Digital Platforms Expand Maternal Care
Digital health platforms are being increasingly integrated into maternal care to bridge access gaps for underserved populations. The *Sprout* initiative provides freely accessible online educational modules connecting mothers to local resources. In parallel, recent analysis highlights remote monitoring for conditions like gestational hypertension as a core part of high-performing maternal care systems.
- A new Virginia law, HB 1923, will require private insurers and Medicaid to reimburse Licensed Certified Midwives and Licensed Midwives at the same rate as Certified Nurse-Midwives for the same services starting July 1, 2025. This payment parity, championed by the Virginia Affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, aims to expand maternal care options and address workforce shortages. - The number of birthing facilities in Virginia has decreased by approximately 25%, from 68 in 2012 to 49 in September 2024. This contributes to a landscape where the state is projected to face a shortage of more than 20,000 nurses in the next decade. - An estimated 36% of counties in Virginia are classified as "maternity care deserts," which are defined as counties lacking any hospitals or birth centers that offer obstetric care and having no obstetric providers. Nationally, over 2.3 million women of reproductive age are affected by these deserts, which are present in more than 35% of U.S. counties. - Remote blood pressure monitoring programs for postpartum hypertension have been shown to be effective, leading to fewer hospital readmissions and increased attendance at postpartum office visits. One study found that 77% of patients in a remote monitoring program attended a postpartum visit within 6 weeks, compared to 64.4% of those who were not enrolled. - The PowerMom digital research platform enrolled 5,617 participants between 2021 and 2024 to collect maternal health data through surveys, wearable devices, and electronic health records. Of the participants who provided demographic data, 13.7% identified as Black or African American, and 16.4% resided in highly disadvantaged neighborhoods. - To address critical staffing issues, Virginia's House Bill 1904, effective July 1, 2025, will allow certified nurse-midwives and licensed certified midwives to serve on 24-hour on-call rosters for nursery care when physicians are unavailable. The bill also permits the use of telehealth for physician consultations in nursery care.
