According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 1,200 individuals died from pregnancy-related causes in 2021. Furthermore, there are still racial differences in maternal mortality. Non-Hispanic Black women died at 2.6 times the rate of non-Hispanic White women. This is absolutely intolerable.
As mothers, health care providers, and leaders in charge of maternity and infant health programs, we know that we have a huge duty to improve the lives of pregnant women as well as their newborns and families. Throughout our journey of pregnancy and raising children, we have encountered both joys and challenges. Simultaneously, we have dedicated our lives to making a positive impact on the lives of others. We firmly believe that every mother and newborn, regardless of their location, race, socioeconomic status, or gender, should be granted equal opportunities.
That common drive for impact is why our organizations are collaborating more closely. Elevance Health is one of the world's largest health firms, supporting one out of every eight births in the United States. Through our extended research cooperation with March of Dimes, we are developing local solutions to deliver specialized services in places with limited or no access to maternity care.
The problems faced by each expectant mother or new mother are different; they may involve coping with chronic illnesses, getting reputable care while residing in a maternity desert, or managing a pregnancy while homeless. We're using a person-centered, whole-health approach since every circumstance is unique in order to remove obstacles to high-quality maternity and mental health care. We're also offering assistance and resources that are intended to advance health equality by minimizing racial inequalities in treatment. We believe that this strategy might serve as a useful role model for other service providers and support organizations.
Improving Healthcare Accessibility
A March of Dimes report from 2022 states that 2.2 million women of reproductive age reside in maternity care deserts, which are regions without any doctors, hospitals, or birth facilities delivering obstetric care, and another 4.8 million women have only limited access. Their capacity to get high-quality prenatal and postpartum care is greatly reduced by these situations.
Better results for both mother and child can result from receiving high-quality prenatal care. The necessity of extending care and minimizing maternity care deserts requires a national commitment. The outcomes of delivery can be greatly improved by providing access to transportation, telemedicine capabilities, and hybrid providers, such as certified doulas who collaborate to extend care.
Enhancing Mental Well-Being
One of the main underlying causes of pregnancy-related deaths is mental health issues, which can lead to tragedies like suicide and drug overdoses caused by substance use problems. Treatment and diagnosis are essential, as is getting support from friends, family, the community, the healthcare system, and other people.
Analyzing data identifies areas for action, allowing us to reflect on past interactions and create new strategies for connecting with expectant mothers and their providers more efficiently, more quickly, and better throughout the pregnancy. Additionally, it emphasizes the value of whole wellness and how social, behavioral, and physical aspects all affect maternal health.
In collaboration with Mammha, a privacy-compliant software for maternal mental health screening and care coordination that is presently in pilot, March of Dimes is also investing in behavioral health assistance for new parents.
Closing Care Disparities
Companies and organizations need to pay close attention to the underlying prejudices and risk factors that lead to this conspicuous disparity in health care, since Black women are approximately three times more likely than white women to die during or shortly after their pregnancy for a pregnancy-related reason.
The Elevance Health Foundation has committed more than $18.3 million in grants for maternal health until February 2023, benefiting over 100,000 individuals and enabling fair access to support services for those who need them most. In addition, March of Dimes received a $2.3 million grant to support supplementary reporting on the accessibility of maternity care in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Fortunately, more organizations are making investments in maternal health and developing resources to support women's and infants' wellbeing during pregnancy, delivery, and beyond. Through community collaborations, Creating Healthier Communities, a partner of the Elevance Health Foundation, is screening thousands of Black mothers for signs of stress using racially and culturally relevant stress indicators. The initiative works with community-based groups to provide relevant treatments and tries to identify stresses and other health-related socioeconomic needs causing preterm deliveries.
Due to premature delivery and other illnesses and diagnoses, too many families discover their newborns in the NICU. Since 2001, March of Dimes has made NICU Family Help a cornerstone program, offering these families the help and information they need during this trying time. NFS offers patient-centered care training for staff members, family education, and better patient experiences.
We are passionate about enhancing the health of expectant moms and their unborn children as business leaders and mothers. Policymakers, healthcare professionals, and other important stakeholders share our enthusiasm, and it will require all of us working together to significantly improve maternal outcomes.
The present situation must change. For the sake of our future mothers and their children's health and wellbeing, we must now collaborate on practical solutions.