Dr. Lisa Klein, Coordinator for the Maternal Mortality Review with the Delaware Maternal and Child Death Review Commission (MCDRC) and its epidemiologist Dr. Meena Ramakrishnon, discussed the alarming upward trend of maternal deaths and that four out of five are preventable. We talked about tracking, looking beyond the delivery room into the first year post-partum and citing recent pregnancies on death certificates. They discussed the role of mental health in many of these deaths including overdoses, suicide and addiction, but also domestic violence. They cited social stressors, racism and poverty, as factor in the disparity between Black and white mothers and ways to reduce the problems of access to care. They look for a holistic approach, from housing to mental health, starting with training the ‘gate keepers’ in primary care to look for any underlying issues that may be present.
To learn more about maternal health in Delaware and resources available visit DEThrives.com