"January 23 is Maternal Health Awareness Day-the one day a year where we highlight the maternal mortality crisis in the United States and advocate for improved care for moms everywhere. Maternal mortality is the death of a mother during pregnancy or birth, and maternal morbidity is when labor and delivery nearly cause death and result in serious health consequences. You might assume that, with our advanced medical technology, the United States would be a world leader in preventing maternal mortality, but it's quite the opposite:"
"In a lot of cases-approximately 28-40 percent-these deaths are entirely preventable (Clark and colleagues, 2008; Hirshberg and Srinivas, 2017). According to the CDC, those numbers decreased from 2008 to 2021, but then increased again in the following years after the onset COVID-19 pandemic. The million-dollar question: Why is this happening to our mothers, and how can we prevent it? What causes maternal morbidity?"
Maternal mortality is the death of a mother during pregnancy or birth, and maternal morbidity involves near-death events and serious health consequences from labor and delivery. The United States experienced an increase in maternal mortality between 2003 and 2013 and saw recent rises after initial declines between 2008 and 2021 following the COVID-19 pandemic. Approximately 28–40% of maternal deaths are preventable. Common causes of maternal morbidity include hemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, infection, and blood clot–related issues. Risk factors include maternal age under 20 or over 35, lower socioeconomic status, preexisting conditions, lack of insurance, and late initiation of prenatal care. Racial trauma, discrimination, and health system distrust heighten risks for Black women.
Read at Psychology Today
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]