Glad to contribute to this conversation--Certainly we need more consistent data across the US to track #maternalmortality That said, we can't let the data debate distract us from the severity of the issue, the disparities of outcome by race, payer and language, or the number of severe #maternalhealth complications that could have been another maternal death given just slightly different circumstances. As a prior California maternal mortality review committee member, an #OBGYN for 20 years, a quality improvement designer, a clinical innovator, a physician leader and mom, we have much to do. Let's stay focused! California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) March of Dimes
My last story for STAT is on a subject very dear to me: maternal health; it is quite fitting that I filed the first draft in the summer, right as I was getting into labor. There has been a lot of criticism of maternal mortality data in the US, and it makes sense: it's a mess; it's always been a mess. But that should not distract from the reality of a real crisis that sits at the intersection of a whole set of systemic injustices and social shortcomings. I spoke with experts including Joia Crear-Perry, MD, Michelle Drew, Gene Declercq, Amanda Williams to understand why numbers only tell a small part of the maternal health story, and why improving outcomes for American mothers “was never about one thing — it’s about a revolution." (With endless thanks, as always, to editor extraordinaire Sarah Todd).
The conversation needs to focus on the pregnant people in crisis. The data has long shown who they are. Now it's time to address the issues. Funding for maternal health research and clinical education would be a good start.