Research and resources for perinatal professionals.
May 13, 2023 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Raising the Bar for Maternal Health Equity and Excellence – Actionable Strategies for Healthcare Systems is a new initiative created by the National Partnership for Women & Families. The purpose of this new 2023 initiative is to improve health equity by supporting the whole person and applying an anti-racist lens to improve outcomes for Black parents. It is well documented that Black families consistently receive subpar care and limited access to appropriate support and as a result have outcomes that are significantly worse than the outcomes for white families. To put is simply, there is a maternal health care crisis and that crisis disproportionately impacts Black families and that needs to change
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May 31, 2021 | by: Molly Giammarco, MPP
In its report, Maternal Mortality and Morbidity: Additional Efforts Needed to Assess Program Data for Rural and Underserved Areas, the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) issued recommendations to capture, and understand, indicators for lower maternal health outcomes in rural and underrepresented areas. By disaggregating and analyzing maternal health data, researchers will be able to identify factors that contribute to poorer maternal health outcomes among those living in rural and underserved areas.
April 13, 2021 | by: Molly Giammarco, MPP
As Lamaze joins stakeholders, advocates, and policymakers in celebrating Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17, 2021), Lamaze educators, advocates, and parents can reflect on the progress made on raising awareness of maternal health disparities—and the actions taken to address them. With the Congressional Black Maternal Health Caucus’ (BMHC) and other policymakers’ leadership, vision, and collaboration, federal efforts to reduce maternal health disparities and shortfalls are no longer just talking points. They are now Congressional actions.
September 10, 2020 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Gestational hypertension is a major concern as people move through their pregnancy. Abnormal blood pressures indicating a hypertensive disorder is a significant cause of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes worldwide. Preeclampsia along with infection and hemorrhage are the three largest cases of maternal mortality currently. It is thought that 1 in 4 deaths that occur from hypertension/preeclampsia in pregnant people are preventable. A new study was just released “A new definition of gestational hypertension? New-onset blood pressures of 130 to 139/80 to 89 mm Hg after 20 weeks of gestation” that attempts to predict those pregnant people who may be at risk of experiencing a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy.
July 17, 2020 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
While there is no consensus amongst Maternal Mortality Review committees in operation in almost all 50 states about what actually constitutes a maternal death, there is one thing that everyone can agree on. More than two thirds of the deaths that do occur during or within a year of pregnancy are preventable!
May 06, 2020 | by: Molly Giammarco, MPP
In April, the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) released its assessment of the federal government’s current programs and efforts to address maternal mortality through its report, Trends in Pregnancy-Related Deaths and Federal Efforts to Reduce Them. The GAO analysis focused on the U.S. maternal mortality increase between 2007 and 2016, the annual morality ratio fluctuation, and how the leading causes of death varied by racial ethnic group.
October 10, 2019 | by: Cara Terreri
The United States has a problem with expectant and new parents dying. A big problem. We are one of only two countries where the rate of maternal death is going up instead of down. The United States is ranked 55th in the world for maternal mortality, despite being #1 in the world for the amount of money being spent. And what's worse: African American parents are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth than non-Hispanic white women. It is estimated that 60 percent of maternal deaths are entirely preventable. Here is how you can help!
October 08, 2019 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE
Connecting the Dots and Lamaze International are delighted to learn and share with you all a new resource, Expecting More, being launched today by Ariadne Labs. Ariadne Labs is an organization that is part of a school of public health, where, much of their work to date has focused on the challenges health systems face in delivering safe care for people who are trying to start or grow their family. Neel Shah, MD, one of the co-founders of Expecting More along with Jocie Fifield, states that families expect more than emerging from childbirth unscathed. This campaign is being launched to engage leading thinkers and influencers like Lamaze International and you in exploring what #ExpectingMore could and should look like, alongside the families we all aim to serve.
May 03, 2019 | by: Sharon Muza
May 5-12th is National Maternal Health Week. The United States sadly sits at the bottom of the list for maternal mortality and morbidity rates amongst many of the developed nations in the world. Bearing the brunt of poor outcomes in the US are Black families and other people of color. March for Moms and their partner organizations are working to change this.
December 11, 2018 | by: Sharon Muza, BS, LCCE, FACCE, CD/BDT(DONA), CLE
Today is a very exciting day in the United States House of Representatives! The House of Representatives has passed H.R. 1318, Preventing Maternal Deaths Act.
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