Increases to the minimum wage may do more than bolster household income, reduce inequality and enhance worker well-being: They may also help make pregnancies safer, according to new research from Rutgers University.A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine finds that state-level increases in the minimum wage are associated with lower rates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States.

MIT researchers found that a protein called intelectin-2 has broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against bacteria found in the GI tract. Additionally, intelectin-2 can crosslink molecules that make up mucus, helping to strengthen the mucus barrier.