Photo credit: https://www.harvardpilgrim.org
On November 30, 2021, the Assembly Standing Committee on Health and the Assembly Task Force on Women's issues hosted a public hearing to discuss the importance of perinatal care, maternal morbidity and mortality. The hearing called attention to both the quality and accessibility of these issues as it relates to motherhood.
Throughtout the course of the hearing, quality of healthcare in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum have been shown to have great importance. The discussion brought a focus to how barriers with general understanding as well as accessibility may pose a issue amongst families. To provide more insight it's important to understand the general terminology surrounding the topic at hand.
Key Terms
Perinatal Care: is the care mother's recieve before and after birth relating to increasing pregnancy outcomes and decreasing maternal mortality.
Maternal Morbidity: short or long term medical issues that occur due to pregnancy and/or childbirth.
Maternal Mortality: is the death of a mother due to complications during pregnancy or childbirth.
With an understanding of these terms, hosting public hearings such as this one call attention to complications surrounding pregnancy that is not otherwise spoken about. While sticking to talking points surrounding these issues, the hearing also examined causes and extensive consequences amongst motherhood and pregnancy.
In efforts to move forward and provide solutions, its important to keep this dialogue open throughout communities.
In correlation to Hope and Healing Family Center, the organization hopes to host and open further conversations centered around educating families!