Maternal and Child Health Resource Repository

Every year, more than 1.6 million people in the U.S. suffer from heart attacks and strokes and more than 870,000 die from a cardiovascular disease. Though those numbers are alarming, what is more distressing is that 80% of those deaths are preventable.

Million Hearts 2027 is a national initiative to prevent one million heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events over the next five years.

The U.S. maternal mortality rate increased to 23.8 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020 from 20.1 in 2019 as rates for Black and Hispanic women increased, according to data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Statement of the American Hospital Association to the Committee on Finance of the United States Senate “Protecting Youth Mental Health: Part II - Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Care” February 15, 2022

Receiving two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy might help prevent your infant from being hospitalized for COVID-19 in the first six months after birth, according a study released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a statement submitted to the Senate Finance Committee for a hearing on protecting children’s mental health, the AHA urged Congress to lift the caps on physician residency positions and increase scholarships, loan forgiveness and other financial supports to encourage health care providers to specialize in behavioral health services.

On a recent AHA webinar, health care leaders discussed key strategies for building trust in the safety and efficacy of the COVID1-9 vaccines among pregnant people.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Hear Her campaign has released a new website and resources to help health professionals communicate with pregnant and postpartum patients about their concerns and respond to urgent maternal warning signs. 

Chatham Hospital is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital (CAH) located in Siler City, NC. The hospital, accredited by The Joint Commission, provides surgical, medical, pediatric, maternal and emergency services. Community-based outpatient services also are offered.

Hospital leaders and clinicians will join experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AHA and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Jan. 26 to discuss how health care professionals can work with their patients and communities to build trust in the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people.

SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may cause inflammatory immune responses in the fetus, even if the virus does not infect the placenta, according to a small National Institutes of Health study published in the journal Nature Communications.

In a recent memo to state survey agencies, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services encouraged hospitals to review their maternal health policies and procedures and incorporate maternal safety bundles and other evidence-based best practices for managing obstetric emergencies and addressing disparities.  

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health recognized 20 organizations, including AHA-member hospitals and health systems, for their effective programs to monitor and provide follow-up care for hypertensive disorders to pregnant and postpartum women.

The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded states and territories an additional $81 million in emergency funding from the American Rescue Plan Act for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, which provides voluntary home visits to improve maternal and child health for families in high-risk communities.

America’s hospitals and health systems are committed to providing the best possible care for all women, including pregnant women, new mothers and their babies, and to amplifying the voices of women of color who are disproportionately affected by maternal morbidity and mortality.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., released an Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health, which calls for a “a whole-of-society effort to address longstanding challenges, strengthen the resilience of young people, support their families and communities, and mitigate the pandemic’s mental health impacts.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services intends to propose adding a “birthing-friendly” hospital designation on its Care Compare website to drive improvements in perinatal health outcomes and maternal health equity, the Department of Health and Human Services announced.

The White House hosted a summit to mark the first federal Maternal Health Day of Action. The summit highlighted actions the federal government is taking to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. 

The House passed the Maternal Vaccination Act (H.R. 951), an AHA-supported provision from the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act that would direct the Health and Human Services Secretary to carry out a national campaign emphasizing the importance of maternal vaccinations.

Learn how Virtua Health empowered OB-GYN physicians and nurses to integrate protocols that lowered C-section, hypertension and hemorrhage rates for patients in labor in this AHA Members in Action case study and podcast.