Maternal and Child Health Resource Repository

U.S. birth rates declined for the fourth consecutive year with only 3.78 million babies born in 2018, the fewest in over three decades, according to a report released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The House Ways and Means Committee today held a hearing examining the impact of racial disparities and social determinants of health on maternal mortality.

The Food and Drug Administration yesterday published draft guidance to promote clinical studies to increase drug safety information for pregnant and nursing women and their providers.

Now in its third year, the March for Moms is an annual march in Washington, D.C., to urge policymakers to dedicate more funding and pass legislation to help improve maternal health in the U.S.

In this Advancing Health podcast, Jay Bhatt, senior vice president and chief medical officer for the American Hospital Association speaks with Rear Admiral Wanda Barfield, the director of the division of reproductive health for the CDC.

An estimated 31 percent of pregnancy-related deaths occur during pregnancy, 36 percent during delivery or the week after, and 33 percent one week to one year after delivery.

Robyn Begley, DNP, R.N.

The AHA today voiced support for provisions in the Mothers and Offspring Mortality and Morbidity Awareness Act (H.R. 1897/S. 916) that would improve state maternal mortality data, provide funding to promote safety practices and cultural competency, and extend health coverage and services for low-income postpartum women.

As the AHA and its members continue to address maternal mortality, the association today voiced support for the Joint Commission’s recently proposed standards for perinatal safety.

With our Better Health for Mothers and Babies initiative, America’s hospitals and health systems are enhancing our commitment to improving maternal health.

We must address the racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities that increase the risk of negative perinatal outcomes for women of color.

The latest Advancing Health podcast from the AHA features Dr. Stephen Patrick, an attending neonatologist at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and director of the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, who shares how his system is working to improve outcomes for opioid-exposed infants and women with substance-use disorders and reduced NAS infant’s LOS.

The Health Resources and Services Administration will host a webinar for applying for grants to coordinate maternal and obstetrics care in rural regions.

Penn Medicine in Philadelphia uses remote monitoring to check on postpartum women with hypertension; Samaritan Health Services in Corvallis, Ore., screens vulnerable pregnant women; and hospitals and community organizations throughout Northern New England team up to address the spectrum of perinatal care.

The Health Resources and Services Administration expects to award up to $9 million over four years to develop a sustainable network approach to coordinate maternal and obstetrics care in rural regions.

The Health Resources and Services Administration yesterday awarded $100 million in grants to improve infant mortality rates and maternal health outcomes in vulnerable communities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is accepting applications through May 8 for $43.5 million in grants to support agencies and organizations that coordinate and manage maternal mortality review committees.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force today recommended that clinicians provide or refer pregnant and postpartum women who are at increased risk for perinatal depression to counseling interventions.

Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Parkview Health works to reduce infant mortality; Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut cares for the vulnerable and uninsured; and Greenville Health System in South Carolina makes great strides in preventing low birthweight and premature births.

Penn Medicine uses digital technology to help postpartum women take control of their blood pressure.