Contents tagged with maternal mortality
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Texas Family Physician - Vol. 69 No. 1, Fall 2018
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CONTENTS
Maternal mortality and morbidity in TexasSince a report published in late 2016 showed Texas led the nation in a stark increase … more
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Maternal mortality and morbidity in Texas
Maternal mortality in Texas
By Perdita Henry
A 2016 study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology revealed a startling trend. Researchers found that maternal mortality and morbidity … more
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Addressing Texas’ maternal mortality crisis
Janet Realini, MD, MPH
As is often the case in Texas politics, there was little agreement during the 85th Legislative Session on which steps are necessary to address the state’s many health care challenges. One area that did see agreement, though, was the recognition that far too many mothers in Texas get sick or die during pregnancy or within a year of a pregnancy ending. Unlike the decline of mortality rates internationally, U.S. maternal mortality rates have been increasing, and Texas’ maternal death rate infamously doubled between 2010 and 2012.
Thankfully, the Legislature moved during special session to extend the state’s Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force, which plays an important role in identifying and addressing the core issues contributing to maternal death and severe illness.
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Lawmakers have a second chance to face the reality of maternal mortality
By Perdita Henry
In a 2016 study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, researchers found that from 2011 to 2015, 537 Texas women died while pregnant or within 42 days of delivery, compared to 296 from 2007 to 2010. This doubling of maternal deaths made Texas the most dangerous place to give birth in the developed world. Maternal mortality was on the agenda for the 85th Legislature but many of the bills that would help us understand and identify the dangers facing new and expectant mothers were left to languish. Now with the Texas Legislature set to return on July 18 for a 30-day special session, they have a chance to do the right thing for Texas mothers.
The issue of maternal mortality is a concern all over the country but Texas unfortunately has the distinction of being the worst. In fact, Janet Realini, MD, MPH, president of Healthy Futures of Texas and chair of Texas Women’s Healthcare Coalition, spoke about her concerns during her Member of the Month interview. “Texas women have the highest maternal mortality rate of any state — higher than many third-world countries,” she said. “Preventive care and contraception are incredibly important in addressing this issue in two ways: preventing unplanned pregnancies that can stress women with health issues and serving as an entry to health care for women with health risks.”
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