PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A new report from the Philadelphia Maternal Mortality Review Committee shows major racial disparities in pregnancy-related death, but a new federal law could provide help.
The American Rescue Plan gives states the option to extend Medicaid support for mothers for up to 12 months after the baby is born. Currently, Medicaid only covers a new mother's health care for 60 days.
The extension is a big deal. According to the Maternal Mortality report, more than half of the pregnancy-related deaths that occurred in Philadelphia from 2013 through 2018 happened postpartum.
In addition, the statistics show Black women are more likely to die for reasons relating to pregnancy. Black women made up 73% of the pregnancy-related deaths, but only 43% of the births, in Philadelphia during that time period.
"Deaths occur a lot later than you think they do," says Sara Jann, director of policy and advocacy at Maternity Care Coalition. "We really need to focus on continuity of care throughout the entire postpartum period."
The maternal mortality provision of the American Rescue Plan is just one small step toward saving Black mothers' lives. The Momnibus Act of 2020, which has floundered in Congress, pushes for many more actions that would offset the systemic racism that makes it harder for Black mothers to have positive outcomes during and after childbirth.
"There is so much we need to do to reverse these trends," says Jann, "but access to care is number one."
Jann says advocates still have to convince Pennsylvania lawmakers to choose the option laid out in the American Rescue Plan. The state also must adopt more measures that will help protect mothers.
Notably, the Philadelphia Maternal Mortality report makes a number of recommendations to help improve maternal mortality in Philadelphia.
1. Address root causes of inequity in the health care system.
2. Tailor behavioral and mental health services to meet the specific needs of pregnant and postpartum women.
3. Improve access to preventive, preconception and prenatal care.
4. Direct more attention to the postpartum period.
5. Heighten awareness of high-risk pregnancy and postpartum complications in non-obstetric care settings.
6. Strengthen coordination of services between health care and social service settings.
7. Build infrastructure to identify and support women with history of intimate partner violence.
The Philadelphia Maternal Mortality report was developed using aggregated data from 110 pregnancy-associated and pregnancy-related deaths in Philadelphia between 2013 and 2018.