Maternal Health

Access to essential medications is at risk. Babies are dying because parents are refusing the vitamin K shot. And homicide and suicide are now the leading causes of death in pregnant women.

One of the clearest warning signs is measles, mumps, rubella coverage, which has dropped. New York state has confirmed eight measles cases this year.

A performance transforms the real-life childbirth experiences of women of color into a choreopoem, aiming to spark dialogue, healing, and greater awareness of Georgia’s maternal health disparities.

Health officials over the years have wrestled with trying to stem the city’s high maternal mortality rates, especially among Black women, which are some of the highest in the United States.

Why do some hospitals have far better maternal outcomes than others – even serving similar patients? It comes down to leadership, accountability, and implementation, says Stanford's Dr. Elliott Main.

The founder of Saving Mothers in New York shares a story that highlights the shared experiences of giving birth, no matter where on Earth you live, but also the wide discrepancies in available birth care.

High-quality early care and education programs are associated with positive developmental outcomes for children, improved maternal mental health, and increased maternal employment.

'The next two years will be a sea change among low-income New Yorkers, who will find a dramatic change for nutrition assistance and health care,' said Jack Newton of Legal Services New York.

The global nonprofit organization redistributes medical equipment and supplies to clinics serving vulnerable people. It's finding a growing need for its work in the U.S.

The British Consul General to the Southeast U.S., based in Atlanta, shares a story from her global health work in the Balkans, where a program to install doors on toilets in schools grew into other projects that became a lifeline for women.

An Emory University researcher gave birth in the wake of Hurricane Ivan. The experience moved her to focus on addressing disparities in maternal health, especially in emergency preparedness.

In the study, the link between Covid and developmental delays was strongest when infection occurred late in pregnancy, during the third trimester. That’s also when the fetal brain is growing most rapidly.

Research has not deeply examined Tylenol risks in young children, and many rigorous studies refute a link between vaccines and autism.

Georgia has some of the worst pregnancy outcomes in the United States, but community health organizations are working to change that.

Congenital syphilis, which passes from a pregnant person to a baby, is treatable if caught early, but without care can lead to infant deaths or birth defects.

Artificial intelligence can help with tasks like managing immunization programs to prevent waste and shortages and can help interpret mammograms and other tests, freeing up public health workers to focus on activities that require human interaction.

Doula coverage across New York City increased 25% from 2022 to 2024, and underserved neighborhoods saw investments in care.

Research shows that women who spend time in nature have healthier pregnancies. It's especially vital for Black women, who have a higher maternal mortality rate.

Sylvester Pierce is challenging gender norms in the birth support field while fighting to improve outcomes for Black families.

Saving Mothers, founded by an NYU gynecologist, is among those working to ease a maternal mortality crisis in the city, where deaths per 100,000 live births reached 19 last year.