孕产妇保健宣传日:2024年1月23日

Access to maternal health care—the theme of this year’s 孕产妇健康 Awareness Day—is not consistently available for many people having a baby in the U.S. Challenges are particularly acute for those with mental health and substance use issues in geographically isolated communities with limited obstetric care providers, 数字连接, 交通方式, 还有其他障碍. Policy decisions also affect access, especially for individuals on lower incomes.

Medicaid coverage protections during the COVID-19 public health emergency provided pregnancy-related coverage beyond the traditional 60-day postpartum period. 现在, coverage and access gains are at risk as states redetermine eligibility for millions of people enrolled in Medicaid.

Access to care also varies across states based on factors such as their Medicaid expansion status, the extension of pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum, 限制堕胎和生殖保健.

也, some individuals might hesitate to seek care because of language barriers, 对儿童福利参与的关注, or past experiences of care that did not align with their values, 首选项, 和需要.

我认识一位女士，她面对了所有这些障碍. Unable to access mental health care and substance abuse treatment while she was pregnant led to a physical and mental health downward spiral and threatened her custody of her children. How can this trajectory be avoided for her and other women who face any, 大多数, 或者所有这些障碍?

在我为韦斯特工作的时候, 我和我的团队一直在关注这些障碍, working collaboratively with federal agencies to address issues related to maternal health access. Our research underscores the unique obstacles encountered by individuals from underserved populations, revealing that social and structural factors frequently exacerbate access barriers. Black and American Indian and Alaska Native individuals giving birth, especially those with intersecting marginalized identities in rural areas or on Medicaid, 经历不成比例的挑战. 我们的工作还确定了潜在的解决方案, including the critical role of involving communities as full and equal partners in the design and delivery of maternal health programs.

Examples of the questions we study in our research include the following:

• 医疗保险中心 & Medicaid 服务 (CMS) Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model: How can we address the challenges of opioid use in pregnancy?
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ERASE Maternal Mortality (ERASE MM) initiative: 我们如何才能消除可预防的妊娠相关死亡?
• Health Resources 服务 Administration (HRSA) Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS): How can access to maternal and obstetrics care in rural areas be improved?
• 美国国立卫生研究院 孕产妇保健社区实施方案(MH-CIP): 如何才能缩小孕产妇保健结果方面的差距?

The woman I mentioned earlier with complex issues surrounding her mental health and ability to parent successfully is in treatment and maintains regular contact with her children. Her story and the circumstances of many others with barriers to maternal and obstetric care embody “the why” my colleagues and I are committed to this research.

趣赢平台 has been a trusted partner to changemakers for over 60 years, informing and inspiring solutions through technical assistance, 评价, 和研究. Our commitment continues today, on 孕产妇健康 Awareness Day, and every day.

Submitted by Nicole Harlaar, PhD, a Principal Research Associate for 公共卫生.