Maternal and Child Health News

The Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with Baby2Baby to distribute 3,000 newborn supply kits to new mothers through participating hospitals and community-based organizations in Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico, and eventually plans to expand the pilot program to other states.

The Health Resources and Services Administration announced a new toll-free number (1-833-TLC-MAMA) and promotional toolkit for its National Maternal Mental Health Hotline for pregnant and postpartum individuals with mental health concerns.

Aisha Syeda, a senior program manager for AHA’s Strategic Initiatives, shares how Dell Children’s Medical Center, Hand to Hold and Northwest Community Healthcare support families affected by infant loss or a neonatal intensive care unit admission.

AHA urged leaders of the House (LINK) and Senate (LINK) Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education to give favorable funding consideration in fiscal year 2024 to health care programs shown to improve access to quality health care for patients and communities.  

Pregnant people with opioid use disorder are more likely to receive buprenorphine (a recommended treatment) if they are older, white and have public insurance.

Rural hospitals, which deliver about one in 10 babies nationally each year, have been closing in significant numbers. Despite the challenging environment, rural hospitals and health systems are taking traditional and innovative approaches to build or expand their maternal health programs.

A senior executive from Children’s Hospital Colorado shares how the pediatric health system managed an unprecedented surge in patients with COVID-19, RSV and flu.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a proposed rule that would extend Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage to qualified individuals in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in states that cover legally residing immigrant children and pregnant women.

Two experts from Seattle’s Swedish Hospital explain the role that doulas serve in prenatal and postpartum care, and how physicians and doulas can work together to reduce maternal and infant health disparities

To address the issue of pregnant Black people experiencing severe complications and dying at higher rates, Akron General recently became one of four hospitals in the country to implement a new care model designed to improve outcomes for pregnant patients by focusing on communication and teamwork to enhance safety and quality of care.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Friday approved state plan amendments allowing Arizona to extend postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months after pregnancy for Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program enrollees under the American Rescue Plan Act.

The Food and Drug Administration today withdrew approval for Makena and its generics, citing a confirmatory study that did not verify clinical benefit. Makena had been approved under the FDA’s accelerated approval pathway to reduce the risk of preterm birth in women pregnant with one baby who have a history of spontaneous preterm birth.

Over 30 organizations, including the AHA, yesterday urged congressional appropriators to increase funding for the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education program to $738 million in fiscal year 2024. While the program trains half of the nation’s pediatricians and 60% of pediatric specialists, it currently receives just 2% of federal spending on graduate medical education.

The U.S. maternal mortality rate increased to 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 from 23.8 in 2020, according to data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs will host a webinar March 17 at 12 p.m. ET to help advocates keep eligible women and children enrolled in the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program when the COVID-19 public health emergency’s continuous enrollment requirement ends March 31.

Cris Daskevich, CEO and senior vice president, CHRISTUS Health, The Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, will serve as 2023 chair of the AHA Committee on Maternal and Child Health.

States, territories, health facilities and tribal organizations can apply through March 27 for up to $525,000 million each for residential treatment programs to provide comprehensive services for pregnant and postpartum women with substance use disorders, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced.

In recognition of Maternal Health Awareness Day, Aisha Syeda, senior program manager for AHA’s work on maternal health, highlights strategies health care organizations are spearheading to tackle the two leading causes of maternal deaths.

Only 16% of pregnant people who reported drinking alcohol in 2017 or 2019 were advised by a health care provider to stop or reduce their alcohol use, although 80% were asked about alcohol use during their most recent health care visit, suggesting missed opportunities to reduce alcohol use during pregnancy, according to a survey released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Emergency departments in the highest quartile of pediatric readiness based on National Pediatric Readiness Project standards have lower death rates for children with serious injury or illness than EDs in the lowest quartile, according to a federal study reported in JAMA Network Open.