Maternal Mortality and How We Can Help Prevent It
Your health as well as your baby’s should always be in focus.
So many preparations come within the nine months of pregnancy. You decorate the nursery, stock the fridge, install the car seat and purchase all the necessities. And as the due date quickly approaches, you visualize your perfect labor and delivery and focus on a plan to ensure a healthy baby. You are so willing to do everything to meet your new little one that your health and safety is often a second thought. But your baby’s health, as well as yours, should be a primary focus as your due date approaches.
According to the CDC, over 700 women die during pregnancy or in the year after. And approximately another 50,000 will have unexpected circumstances with serious short- or long-term health consequences. For black women, the chance of a pregnancy related complication or death is three to four times more likely than that of white women. Many factors can contribute to this disparity. Access to quality healthcare, underlying conditions and bias are just a few. However, understanding and recognizing warning signs, along with advocating for and getting treatment in a timely manner, increases your chances of a healthy pregnancy and birth.
Watch for these signs and seek immediate care if you experience:
· Severe headache
· Extreme swelling of hands or face
· Trouble breathing
· Vaginal bleeding or discharge
· Overwhelming tiredness
For a complete list of all urgent maternal warning signs, head to The Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health here.
Along with watching for the warning signs, you should:
1. Talk with a healthcare provider if anything doesn’t feel right
2. Maintain an ongoing relationship with medical support before, during and after pregnancy
3. Document and share pregnancy history during every doctor visit for up to one year after delivery
We can individually support the pregnant women in our lives, but how can that lead to major change? In collaboration with the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health, the HEAR HER campaign is committed to advocating for healthy pregnancies and deliveries for every woman. In addition, these 12 organizations support and celebrate black moms.
We want you and your support system to feel empowered to speak up and act quickly if anything doesn’t feel right. If you or your partner, needs additional support or has questions, reach out to your BenefitBump Care Navigator.