Maternal Health

Digital maternal health tools hold promise, but equity question remains

March 26, 2024 - Digital maternal health tools could be a key piece of the nation’s overall maternal health improvement plan, but the industry is currently staring down serious usability and cultural competence pitfalls that could stymie their effectiveness, according to the latest from Deloitte. The report from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions...

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Are rising US maternal mortality rates inflated?

by Sara Heath

A new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology is calling into question the high US maternal mortality rate, stating that many of the maternal deaths documented in the...

How Family Physicians Can Solve US Maternal Health Problems

by Sara Heath

It’s not a secret that healthcare is staring down a maternal mortality problem. But what might be less known is the critical role family physicians can play in ameliorating it. “This country has a lot of work to do on...

Updated HHS Health Equity Action Plan Focuses on Care Access

by Sara Heath

HHS has unveiled the 2023 update to its Health Equity Action Plan, hitting key points like childhood health and well-being, equitable access to care, and maternal and infant health equity, among other...

55% of Rural Orgs Lack Labor & Delivery, Cause Maternity Deserts

by Sara Heath

Maternity deserts are a growing problem in the United States, especially for rural hospitals that have to shutter labor and delivery departments at higher rates than their urban counterparts, according...

Are Doulas the Key to Closing Maternal Mental Health Treatment Gaps?

by Sara Heath

NewYork-Presbyterian wants to do something about the nation’s maternal mental health crisis. In an effort to prepare pregnant people in their third trimesters for their new, child-filled lives, the healthcare organization is tapping...

Patients Say Costs, Access Drive Maternal Health Crisis in GA

by Sara Heath

The residents of Georgia are fully aware of the maternal health crisis affecting the state—and the rest of the United States—and are calling on policymakers to do something about it in a...

As Maternal & Infant Health Falter, Advocacy Is Key to Progress

by Sara Heath

As it continues to pave the road to progress with data, March of Dimes is using its advocacy prowess to also call for policy and medical device solutions to the nation’s growing maternal and infant health crisis. Paired with a new...

Need Outpaces Maternal Mental Healthcare Access in 150 Counties

by Sara Heath

Seven in 10 counties in the United States have insufficient maternal mental healthcare access, a problem that exacerbates maternal health outcomes, according to a new assessment from the Policy Center...

1 in 5 Women Have Bad Patient Experience in Maternity Care

by Sara Heath

The maternal health crisis encompasses more than just the nation’s growing maternal mortality rate. New data from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention shows that nearly one in five...

SDOH, Structural Barriers Quell Maternity Outcomes for Home-Based Care

by Sara Heath

Even with home-based care interventions, social determinants of health and structural barriers get in the way of good maternal health outcomes, a new Health Affairs study has found. The report,...

Maternity Deserts, Low Access to Care Affect 5.6M Birthing People

by Sara Heath

A whopping 5.6 million birthing people are finding themselves without access to maternity care as the prevalence of maternity deserts continues to grow, according to reports from March of Dimes. These...

Postpartum Care Visits Underdeliver on Heart Health Counseling

by Sarai Rodriguez

Many new mothers are being left vulnerable to poor heart health. A Northwestern Medicine study revealed that despite being at risk for heart disease, a mere 60 percent of new mothers are receiving...

Maternal Mortality Doubles in One Decade, Driven by Racial Disparities

by Sara Heath

The maternal mortality rate in the US more than doubled between 1999 and 2019, from a total of 505 maternal deaths to 1,210, according to a new JAMA study. But unsurprisingly, that increase affected...

$2M HHS Grant Targets Black Maternal Health Disparities in Florida  

by Sarai Rodriguez

Evara Health is among the recipients of a $65 million HHS funding initiative, supporting underserved communities in creating innovative approaches to reduce Black maternal health...

Neighborhood Safety Key SDOH in Maternal, Infant Outcomes

by Sara Heath

In terms of maternal and infant outcomes, neighborhood is everything, with a new JAMA Network Open research note outlining poor perceived neighborhood safety can result in low birth weight, likelihood...

Abortion Bans with Exceptions Still Limit Patient Care Access

by Sara Heath

An abortion ban with exceptions is still essentially a blanket abortion ban, a new KFF report contended, with vaguely written laws tying providers’ hands in many cases and harming patient...

ADI and Infant Mortality Link Shed New Light on Maternal Health Crisis

by Sara Heath

A new study in JAMA Network Open uncovered a link between social vulnerability and NICU morbidity and mortality, adding yet another layer to the maternal health crisis facing the United...

Patient Education Gaps Leave Women Ill-Informed About Postpartum Depression

by Sarai Rodriguez

A lack of proper patient education is leaving many women in the dark about postpartum depression. According to a recent survey, 70 percent of postpartum women reported feeling underinformed about...

Can Patient Access to Midwife Care Eliminate Maternal Mortality Woes?

by Sara Heath

The US healthcare system, beleaguered by a maternal mortality and health equity crisis, needs to reconsider policies that can empower patient access to midwife care, according to a new policy brief...