Maternal health outcomes are significantly impacted by factors like income, location, culture, and ethnicity. Disparities persist in prenatal, delivery, and postnatal care. Addressing these inequities requires a multi-pronged approach.
Worku Mimani Minuta
Addressing disparities in access to care requires a systemic approach that tackles financial, structural, and social barriers. The aim is to ensure that every person has a healthy and dignified experience throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
1. Financial and Insurance Policy Reform - We must eliminate financial barriers to care. Policies should guarantee continuous, comprehensive insurance coverage from preconception through at least one year postpartum. Additionally, we need to support non-medical costs, such as transportation and childcare, which can be significant burdens for low-income families.
2. Strengthening the Healthcare Workforce - A well-supported and culturally competent workforce is essential. This includes investing in community health workers to bridge the gap between patients and the healthcare system. We should also incentivize providers to work in underserved areas to address shortages.
3. Leveraging Technology - Technology can help bridge geographical gaps in access to care. Policies should support and reimburse telehealth services for prenatal and postpartum care, including mental health counseling. Moreover, we must close the digital divide by investing in broadband infrastructure in rural and low-income communities.
4. Comprehensive Data and Accountability - Finally, we need to measure what we aim to improve. Policies should mandate standardized data collection on social and economic factors to identify disparities and track progress. We also need to establish and fund maternal mortality and morbidity review committees to investigate complications and deaths, leading to actionable changes in the healthcare system.
First, there needs to be universal for defining gestational malnutrition: pre-existing and current in this population. Likely WHO has it and other NGO's but nothing currently exists in clinical practice. YES.. GLIM.. (Global Leadership in Malnutrition) established one based on some ASPEN/AND criteria however does NOT include the word "pregnancy" in it so clinicans are not using it! Pregnancy should be an anabolic event.. YET in the setting of inadequate nutrition, it is a CATABOLIC event with life-long consequences for the fetus/neonate as well as the mother. MOTHERS AND FETUSES MATTER!!
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