Jade Howard, MPA, PMP’s Post

Over the past two decades, most countries have made great strides in maternal health, bettering outcomes for mothers and children. The most glaring exception to this trend is, disappointingly, the United States. In 2021, the most recent year for which data is available, the United States’ maternal mortality rate was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births — a stark increase from preceding years. Some of that was no doubt linked to the coronavirus, which posed particular risks for pregnancy. Yet even before the pandemic, the United States saw significantly worse outcomes relative to peer countries — and that pattern shows no signs of changing. A paper published in JAMA in July of 2023 found that more than twice the number of people in the United States are dying of pregnancy-related causes than 20 years ago. At Food For Health we're disrupting this negative trend through our integrated and high touch medically tailored meals program for expectant mothers. Visit us online for more on how we support mothers and babies at www.foodforhealth.org.

Despite all of the advancements in the United States, our country has the worst maternal health rate of any developed country and Arkansas has the worst maternal health rate in the US. I am very glad that the Governor has created this panel to focus on how Arkansas improves how we care for our mothers. My hope, as I noted in this article, is that we talk about the significant limitations and barriers to maternal care that mothers throughout Arkansas- particularly in our rural areas- face when trying to obtain treatment. https://lnkd.in/gMHzua5U

Access to maternal health care has increasingly become unobtainable for many patients in the United States. Ongoing financial, staffing, and policy challenges have forced hospital administrators in both rural and urban areas to shutter their labor and delivery units, causing patients to travel longer distances or go without needed care. In particular, rural access to maternal care grows ever more challenging, with more than one-third of U.S. counties considered maternity care deserts, according to a 2022 March of Dimes report. Many people, including those in the postpartum period, are also losing Medicaid coverage following the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. The 12 months immediately after delivery can be critical because that is when some of the most deadly pregnancy-related complications occur. Those living with maternal mental health conditions must have continuous access to care, as they already face systemic challenges in accessing the treatment they need. While many state legislators have opted to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage, there are still states where people are not eligible for the full year of coverage that ACOG recommends. These crises are felt most profoundly by Black and American Indian and Alaska Native women, whose maternal mortality rate is two to three times higher than that of white women, based on CDC data. To further compound these crises, in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, people are unable to access needed abortion care, leaving them at risk of complications and even death. The maternal access crisis in the United States is nothing short of catastrophic. We can all play a role in helping to reverse course and improve outcomes. Help ACOG raise awareness about how access to maternal health care is at risk in your state or community and how the lives, health, and safety of patients depend on stakeholders coming together to develop sound policy solutions and implement programs and initiatives to restore and protect access to care. Join us on January 23, 2024, in discussing Access in Crisis using #MaternalHealthAwarenessDay on social media and using the graphic below, and stay tuned for additional resources from ACOG #maternalhealth #maternalmentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters

Unlocking Rural Maternal Health: Arizona Women Speak, Policy Listens! Our paper, fresh from the print documents the unique postpartum needs, challenges, and opportunities to improve well-being and health outcomes for rural childbearing people in the United States. Okechukwu, A., Magrath, P., Alaofe, H. et al. Optimizing Postpartum Care in Rural Communities: Insights from Women in Arizona and Implications for Policy. Matern Child Health J (2024). https://lnkd.in/gqdrdAFu

The longstanding and stark disparities in Black maternal health outcomes have worsened in recent years. We highlight how states are using a range of policy levers to increase access to maternity care, strengthen the quality of care, and improve health outcomes — including extending Medicaid and CHIP coverage and expanding and supporting the perinatal workforce: https://loom.ly/fAiUwFA #BMHW #BMHW24

📢 Don't miss the discussions on maternal and child health at #WHOEB! 🌍 Explore the report highlighting challenges, initiatives to accelerate progress towards #SDG targets, interventions from Member States & non-state actors, & the proposed resolution. 👇 https://lnkd.in/dkitCYdd

Community health centers are critical to #MaternalHealth in under-resourced communities. Today, CEO Louise McCarthy participated in a congressional briefing and shared how CHCs offer more than just clinical care, they support mothers with mental health services, pregnancy and nutrition education, and guidance on issues such as housing, transportation and family support. To sustain this work, however, CHCs need more resources--human and financial. Congress and state legislatures must invest in health centers. #ValueCHCs

Ohio, like the rest of America, faces a serious maternal mortality crisis, with most of these deaths being preventable. We must recognize the urgency of this issue and collaborate to eliminate maternal deaths. Our moms deserve it! #MaternalHealth #PreventableDeaths #HealthcareForAll #MaternalMortality #SaveMoms #HealthEquity #PublicHealth #SupportMothers #HealthcareAdvocacy

U.S. maternal deaths are on a problematic trajectory. Maternal mortality rates are, shockingly, at their highest level since 1965. ACH is holding a virtual congressional briefing on July 24, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, in collaboration with the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus and the Maternity Care Caucus. Titled “Bump, Baby, and Beyond: How Health Centers Provide Comprehensive Maternal Care,” this briefing aims to educate members of Congress and staff on the pivotal role federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) play in enhancing access to maternal health in rural and underserved communities. [Please note this event was changed from in-person to virtual due to heightened security measures on Capitol Hill on July 24.] Read more: https://hubs.li/Q02HrTHs0 #FQHCs #CHCs #valueCHCs #healthcenters #communityhealth #Congress #healthpolicy #healthcare #maternalhealth #maternalmortality #ruralhealth #healthequity #healthcareaccess #Congressionalbriefing #advocacy

FOMC offered an exciting vision for what could be accomplished when so many stakeholders are in the room together. Virtual doulas, community-based care, lots of conversations about the inadequacies of our current system... With the increased spotlight on the urgent needs of maternal populations, and a corresponding push from government agencies to support care models, we should be using opportunities like FOMC to translate that exposure and support into better outcomes for mothers. Read our recap - what we learned, and what we wanted more of ⤵️ https://hubs.li/Q02kfQ-N0