State Department of Health announces $1.7 million to tackle maternal mortality
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is reserving $1.7 million in grant money to address maternal mortality, acting Secretary of Health Debra Bogen announced Friday.
The money adds to the $2.6 million that Gov. Josh Shapiro recommended in his recent 2024– 2025 budget address to go toward maternal health, as well as $2.3 million from the previous year’s budget to expand maternal health programming.
“Pennsylvania, like the rest of the country, must do better at protecting pregnant women and their families,” Dr. Bogen said at a news conference at the Midwife Center in the Strip District.
“This investment will continue to support the goal ensuring that every pregnant woman in Pennsylvania receives the comprehensive care necessary to have a safe and healthy pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum care. We are committed to supporting interventions that work.”
Other speakers included local and state politicians, such as second lady of Pennsylvania Blayre Holmes Davis; Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato; state Sen. Lindsey Williams, D-Allegheny; state Rep. Lindsay Powell, D-Allegheny; and Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton,
D-Delaware/Philadelphia.
The pregnancy- associated mortality rate in Pennsylvania is 82 for every 100,000 live births, according to the state Department of Health’s 2021 Maternal Mortality Report, compared to a national average of 39.2 per 100,000 live births. The report also says the maternal mortality rate for Black women in the state is twice as high than that of their white counterparts.
“Last year, I met a doctor in Philadelphia who noted that Black mothers represent 43% of births, but 73% of deaths,” said Ms. Holmes Davis. “These are not simply just statistics. These are real people who are loved, who were loved. These were women who left behind families and communities that needed them.”
The grant money will allow community organizations to apply for funding so they can assess their particular needs.
“You know your community when you live in your community,” said Dr. Bogen. “This will allow state recommendations to be implemented at the local level.”
More information about the application process is forthcoming.
Speakers highlighted the need to directly address the health disparity component seen in maternal mortality rates.
Christine Haas, executive director of the Midwife Center, said it is one of just five free-standing
birth centers in the state, and that 10,000 babies had been born in its care since opening in 1982.
“We know from decades of data and research that birth centers consistently achieve better health outcomes than national averages and is one of the few models of care that significantly reduces the deep racial disparities in maternal and infant health in the United States,” said Ms. Haas.
“For example, a third of pregnancies in the U.S. result in C-sections,” she added. “For the Midwife Center, our rate was about 8% in 2023. The preterm birth rate in the U.S. has been at about 10%. It was 1.5% at the Midwife Center last year. These excellent outcomes have been consistent by race and by public and private insurance.”
In a tour of the center afterward, midwife Annetra Taylor said many Black patients seek care there because they don’t feel that they are listened to in the traditional health care system.
“We want to listen to them and
get their story,” she said.
Cheryl Bradshaw, the Midwife Center client care services director, said a tenet to addressing racial disparities in birthing and maternal deaths must be diversifying the workforce, from doulas, midwives and nurses: “We have to get Black nurses working on the floor,” she said.
“We cannot afford to ignore these disparities any longer,” said Ms. Innamorato. “A C-grade is not good enough,” she said, referring to the 2023 March of Dimes Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Report Card on maternal health.
“Today, we not only come together to shine a light on these critical issues, but also to outline our collective efforts on how we can work together to combat this head-on,” she said.
“Our goal is clear … and it’s to ensure that every mother and birthing person and baby receives the high quality of care they deserve regardless of race or ethnicity.”