Key Takeaways:
– California’s surgeon general plans to reduce maternal mortality by 50% by 2026.
– More than 80% of maternal deaths across the US are preventable.
– The situation has worsened in recent years with COVID-19, despite California having a lower rate than the national average.
– The state’s initiative, “Strong Start & Beyond”, seeks to provide patients with information to understand and address potential risks before pregnancy.
– The strategy includes an at-home questionnaire to help patients assess their risk.
– State officials aim to have all medical facilities use a tool for gauging pregnant patients’ risk levels.
The Push to Improve Maternal Health
California’s surgeon general, Dr. Diana E. Ramos, recently unveiled an ambitious plan to slash the state’s maternal mortality rate by 50% by December 2026. Despite having the lowest maternal mortality rate in the nation, the state has seen a notable resurgence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This initiative, titled “Strong Start & Beyond,” was announced jointly with First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom. It aims to help patients understand and manage possible risks before they become pregnant, thereby reducing maternal deaths, which mainly occur in the days, weeks, and months after delivery.
Addressing Racial Inequities in Maternal Health
The state’s health crisis has been particularly acute among Black women, who face a maternal mortality rate over three times higher than their white counterparts. Factors contributing to this disparity range from enduring racism’s physical effects, higher chronic condition rates, to inequities in the health care received.
Rising maternal mortality rates among the Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander communities have also sparked concern among state officials. The implementation of the “Strong Start & Beyond” initiative aims to address such disparities and ensure that all populations receive the necessary resources for a healthy childbirth.
Boosting Patient-Centered Care
According to Ramos, California achieved its low maternal mortality rate through a focused effort involving hospitals, physicians, and healthcare professionals. However, to further improve that rate, Ramos notes that a more patient-centered approach is needed.
Reiterating the importance of giving patients a voice and adequate information to make informed decisions, Ramos highlighted the planned strategies in the California Maternal Health Blueprint. The blueprint unveiled a new at-home questionnaire that would enable patients to assess their risk of pregnancy complications, thereby helping them take necessary precautionary steps.
Californian health officials are also urging all medical facilities in the state to employ an existing screening tool that gauges the risk levels of pregnant patients. Such measures could significantly guide decision-making regarding birthing locations.
Challenge of Facility Closures
As these initiatives take flight, expectant mothers face a dwindling number of choices for hospital births. Approximately one in every 25 obstetric units closed nationally in 2021 and 2022. Many hospitals, especially those in black, Latino, and low-income communities, have exited the baby delivery business entirely, deepening healthcare disparities.
However, despite these challenges, state officials remain resolute in their commitment to improving maternal health and reducing disparity.
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, noted in a statement accompanying the new initiative launch, “Reducing maternal mortality isn’t a ‘should,’ it’s a ‘must.’
In closing, California’s strides to improve maternal health and decrease mortality rates by 50% by 2026 is a beacon towards better healthcare in the nation.