Conference Presentation, Panel
Sexual, Reproductive, and Maternal Health in America
- A documentary film on native mothers is scheduled for release shortly, while the Black Maternal Health Caucus, launched in April with 50 members, is expected to grow to a bipartisan group of 86 members to address bias and telehealth gaps.
- Government collaboration with private industry stakeholders, including Uber, Lyft, and insurance companies, is anticipated to facilitate the transport of women to care, with Secretary Azar expected to work alongside the Caucus.
- Substantial progress in women's health is projected based on a shared agreement that maternal mortality is unacceptably high, reproductive healthcare is critical, prevention policies are essential, and healthcare must be viewed holistically to end differential treatment.
- Implicit bias training is expected to be modeled in provider settings, implemented at every level of health education, and incorporated into the design of health devices to mitigate the healthcare system's challenges regarding race and equality.
- A strategy focusing on finding points of agreement and the "higher ground" is proposed to unite the country, though with some uncertainty regarding its efficacy, aiming to leverage a majority consensus on prevention, sex education, and affordable birth control.
- Approximately 90% of proposed solutions to maternal mortality are expected to be bipartisan, contrasting with partisan issues like abortion access and Medicaid expansion, with all members invited to co-sponsor life-saving legislation regardless of party.
- Senate Republicans are expected to prioritize the Labor, Health, and Human Services appropriation bill before the session's end, potentially linking it to border wall funding, while $50 million in new funding is allocated to initiate research on maternal mortality.
- Beyond the initial $50 million, further funding is expected to be secured as the movement builds momentum, with the "momnibus" bills expected to pass this year or as soon as possible, accompanied by additional legislation driven by increased political will.
- Safety bundles are projected to be implemented in every hospital within the next few years to potentially reduce maternal mortality by half, supported by the "Alliance for Innovation in Maternal Health" initiative scaling the California experience.
- Telemedicine is expected to be tested as a life-saving intervention for Black women, with data guiding future support, while low-tech innovations like primary care providers asking about pregnancy plans are anticipated to bridge access gaps.
- Technology, including wearables, sensors, and AI machine learning, is expected to develop predictive analytics for risk identification and tailor care by triaging women to services like home visiting nurses, while freeing up resources for high-touch activities like group prenatal care.
- The six-week postpartum visit standard is expected to be replaced by immediate follow-up within the first week per new American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidance, and Medicaid coverage is expected to be extended up to a year postpartum.
- The healthcare system is expected to address social determinants such as maternity leave, tax credits, and nutrition, with a shift toward a system involving more home visitors and community health educators to mitigate chronic stress from social conditions.
- Policymakers are expected to ensure technological advances promote health equity rather than widening disparities, while comprehensive reproductive health services will include fertility counseling and public education to prepare women for the reproductive life process.
- Financing structures that disincentivize frequent postpartum visits are expected to be addressed, with societal policies contributing to stress for women without paid leave, emphasizing the necessity of addressing privilege and the role of the current postpartum system.