Resources

AMCHP Innovation Hub is an online platform that provides maternal and child health (MCH) professionals and advocates with resources and tools to explore, build, and share effective work grounded in evidence that contributes to improving the health and well-being of MCH populations and their communities. It is home to the MCH Innovations Database, a searchable...

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...

In the U.S., over 60% of incarcerated pregnant people are in custody for non-violent drug offenses. Only 7 states had statutes related to treatment of substance use disorders in pregnant incarcerated populations despite the evidence that many incarcerated pregnant people struggle with substance use. (2023)

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...

 Reproductive health care for incarcerated individuals should be provided in accordance with the same guidelines and recommendations as for those who are not incarcerated, with attention to the increased risk of infectious diseases and mental health conditions common to incarcerated populations. Ensuring that incarcerated individuals receive respectful, consistent, high-quality reproductive health, pregnancy, and postpartum 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 2023, recognizing that in the U.S., responsibility for healthcare systems and health outcomes largely fall to the states, the Policy Center introduced the inaugural maternal mental health reports to identify key data sets and track results by state. The 2024 report cards highlight progress and remaining areas of opportunity. In 2024, the overall national...

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...

The Six Considerations Planning Tool supports Title V individuals and teams to intentionally center and partner with people with lived experience when considering potential solutions to challenges facing maternal and child health (MCH) populations. It does this by helping teams/individuals: 1. Brainstorm and document potential solutions 2. Identify other partners and individuals who should be...

The Minnesota Prison Doula Project (MnPDP) provides pregnancy and parenting support for incarcerated people. They provide birth support from trained doulas, as well as group-based and individual education and support. The goal is to nurture healthy parent-child relationships and increase parenting confidence and skills.