NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Mayor Eric Adams took steps on Wednesday to address the high maternal and infant mortality rates in New York City, especially for birth givers of color, by announcing the expansions of a doula program, a midwifery initiative and a maternal health care services program.
In New York City, Black women are nine times more likely to die of a pregnancy-related cause than white women and have infant mortality rates more than three times higher.
“The root causes of racial disparities in maternal health are real, so it’s time we do right by every mother and every baby, no matter the color of their skin or the language they speak,” said Adams. “Today, we are announcing a multifaceted initiative to help reduce the inequities that have allowed children and mothers to die at the exact time when we should be welcoming a life. By expanding and investing in both doulas and midwives, we are taking the steps necessary to begin to address the disparities in maternal deaths, life-threatening complications from childbirth, and infant mortality.”
The mayor’s office is planning to provide funding to train 50 community members to become certified doulas, or people who provide physical and emotional support during pregnancy and childbirth, through the Citywide Doula Initiative by June 30.
Studies show that doulas help lower the risk of childbirth complications for the parent and infant by, in part, reducing preterm births and low birth weights, the leading cause of infant mortality. Other interventions, like cesarean births, are also reduced with doula support.
The Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity identified 33 neighborhoods across the city where the doulas will be available free of charge to eligible birth givers—those who are eligible for Medicaid based on income and/or giving birth for the first time or the first time in 10 years.
As part of the city’s midwifery initiative, midwives, who are clinicians that receive formal education, training, and licensure to provide a full range of highly personalized maternal and primary health care, will work with the city’s hospitals, healthcare systems and other stakeholders to better integrate midwifery care into clinical settings.
The third part of Adams’ announcement is a Maternity Hospital Quality Improvement Network which would work with the city’s hospitals and birthing centers by using data to understand the causes of maternal morbidity in order to improve outcomes. The network will also offer training for staff in racial equity, implicit bias, and trauma-informed care.
“Systemic racism should not be a New Yorker’s first experience upon coming into the world,” said Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “The voices of midwives and doulas must be included in the work we are doing to lower the glaring inequities in complications from childbirth. I thank Mayor Adams for taking action to improve birth equity in New York City.”
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