Maternal Mortality Crisis
Article by Presley Frank | Photo by Aditya Romansa
“Today, a woman is twice as likely to die from complications of pregnancy and birth than her mother was a generation ago.” per Every Mother Counts. As the medical and technology fields advance, shouldn't we see maternal mortality rates decrease? America is 55th in maternal mortality rates, while putting more money into maternal healthcare than any country in the world. With these shocking statistics, there must be answers. Examining the causes and solutions to confront this worldwide emergency is crucial in ending it.
Understanding the root of this crisis is the first step. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted many studies and identified many causes including: “lack of access to care, unstable housing, limited access to transportation, poor understanding of danger signs, and not following medical advice.” On top of this, they have found that some health facilities are unable to deal with unexpected events that may occur during childbirth. All of these factors weighed together pose a huge risk on the women of our society. Another factor that is often overlooked is race. According to an article written by Phillip Gringey in the American Public Health Association, “African American, Alaska Native, and American Indian women die at a rate almost three times as high as White women.” Considering all of this, having more accessible and effective maternal healthcare to all women is vital.
Evaluating the solutions to this crisis is the final step. To start, expanding the access of quality maternal care is key. This ensures patients that they are guaranteed care that best fits their needs. In addition, providing patients with accurate and helpful information about pregnancy risks, as well as how to identify them and avoid them is equally of paramount importance. Many pregnant women are unaware of potential risks that they may be vulnerable to. Expanding the benefits of maternal insurance also prevents patients in poverty from having poor quality healthcare. Lastly, all of us should speak up about maternal mortality and its causes to policy-makers and political figures in our towns, states and country. We must make sure this issue is heard so that reforms can be made to the structures, systems and procedures in maternal healthcare.
In conclusion, this is a real crisis that must be addressed for the women of today and our future. This is an infringement on a woman’s right to life, as we are denying the proper healthcare necessary to create and secure one's own life. Taking time to educate yourself and others on this issue, and taking action within your community, is a step toward a safer future for women.
Works Cited:
https://everymothercounts.org/unitedstates/
https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/full/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305552
