Home / Health / New Mexico Warns: Raw Milk Kills Babies
New Mexico Warns: Raw Milk Kills Babies
3 Feb
Summary
- Newborn baby in New Mexico died from listeria infection.
- Infection likely contracted from mother drinking raw milk during pregnancy.
- Officials warn raw dairy poses serious risks to vulnerable populations.
A newborn in New Mexico has tragically died from a listeria infection, prompting health officials to issue a critical warning against consuming raw dairy. The state's Department of Health strongly suspects the mother contracted the infection from drinking unpasteurized milk while pregnant.
Officials emphasize that raw milk can harbor dangerous pathogens like listeria, posing significant risks. These can include miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, and fatal infections in newborns, as well as severe illness and death in immunocompromised individuals.
While federal regulations ban interstate sales of raw milk, its popularity has grown recently. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously expressed support for raw milk, though he has since remained largely silent on the issue. Despite this, raw milk advocates remain hopeful due to broader initiatives promoting whole milk consumption and supporting small dairy farmers.
Pasteurization, a process of heating milk to kill germs, is recommended by health experts for pregnant women to prevent such devastating outcomes. Other potential pathogens found in raw milk include bird flu, brucella, tuberculosis, salmonella, campylobacter, cryptosporidium, and E. coli.
