The one that was terminated bc I said incarceration was a form of “structural inequality”?
🚨 BREAKING: Nearly 4 months the NIH cut its first grants, a judge has ruled that the directives and process that led to cuts are arbitrary and capricious.
"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."
Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
"The explanations are bereft of reasoning — virtually in their entirety... unsupported by [facts]."
Each of them are VOID and ILLEGAL, he says.
June 16, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Does this mean I get my NIH grant back?? The one that was terminated bc I said incarceration was a form of “structural inequality”?
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
Our latest paper is now in print, showing ⬆️ prevalence of adverse perinatal health outcomes in the wake of pandemic. This suggests potential lasting impacts on future generations. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... @societyforepi.bsky.social @dkarasek.bsky.social @alisongemmill.bsky.social 1/
June 2, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Our latest paper is now in print, showing ⬆️ prevalence of adverse perinatal health outcomes in the wake of pandemic. This suggests potential lasting impacts on future generations. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... @societyforepi.bsky.social @dkarasek.bsky.social @alisongemmill.bsky.social 1/
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
Worries over low birth rates are nothing new. Everything @lesja.bsky.social, @alisongemmill.bsky.social, & I wrote in this op-ed *SIX* years ago is still true.
These worries have coalesced into a well-funded & influential pronatalist movement w/in an admin that is deeply anti-family.
These worries have coalesced into a well-funded & influential pronatalist movement w/in an admin that is deeply anti-family.
Opinion | Don’t panic over declining fertility rates — and don’t let anyone guilt you
Lower fertility rates aren’t necessarily a bad thing.
www.washingtonpost.com
April 21, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Worries over low birth rates are nothing new. Everything @lesja.bsky.social, @alisongemmill.bsky.social, & I wrote in this op-ed *SIX* years ago is still true.
These worries have coalesced into a well-funded & influential pronatalist movement w/in an admin that is deeply anti-family.
These worries have coalesced into a well-funded & influential pronatalist movement w/in an admin that is deeply anti-family.
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
🧵It’s #BlackMaternalHealthWeek -a time to center Black moms & a need for action.
I’m reflecting on what this means in a year when our #NIH grant “Looking Back to Look Forward: Social Environment Across the Lifecourse, Epigenetics, & Birth Outcomes in Black Families” was terminated.
#MedSky #EpiSky
I’m reflecting on what this means in a year when our #NIH grant “Looking Back to Look Forward: Social Environment Across the Lifecourse, Epigenetics, & Birth Outcomes in Black Families” was terminated.
#MedSky #EpiSky
April 16, 2025 at 9:49 PM
🧵It’s #BlackMaternalHealthWeek -a time to center Black moms & a need for action.
I’m reflecting on what this means in a year when our #NIH grant “Looking Back to Look Forward: Social Environment Across the Lifecourse, Epigenetics, & Birth Outcomes in Black Families” was terminated.
#MedSky #EpiSky
I’m reflecting on what this means in a year when our #NIH grant “Looking Back to Look Forward: Social Environment Across the Lifecourse, Epigenetics, & Birth Outcomes in Black Families” was terminated.
#MedSky #EpiSky
My favorite is placing pregnancy, infertility, maternal health, and child health (I.e., NICHD) in the Institute of Disability Research. What are we doing here??
Folding 27 NIH institutes and centers down into *8*, which is even worse than the rumored plan for 15, is catastrophic for American biomedical research. Completely insane.
April 17, 2025 at 2:16 AM
My favorite is placing pregnancy, infertility, maternal health, and child health (I.e., NICHD) in the Institute of Disability Research. What are we doing here??
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
Packed room for our session on #perinatal-demography at #paa2025 with Payal Hathi, @alisongemmill.bsky.social, Tim Bruckner, Haley Comfort @ihmeuw.bsky.social, and @jnobles.bsky.social as inspiring discussant.
You can download their submissions here:
submissions.mirasmart.com/PAA2025/Itin...
You can download their submissions here:
submissions.mirasmart.com/PAA2025/Itin...
April 13, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Packed room for our session on #perinatal-demography at #paa2025 with Payal Hathi, @alisongemmill.bsky.social, Tim Bruckner, Haley Comfort @ihmeuw.bsky.social, and @jnobles.bsky.social as inspiring discussant.
You can download their submissions here:
submissions.mirasmart.com/PAA2025/Itin...
You can download their submissions here:
submissions.mirasmart.com/PAA2025/Itin...
Hi from @popassocamerica.bsky.social meeting! These past few weeks have been incredibly tough, but I am so inspired by my colleagues and our community.
PFRH faculty Alison Gemmill, Suzanne Bell, Linnea Zimmerman, and Dana Sarnak at the @popassocamerica.bsky.social #PAA2025 conference in DC where over the next three days they and many PFRH faculty are presenting on a variety of critical population health topics. Have a great conference!
April 11, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Hi from @popassocamerica.bsky.social meeting! These past few weeks have been incredibly tough, but I am so inspired by my colleagues and our community.
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
NEW: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is the decades old data collection program focusing on the health of infants and mothers at CDC. Critical source of data for all aspects of health thru process of pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum etc. In the first weeks of the admin I ...
April 1, 2025 at 8:30 PM
NEW: Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is the decades old data collection program focusing on the health of infants and mothers at CDC. Critical source of data for all aspects of health thru process of pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum etc. In the first weeks of the admin I ...
Timeline cleanse
Go see my brother’s old school animation movie that was released this weekend—he was a co-writer and head of story. Proud of him!
Go see my brother’s old school animation movie that was released this weekend—he was a co-writer and head of story. Proud of him!
March 15, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Timeline cleanse
Go see my brother’s old school animation movie that was released this weekend—he was a co-writer and head of story. Proud of him!
Go see my brother’s old school animation movie that was released this weekend—he was a co-writer and head of story. Proud of him!
While working on these studies, this was the finding that I couldn't stop thinking about.
Reproductive justice folks warned us about this.
Reproductive justice folks warned us about this.
after the overturning of roe, black infant mortality has spiked nearly 11% in states with abortion bans:
www.reuters.com/world/us/inf...
www.reuters.com/world/us/inf...
Infant mortality rises in states with abortion bans, study finds
Increases in infant mortality have been found in U.S. states that enacted abortion bans or severe restrictions after the Supreme Court overturned the landmark ruling that guaranteed a right to the procedure, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.
www.reuters.com
February 14, 2025 at 8:37 PM
While working on these studies, this was the finding that I couldn't stop thinking about.
Reproductive justice folks warned us about this.
Reproductive justice folks warned us about this.
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
If you are one of the #CDC #HHS #FDA #NIH employees who have learned today that your employment is being abruptly ended, we want to hear from you. @altcdc.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/f...
Are you affected by firings at federal health agencies?
Have you been affected by firings at federal health agencies? @statnews would like to hear from you.
www.statnews.com
February 14, 2025 at 6:50 PM
If you are one of the #CDC #HHS #FDA #NIH employees who have learned today that your employment is being abruptly ended, we want to hear from you. @altcdc.bsky.social www.statnews.com/2025/02/14/f...
Our two papers on abortion bans and fertility/infant mortality are now out.
In 14 states w/ abortion bans, fertility increased 1.7% and infant mortality increased 6%.
Key takeaway is that these impacts were disproportionately felt among those w/ greatest structural disadvantages.
Links below.
In 14 states w/ abortion bans, fertility increased 1.7% and infant mortality increased 6%.
Key takeaway is that these impacts were disproportionately felt among those w/ greatest structural disadvantages.
Links below.
🧵 US states that implemented abortion bans saw higher than expected infant mortality rates, with larger increases among Black infants and those in southern states, according to this analysis of US national vital statistics data from 2012–2023.
ja.ma/4aVchPn
#MedSky
ja.ma/4aVchPn
#MedSky
February 13, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Our two papers on abortion bans and fertility/infant mortality are now out.
In 14 states w/ abortion bans, fertility increased 1.7% and infant mortality increased 6%.
Key takeaway is that these impacts were disproportionately felt among those w/ greatest structural disadvantages.
Links below.
In 14 states w/ abortion bans, fertility increased 1.7% and infant mortality increased 6%.
Key takeaway is that these impacts were disproportionately felt among those w/ greatest structural disadvantages.
Links below.
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
• increase prospects for government stability that accompany shifts in age structure.
I am APPALLED by Natsios' lack of recognition of the life-saving benefits of contraceptive programming. Perhaps he should read this 2012 @thelancet.bsky.social analysis: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
I am APPALLED by Natsios' lack of recognition of the life-saving benefits of contraceptive programming. Perhaps he should read this 2012 @thelancet.bsky.social analysis: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Maternal deaths averted by contraceptive use: an analysis of 172 countries
Numbers of unwanted pregnancies and unmet contraceptive need are still high in many
developing countries. We provide evidence that use of contraception is a substantial
and effective primary preventio...
www.thelancet.com
February 13, 2025 at 3:48 PM
• increase prospects for government stability that accompany shifts in age structure.
I am APPALLED by Natsios' lack of recognition of the life-saving benefits of contraceptive programming. Perhaps he should read this 2012 @thelancet.bsky.social analysis: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
I am APPALLED by Natsios' lack of recognition of the life-saving benefits of contraceptive programming. Perhaps he should read this 2012 @thelancet.bsky.social analysis: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
in case it's helpful to anyone, here are the email drafts I just sent to my mom and sister (both non-scientists) to have them contact their reps: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
February 8, 2025 at 1:33 PM
in case it's helpful to anyone, here are the email drafts I just sent to my mom and sister (both non-scientists) to have them contact their reps: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
This is a de facto massive budget cut to research universities. We are talking Great Recession size impacts.
⚠️ Effective Monday 2/10/25, NIH indirect rate capped at 15%. Applies to existing & future grants.
—> Deep budget cuts & program closures coming to a university near you.
Is this the break the glass moment for university administrators who have been silent so far about the attack on science?
—> Deep budget cuts & program closures coming to a university near you.
Is this the break the glass moment for university administrators who have been silent so far about the attack on science?
NOT-OD-25-068: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts: Supplemental Guidance to the 2024 NIH Grants Policy Statement: Indirect Cost Rates NOT-OD-25-068. OD
grants.nih.gov
February 7, 2025 at 11:45 PM
This is a de facto massive budget cut to research universities. We are talking Great Recession size impacts.
Every email: "I hope you are managing during these uncertain times."
February 6, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Every email: "I hope you are managing during these uncertain times."
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey has monitored the wellbeing of America’s high school students since 1991.
Since 2015, it’s been a vital source of data on LGBQ youth. In 2023, it provided the first ever nationally representative sample of transgender teens.
As of this morning, it’s gone.
Since 2015, it’s been a vital source of data on LGBQ youth. In 2023, it provided the first ever nationally representative sample of transgender teens.
As of this morning, it’s gone.
January 31, 2025 at 1:44 PM
The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey has monitored the wellbeing of America’s high school students since 1991.
Since 2015, it’s been a vital source of data on LGBQ youth. In 2023, it provided the first ever nationally representative sample of transgender teens.
As of this morning, it’s gone.
Since 2015, it’s been a vital source of data on LGBQ youth. In 2023, it provided the first ever nationally representative sample of transgender teens.
As of this morning, it’s gone.
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
The CDC has begun purging data. Example: The youth risk behavior survey...
January 31, 2025 at 2:24 PM
The CDC has begun purging data. Example: The youth risk behavior survey...
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
In case folks are looking for a place to archive the data: www.datalumos.org/datalumos/
DataLumos
www.datalumos.org
January 31, 2025 at 1:56 PM
In case folks are looking for a place to archive the data: www.datalumos.org/datalumos/
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
I’m very tangentially involved in our (BU and Harvard) efforts to archive data and am happy to connect you w/ the core team of folks working on this. Just let me know. A lot of what they’re archiving is / will be preserved on dataverse.harvard.edu
January 31, 2025 at 4:21 AM
I’m very tangentially involved in our (BU and Harvard) efforts to archive data and am happy to connect you w/ the core team of folks working on this. Just let me know. A lot of what they’re archiving is / will be preserved on dataverse.harvard.edu
Reposted by Alison Gemmill
A colleague asked whether I thought the government would continue the public release of its data products. The data from CDC health monitoring surveys, decades of data on mortality, crime data, climate data of a variety of types that go back for years, etc.
1/
1/
January 31, 2025 at 2:52 AM
A colleague asked whether I thought the government would continue the public release of its data products. The data from CDC health monitoring surveys, decades of data on mortality, crime data, climate data of a variety of types that go back for years, etc.
1/
1/