Regional Summit Addresses Maternal Health
Stakeholders from public health, clinical practice, and community organizations convened for the Region VIII Maternal Health Summit. The session focused on regional challenges, including provider shortages and barriers to care in rural areas. Discussions likely included strategies such as telehealth expansion and community-based programs to reduce disparities in birth outcomes.
- The U.S. maternal mortality rate rose to 19.0 deaths per 100,000 live births as of December 2024, with significant racial disparities; the rate for Black women was 47.5 deaths per 100,000 live births. - Rural communities face a greater likelihood of severe maternal morbidity and mortality compared to urban areas, a problem intensified by the fact that over half of rural counties in the U.S. lack hospital-based obstetric services. - To bridge gaps in care, digital health platforms and telehealth are being used for remote monitoring of vital signs to detect conditions like preeclampsia, provider-to-provider e-consults with maternal-fetal medicine specialists, and virtual doula support during labor. - The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is targeting states with high maternal mortality rates through its Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative, which supports community-based programs and aims to improve collaboration among its grantees. - A significant workforce shortage exists, with the World Health Organization estimating a global shortfall of 900,000 midwives. In the U.S., the advanced practice nursing workforce, which includes nurse-midwives, is projected to grow by 38% between 2022 and 2032 to meet demand. - In Virginia, where approximately 36% of counties are classified as "maternity care deserts," a new law (HB 1904) will take effect July 1, 2025, allowing certified nurse-midwives to fulfill 24-hour on-call duties for nursery care to address staffing shortages. - The Virginia affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives is advocating for the "MAMA Bill," a legislative initiative for 2026 aimed at ensuring all licensed midwives are reimbursed by insurance plans at 100% of the fee schedule, achieving payment parity. - Studies of community-based doula programs, particularly those serving women of color and low-income families, show that participants are two times less likely to experience birth complications and four times less likely to have a low-birthweight baby.
