With help from a health equity grant collaboration between the AHA’s Institute for Diversity and Health Equity and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, UnityPoint launched its CenteringPregnancy Care to Mitigate Racial Disparities Program. The evidence-based, prenatal care and peer support program aims to lower rates of preterm and low-birthweight babies. The program also aims to encourage infant breastfeeding and reduce the rate of neonatal intensive care unit admissions. In this month’s Spotlight Feature interview, Kari Beth Watts, D.O., at UnityPoint Health, discusses the program’s roots and goal of improving overall maternal and child health. Read more.

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The AHA Sept. 15 released a preview for Frontiers, a three-episode documentary series from the AHA’s Advancing Health Podcast on rural maternal health.…
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The Rural Maternal Health Data Support program, supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration, has launched a data repository that allows users…
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The National Institutes of Health has launched its Connecting the Community for Maternal Health Challenge: Research Capacity Building in Maternity Care Deserts…
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A report on obstetric services in hospitals by the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center found that between 2010 and 2024, 718 hospitals…
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Joy A. Rhoden, AHA senior vice president and executive director of health outcomes and care transformation, explores the economic impact of health disparities…
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Hospital and health system leaders are navigating workforce shortages, reimbursement pressures, caring for a sicker patient population and rising operational…