Maternal and Child Health Resource Repository

The House of Representatives passed the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019 (H.R. 4995), which would create new Public Health Service Act programs to improve maternal health.

The recently created KidsX Accelerator program will bring together 32 pediatric hospitals from across the globe to partner with digital health startup companies to meet the unique needs of pediatric patients and their families.

In a sample of 598 hospitalized pregnant women with COVID-19, 55% had no symptoms on admission, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In this Members in Action podcast, featuring maternal and child health efforts, we speak with Dr. Hyagriv Simhan, Professor of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, and Division Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine and Beth Quinn, Program Director of Women’s Services, both at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, about innovative strategies the hospital is using to engage women and families through technology

The AHA invites hospitals and health systems to participate in the Better Maternal Outcomes Improvement Sprint, a free, six-week program focused on reducing harm from maternal hemorrhage.

Many rural hospitals have been challenged with maintaining obstetric services but are now partnering with others to improve birth outcomes for mothers and babies.

In this podcast featuring maternal and child health efforts, we are speaking with care team members from Kearny County Hospital in Lakin, Kansas as they discuss the importance of a growing OB unit, and share impact of Kearny County’s Pioneer Baby program.

As part of an effort to combat pregnancy-related complications and deaths, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Hear Her campaign acknowledges that women know their own bodies better than anyone and can often tell when something does not feel right.

The gift of a new life shouldn’t come at the expense of an existing one. Yet every year, more than 700 women die from pregnancy- and delivery-related complications. Another 50,000 women suffer severe health problems related to pregnancy. And, these complications are disproportionately affecting Black and American Indian/Alaska Native women.

In this podcast, we have Priya Bathija, vice president of Strategic Initiatives at the AHA and Dr. Jonathan Weeks, a maternal-fetal medicine physician and the medical director of the MOST Program at Norton Healthcare. Joining them is Charlotte Ipsan, Chief Administrative Officer, Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital.

Approximately one-quarter of healthy women with low-risk pregnancies still undergo C-sections despite the potential risks to mothers and babies. To avoid unnecessary C-sections, hospitals are making strides in recognizing risk factors for mothers and babies sooner.

In this Members in Action podcast featuring maternal and child health efforts, we are speaking with Dr. Stephen Lockhart, founding director emeritus, Sutter Health Institute for Advancing Health Equity. Dr. Lockhart will discuss Sutter Health’s commitment to improving outcomes by reducing the number of first-birth C-section rates through its Pregnancy & Childbirth Services, in addition to engaging mothers and their families through the process.

The Department of Health and Human Services amended the declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to authorize state-licensed pharmacists and pharmacy interns under their supervision to order and administer vaccines to children, subject to certain requirements.

In this Members in Action podcast featuring maternal and child health efforts, Aisha Syeda, Program Manager at the American Hospital Association is speaking with Mary Schwaegerl, an Obstetrics Director and Julia Yoder, a Marketing & Public Relations Director at Brookings Health System, as they share the impact of their volunteer doula program at Brookings's New Beginnings Birth Center.

Researchers have developed an expanded system for classifying serious maternal complications during hospitalization for childbirth, which can be used to compare severe maternal morbidity rates across hospitals and other patient populations, according to a study reported in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week launched Hear Her, a new campaign to raise awareness of pregnancy-related complications, risks and death.

Maternal mortality rates are significantly higher in rural areas as women face barriers in accessing prenatal, obstetrical and postpartum care. In this virtual workshop, learn about the unique challenges encountered in rural communities from U of MN Rural Health Research Center. Additionally, hear how Lexington Regional Health Center, a rural hospital in NE, is increasing access to optimal maternal care in rural communities.

Leaders of the Black Maternal Health Caucus virtually convened the second annual Stakeholder Summit, where members of Congress and supporting organizations urged passage of the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R. 6142/S. 3424) to end preventable maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity, and eliminate disparities in maternal health outcomes.