Search Results: MCHLine

Annotation: This report examines international maternal mortality data from 2022, comparing rates across high-income countries with particular focus on racial and ethnic disparities in the United States. It presents data on the timing of pregnancy-related deaths, showing that 65% occur during the postpartum period, and analyzes healthcare workforce capacity by comparing the number of obstetrician-gynecologists and midwives per 1,000 live births across countries. The report also compares federally mandated paid maternity, parental, and home care leave policies among high-income nations, highlighting significant disparities in access to care and support services.

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Keywords: Data, International health, Maternal mortality, Public policy, Statistics, Trends

Annotation: In this podcast episode, host Christie Allen talks with renowned maternal health expert Dr. Elliott Main. A pioneering figure in maternal mortality review and quality care initiatives, Dr. Main discusses the history and evolution of the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health (AIM). Together, they explore the challenges and triumphs of addressing severe maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S., the early groundwork that led to AIM, and the collaborative efforts that turned ideas into actionable tools. Dr. Main also shares his thoughts on the future of maternal health and the "one thing" he believes is critical to driving change moving forward. This episode is part of the AIM for Safer Birth series of podcasts that dive deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

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Keywords: Collaboration, History, Initiatives, Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Models, Resources for professionals

Annotation: During Black Maternal Health Week, podcast host Christie Allen welcomes two distinguished guests: Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus, and Carole Johnson, Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Together, they discuss the groundbreaking Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative, the Momnibus legislation, and the urgent need for comprehensive support for maternal health across the United States. This episode is part of the AIM for Better Birth series of podcasts that dive deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

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Keywords: Advocacy, Blacks, Health care disparities, Health equity, Legislation, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Policy development

Annotation: This report examines the critical impact of mental health and substance use disorders on maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States, highlighting how suicide and substance use-related overdoses account for over 20 percent of postpartum deaths. It presents promising approaches from states including Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, New Hampshire, and California that integrate maternity care with behavioral health services and social supports. The report outlines six key recommendations for improving care: supporting dedicated multidisciplinary care teams, centering people with lived experience to drive health equity, normalizing substance use care, training all staff on bias and stigma, expanding the community-based workforce including doulas and peer recovery specialists, and implementing harm reduction and street medicine approaches. The authors emphasize that with nearly every state now providing 12 months of postpartum Medicaid coverage, there are unprecedented opportunities to implement integrated, trauma-informed, non-punitive care models that can significantly reduce maternal mortality and improve outcomes for families.

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Keywords: Substance abusing pregnant women, Community participation, Disorders, Health care reform, Initiatives, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Medicaid, Mental health, Model programs, Perinatal addiction, Perinatal care, Postpartum care, Quality improvement, Risk factors, Service integration, Substance use disorders

Annotation: This scorecard examines women's health and reproductive care across all U.S. states, analyzing performance through 32 measures organized into three dimensions: health outcomes; health care quality and prevention; and coverage, access, and affordability. It reveals significant regional and racial disparities in health system performance, with northeastern states generally performing better than southeastern and southwestern states. Key findings include: Massachusetts, Vermont, and Rhode Island ranking highest overall while Mississippi, Texas, and Nevada rank lowest; maternal mortality rates being highest in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana, with rates disproportionately affecting Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women; mental health conditions representing the leading cause of preventable pregnancy-related deaths; women in states without Medicaid expansion facing higher uninsured rates and more frequently skipping care due to cost; and abortion restrictions potentially limiting future access to maternity care providers. The report highlights how state policy choices impact women's health, noting that southeastern states with abortion restrictions generally have fewer maternity care providers, higher maternal mortality, and lower screening rates.

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Keywords: , Barriers, Health disparities, Health services, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Measures, Statistical data, Women's health

Annotation: This report provides an overview of the Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant program authorized under Title V of the Social Security Act. The report describes the program's three main components: State MCH Block Grants (the largest component, providing formula grants to states and territories), Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS), and Community Integrated Service Systems (CISS). It details the program's history, funding mechanisms, services provided, populations served, and reporting requirements. The report outlines how states use these funds to address the unique needs of pregnant women, infants, children, and children with special health care needs through direct health care services, enabling services, and public health services and systems. It also examines recent funding trends, highlighting shifts in allocations among the three components and changes in state expenditure patterns following the COVID-19 pandemic. The document concludes with policy considerations for Congress regarding funding allocation formulas, program coordination, and oversight accountability.

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Keywords: Block grants, Data, Funding, Initiatives, Legislation, Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Measures, Medicaid, Prevention, Title V programs

Annotation: This report presents findings from the Maryland Maternal Health Innovation Program's (MDMOM) facility-based Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) Surveillance and Review program for 2023, covering 279 SMM events identified at 27 participating hospitals representing more than 80% of births in the state. The program uses a standardized case definition of intensive care unit admission and/or transfusion of four or more units of blood products for pregnant and postpartum patients up to 42 days. Hospital review committees analyzed events to determine preventability, identify contributing factors, and develop recommendations organized by the "5Rs" framework of readiness, recognition and prevention, response, reporting and system learning, and respectful care. The report documents that 34% of SMM events were potentially preventable, with obstetric hemorrhage being the most common primary cause, and includes detailed analysis of demographic characteristics, timing of events, delivery outcomes, and specific recommendations for preventing future severe maternal morbidity by cause.

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Keywords: Maryland, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Population surveillance, Postpartum hemorrhage, Prevention, Standards

Annotation: This report highlights findings from the Improving Postpartum Care Affinity Group, a quality improvement initiative convened by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services from April 2021 to April 2023. Nine states participated in the affinity group to develop and test interventions addressing the high rates of preventable maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States, with nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths occurring during the postpartum period. The report describes how state teams used data-driven approaches to identify disparities and quality improvement opportunities, select measures to monitor their projects, and evaluate intervention impacts. It presents four main categories of interventions tested by participating states: targeted case management services for high-risk beneficiaries, postpartum cardiac care including blood pressure monitoring and cardiomyopathy protocols, support from doulas and community health workers with home visiting programs, and beneficiary and provider education and support tools. The document includes specific examples from states such as South Carolina's pilot addressing gaps in behavioral health screening, Georgia's work to improve provider use of postpartum visit codes, and Texas's blood pressure cuff distribution program for hypertensive beneficiaries.

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Keywords: Data analysis, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Missouri, Models, Oklahoma, Postpartum care, Prevention, Quality improvement, South Carolina, State initiatives, Texas, Wyoming

Annotation: This web content for parents describes common postpartum complications and the importance of recognizing warning signs following childbirth. It addresses life-threatening conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, sepsis, and hemorrhage while highlighting the disproportionate risks faced by Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native people. The site provides specific criteria for seeking emergency medical care and outlines recommendations for developing a postpartum care plan that includes frequent contact with healthcare professionals. Discussion also covers barriers to care for individuals with low incomes and those who lack insurance. This content is also available in Arabic, Chinese, and Spanish

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Keywords: Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality prevention, Patient education , Postpartum care

Annotation: This interactive map provides links to Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) lead contacts and regional profiles that include maternal mortality statistics and an overview of MMRC work at the state, city, and jurisdictional level across the United States.

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Keywords: Data, Maternal mortality, State programs, Statistics

Annotation: This is a systematic review of risk factors associated with maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. during the prenatal and postpartum periods, including social and structural determinants of health. The focus is primarily on research that examines factors to which pregnant and birthing people have been exposed and that may underlie poor perinatal health outcomes. The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention requested the review to inform the November 29 – December 1, 2022 Pathways to Prevention workshop cosponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research on Women’s Health, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

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Keywords: Evidence based medicine, Literature reviews, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Racism, Risk factors, Social determinants of health

Annotation: This issue brief highlights the increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality among Black women; explores the drivers that contribute to the Black maternal health crisis, and recommends strategies to transform the delivery of Black maternal health care to improve health outcomes. Providing culturally-centered care by diverse health teams; destigmatizing and treating Black maternal mental health; protect and expand access to reproductive health care; eliminating economic inequities; and collecting and using intersectional data are among the approaches highlighted. The brief also discusses the importance of community, describing how shared resistance, resilience, and joy help define Black maternal health.

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Keywords: Blacks, Health care disparities, Health equity, Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Prevention

Annotation: This issue brief outlines Action 2.11 from Goal 2 of the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, which focuses on establishing state-focused Maternal Health Task Forces (MHTFs) and improving state-level data surveillance on maternal mortality and morbidity. It describes how MHTFs can drive evidence-based decision-making to improve maternal health outcomes through data collection, analysis, and strategic planning in partnership with governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders. The document details HRSA's funding of MHTFs across 18 states through the State Maternal Health Innovation program, discusses challenges related to data collection and standardization, and presents evidence supporting the effectiveness of collaborative approaches in improving maternal health outcomes.

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Keywords: Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Population surveillance, Public private partnerships, State initiatives, State programs, Task forces

Annotation: This issue brief highlights Action 2.2 from the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, which focuses on strengthening community participation in Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs), particularly among communities of color. The document examines the critical role of MMRCs in reviewing pregnancy-related deaths and making recommendations to prevent future deaths, with special attention to the importance of including diverse community voices and lived experiences in these reviews. It provides detailed information about current MMRC implementation across states, highlights key challenges like limited rural representation and transparency issues, and outlines specific innovations being implemented by states like Arizona and Maryland to increase meaningful community engagement. The brief includes recommendations from the Black Mamas Matter Alliance for enhancing equity and community participation in MMRC processes.

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Keywords: Blacks, Community participation, Health care disparities, Health equity, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Minority groups, Outreach, Prevention, State initiatives

Annotation: In this podcast episode, host Christie Allen and Dr. Gillispie-Bell discuss the integration of equity and quality when addressing severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States with a data-driven approach. Learn how the healthcare landscape has transformed to encompass not just clinical excellence, but also inclusive care that honors each individual's unique experiences and values. Discover the journey from recognizing racial and ethnic disparities to crafting a comprehensive approach that combines respectful, equitable, and supportive care. This episode is part of the AIM for Safer Birth series of podcasts that dive deeper into the rising severe maternal morbidity and maternal mortality rates in the United States through a data-driven, quality improvement lens.

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Keywords: Cultural sensitivity, Data, Health care disparities, Health equity, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Quality improvement, statistics

Annotation: This evidence-to-action brief focuses on Action 1.4 of the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, which aims to strengthen risk-appropriate care in rural and urban areas by encouraging states to implement the CDC Levels of Care Assessment Tool (LOCATe). The document explains that LOCATe is a web-based, standardized assessment of birthing facilities that allows states to see the distribution of levels of care throughout the state, supporting perinatal regionalization to ensure pregnant people receive care in facilities with appropriate capabilities. It presents maternal mortality data showing significant racial disparities, with non-Hispanic Black women being 2.6 times more likely to experience maternal death compared to non-Hispanic White women in 2021, and highlights that more than 2.2 million women of childbearing age live in maternity care deserts. The document includes examples of state maternal health innovations and evidence-based strategies, emphasizing that risk-appropriate care implementation should occur alongside efforts to address unconscious racial bias in healthcare to effectively reduce severe maternal morbidity and mortality.

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Keywords: Birthing centers, Data, Health facilities, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Perinatal care, Prevention, Regional factors, Rural health, Standards, Urban health

Annotation: This brief describes the maternal health crisis in the United States, noting that the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income nations, with more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths considered preventable. It explains how the crisis disproportionately affects people of color, particularly Black women who die at three to four times the rate of non-Hispanic White women from pregnancy-related complications. The document outlines key factors contributing to these disparities, including implicit and explicit racial bias, systemic bias, barriers for people with disabilities, limited access to healthcare facilities, lack of skilled providers, socioeconomic challenges, and domestic safety concerns. It presents the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis, which identifies five goals and more than 50 action steps to improve maternal health, and introduces Evidence to Action Briefs developed by the Maternal Health Learning & Innovation Center to facilitate implementation. The brief includes detailed data visualizations depicting maternal mortality trends by race, ethnicity, geography, and causes of death, and features the ROOTT Framework that illustrates how structural and social determinants affect maternal health outcomes.

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Keywords: Barriers, Blacks, Data, Federal initiatives, Health care disparities, Health care systems, Maternal health, Maternal morbidity, Maternal mortality, Quality improvement, Service integration, Social determinants of health, Trends

Annotation: This article discusses the postpartum period as an opportunity for preventing maternal harm and death while improving health equity. It presents findings from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's 90-day Innovation cycle identifying hospital interventions to improve postpartum care, particularly for Black women who experience 3.5 times higher maternal mortality rates than white women. The article outlines four key intervention areas: reducing variability in discharge education, offering implicit bias training, forming strategic partnerships, and promoting continuity of care across departments. The process map diagram visually represents the Innovation Team's research findings, highlighting current challenges and opportunities for improvement in postpartum care pathways. The article describes issues in discharge processes, post-birth warning signs, follow-up care models, and patient-centered design. It concludes with information about a Learning Community initiative with five birthing hospitals that began in January 2023, funded by Merck for Mothers.

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Keywords: Quality improvement, Blacks, Health care disparities, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Models, Postpartum care, Prevention, Statistics

Annotation: This web page from the March of Dimes provides guidance for postpartum women and their families to help them identify serious health complications following childbirth. It emphasizes the importance of attending all postpartum checkups and outlines critical warning signs that require immediate medical attention, such as chest pain, heavy bleeding, and trouble breathing. The resource describes signs and symptoms for specific conditions, including infection, sepsis, postpartum hemorrhage, and preeclampsia, while addressing mental health concerns like postpartum depression. It also offers instructions on when to contact a healthcare provider versus seeking emergency services and notes that these resources are also available in Spanish.

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Keywords: Maternal mortality, Patient education, Postpartum care, Prevention

Annotation: This report examines the performance of Medicaid managed care organizations in addressing the maternal mortality crisis and racial health disparities among pregnant and postpartum women with low incomes. It presents findings from a scan of 12 states conducted in 2023 that analyzed the transparency of publicly available performance metrics and reports from state maternal mortality review committees. The document identifies significant gaps in public data regarding individual organization accountability and the lack of coordination between state health agencies. Substantial recommendations are provided for federal and state policymakers to improve transparency through the use of data dashboards, beneficiary-facing scorecards, and standardized performance improvement projects.

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Keywords: Data, Managed care, Maternal health, Maternal mortality, Medicaid, Racial factors, State health agencies, Statistical analysis, health care disparities