Virginia Perinatal Health Podcast Returns
The Virginia Neonatal Perinatal Collaborative has announced the return of its "Bear Hug Conversations" podcast. The new season will focus on maternal health in Virginia, including discussions on the state's Maternal Mortality Review Team (MMRT) and severe maternal morbidity.
- The latest Virginia Maternal Mortality Review Team report noted a decrease in pregnancy-associated deaths from 67 in 2022 to 45 in 2023, with the death rate falling from 70.1 to 48.6 per 100,000 live births. However, significant racial disparities persist; the rate for Black women was 70.7, nearly double the rate of 36.2 for White women in 2023. - Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) affects 73.8 per 10,000 delivery hospitalizations in Virginia, with higher rates observed among non-Hispanic Black women (124.6) and those insured by Medicaid (92.8). A leading cause of SMM is now acute renal failure. - The first season of "Bear Hug Conversations" focused on urgent maternal warning signs and aligned with the CDC's "Hear Her" campaign, which aims to encourage women to speak up when something feels wrong during or after pregnancy. The new season will launch on March 6, 2026, and will include transcriptions in both English and Spanish. - In March 2025, Virginia's governor signed several bills (HB1352, HB1923, HB1904) that establish licensure for Certified Midwives (CMs), mandate insurance reimbursement parity for midwifery services, and ease restrictions on hospital practice for Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs). - Beginning July 1, 2025, new laws will make Virginia the first state to recognize Certified Nurse-Midwives, Certified Midwives, and Certified Professional Midwives as independent healthcare providers, with reimbursement at 100% of the fee schedule from both private insurance and Medicaid. - These legislative changes are particularly relevant as 47% of Virginia's counties are considered maternity care deserts, a situation groups like the Virginia Midwives Alliance are working to address by improving access to community-based birth services. - A licensed certified midwife who has practiced for fewer than 1,000 hours must do so in consultation with a licensed physician or an independent practice midwife under a practice agreement. After completing 1,000 hours, they may practice without a practice agreement upon receiving an attestation from the consulting provider.
