The Maternal Healthcare System Part I – Lab 062

About This Lab

As Mother’s Day is approaching and in light of SCOTUS’ recent overturn of Roe v Wade, we reflect on human rights, the maternal health care system, and birthing equity. People have been giving birth since the dawn of time but why is it that there are no many risks to maternal health and risk disparities for different birthing people? We investigate all that and more, and dig deep into what a safe and equitably resourced space for birthing people might look like in the future.

How do we have so many risks and risk disparities when it comes to maternal health?

• The US health care system is “perfectly antiquated” as guest expert Simmone Taitt says

  • We’re still using same practices from decades ago to address issues in underserved communities

  • It’s wack and giving Game of Thrones SHAME!

How we imagine the U.S. healthcare system looking at itself in the mirror

Morbidity vs mortality

• morbidity: health issues due to pregnancy or giving birth

• mortality= death

• US spends the most money on maternal health in the world BUT has one of the highest mortality rates among developed countries.

• What’s included in maternal health?

  • once someone is 8-9 wks pregnant and goes to first OB-GYN appt, they’re in the maternal health care system

  • after giving birth, folks have 60 days until they’re out of the maternal health care system

• Sharing and shifting focus

  • maternal health care system is rly focused on baby BUT mothers and birthing people NEED adequate aftercare

  • There’s a lack of remote care options

  • Maternal health care deserts make access extremely difficult (affecting 7mil birthing people)

    • There’s also a lack of OB-GYN health professionals

    • ~50% birthing ppl are on Medicaid and folks might not start prenatal care til half way into pregnancy BUT it’s NOT their fault but rather the faulty system

• Why Black and Brown birthing people have disparate rates of morbidity and mortality opposed to others?

  • deep racial bias

    • ex: higher rate about preeclampsia for Black women

  • myths of higher pain tolerances in women of color

• Building Support/Network

  • super important for birthing people to have support after pregnancy as the body re-regulates itself

    • aside from the physical, three are so many mental components as well

      • there are risk of postpartum depression, 1 in 7 women get it CDC

      • oxytocin spikes an ebbs as it’s prepping the body for birth and re-regulating afterwards

• Legislation and Policy

  • Black Maternal Health Caucus

    • Momnibus Act

      • legislation with specific funding allocated to creating more supportive, equitable spaces for underserved birthing people

  • in NYC Mayor Adams signed off on a doula pilot program

  • Protect Moms Who Served Act

    • $15 mil investment to improve maternal health for vets, focusing on ethnic disparities

  • Black Maternal Health Week, officially recognized by White House April 13, 2021

  • Big Picture: There’s a lot of progress to be made and the fight will continue. In light of this week’s events, it’s important to be even more vigilant and to lead with compassion. Here’s an anthem from R and B legend Fantasia that still hits.

• #Amerie One Thing

  • Titi: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once

Guest Expert

This lab’s guest expert is Simmone Taitt, founder and CEO of Poppy Seed Health. Poppy Seed Health, is a telehealth app that connects birthing people with the right support for their needs, including health professionals like midwives and doulas. Through the app, Poppy Seed Health also connecting birthing communities.

Transcript

You can read along with this lab here.