Moms need support

Harris County mothers continue to suffer preventable pregnancy complications.

Let’s get this out of the way: The Chronicle’s Todd Ackerman reported this week a widely publicized 2016 study that found Texas’ rate of maternal mortality to be higher than the rest of the developed world was based on bad state data and, therefore, produced wildly inaccurate results. It turns out that Texas mothers die at a rate consistent with other states, as far as researchers can tell.

We urge Texans not to breathe a sigh of relief, as this does not exonerate us of anything. Texas women are still suffering pregnancy complications at unacceptable rates, and this is especially heartbreaking because in many cases these outcomes are preventable.

A University of Texas study this past fall on severe maternal morbidity — the clinical term for serious pregnancy complications — found that Texas mothers had a rate higher than the national average. Though Harris County boasts some of the world’s best hospitals and research centers, the morbidity rate here jumped an astounding 53 percent between 2008 and 2015. That year, 2.4 percent of Harris County pregnancies had severe complications, the study found.

The 21 indicators of severe morbidity include kidney failure, heart failure, eclampsia, sepsis and shock. With proper pre- and post-natal care, doctors say the risk of these complications can be significantly reduced.

We were disappointed but not surprised to learn that poor women with inadequate access to health care are at greatest risk for complications. According to the study, mothers on Medicaid were worse off than those with private insurance. Black and Latina mothers endured more complications than their white counterparts. And the ZIP codes with the highest rates of women at risk for severe complications coincide with some of the county’s poorest: Sunnyside, Trinity Gardens, OST/ South Union and Webster.

Harris County health providers should consider and implement nine recommendations made recently by the Reducing Maternal Mortality initiative, which was funded by the Houston Endowment.

These include improving data collection on maternal morbidity in Harris County, creating a public awareness campaign for women to prioritize their own health, encouraging providers to adopt best practices for maternal health and funding partnerships between providers and community groups to ensure support for women during and after pregnancy.

Improving the health of women by improving their access to services is also key, since women with existing health problems are at greater risk of developing pregnancy complications. This includes increasing access to contraception as a part of primary care, as one-third of Harris County pregnancies are unplanned.

The good news is some of this work is already being done. The Houston Endowment, with support from the Episcopal Health Foundation and the Cullen Trust For Health Care, is developing a pilot project aimed at creating a care system to help improve women’s health in targeted communities.

One of the most important tenets of research is to admit mistakes so progress may proceed. The flawed 2016 study on the state’s maternal mortality rate, which was doomed by repeated errors on death certificates, fails to provide an excuse for policymakers to ignore the plight of pregnant Texans. Instead, it shows how the state must improve its record-keeping to craft the most efficient solutions to this problem.

Harris County has the resources to significantly reduce the number of women who suffer severe pregnancy complications. With continued commitment from local governments and the state Legislature, openness to explore publicprivate partnerships and a pledge to improve data collection, the Houston area can provide an example for Texas, rather than a cautionary tale.