Issue: Mental health disorders among pregnant and postpartum women are on the rise, yet many women do not seek or receive treatment due to numerous barriers. Those receiving care often get an inconsistent message about preventative measures or whether to continue psychiatric medications during pregnancy. Untreated mental illness among mothers can have profound consequences for…
Last Updated September 2023 Some states first established maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs) to investigate deaths related to pregnancy in the early 20th century, when rates were the highest on record. These jurisdictions reviewed deaths in an effort to understand why many women died in childbirth and to respond to poor medical practices and inadequate care…
Maternal mortality rates continue to increase in the United States, with significant racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in birth outcomes. States are using a variety of approaches to provide doula services within their Medicaid programs to address inequities. Doulas provide continuous physical, emotional, and information support to people before, during, and shortly after childbirth. Current evidence suggests that pregnant…
In the past 40 years, the number of women in prisons and jails in the United States has skyrocketed. Between 1980 and 2021, the percentage of incarcerated women increased by more than 525 percent, outpacing rates of incarcerated men during this time period. The most recent data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows yet another increase, with…
This e-learning module focuses on exploring MCH policy and the policy process. This module is part of a series that provides Title V professionals with the tools, knowledge, and capacity to effectively engage in policy development, implementation, evaluation, and advocacy to ensure that policies affecting maternal and child health populations are effective, equitable, and evidence-based.
Approximately one in 20 people report using cannabis while pregnant, making it the most used federally illicit substance by pregnant people in the U.S., according to SAMSHA. The potential harms of perinatal cannabis use to maternal, fetal, and newborn health are well-documented. This publication is intended as a resource for state MCH professionals in designing…
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP) has developed a maternal health bill tracker. The tracker is designed to help anyone interested in maternal health policy stay on topic of the more than 30 federal bills introduced so far this year focused on improving maternal health in the U.S. The tracker provides key information…
This resource helps you stay informed about telehealth-related laws, regulations and Medicaid programs. The map and search options cover current laws and regulations for all fifty states and the District of Columbia.
Increasing women’s access to postpartum birth control has the potential to increase the health and well-being of women and their families, and immediate postpartum birth control can lead to a decrease in unplanned pregnancies, increased intervals between pregnancies, and a reduction in neonatal abstinence syndrome births (from drug exposure in the womb). Tennessee and California…
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U7CMC53579, Maternal Health Training & Resource Center. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position nor policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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