Mississippi Declares a Public Health Emergency Over Infant Deaths
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Between 2023 and 2024, infant mortality rates worsened in 24 states, including Arkansas and Louisiana, Warren says. “This is reflective of a large trend.”
These states had already been struggling with maternal and infant heath, but outside factors are likely worsening these outcomes. Many rural counties have lost ob-gyns or hospital maternity services in recent years, so women have to travel further for prenatal and maternity care. More than half of counties in Mississippi and one-third of counties in the U.S. are considered maternity-care deserts, which means they have no hospitals providing obstetric care, no ob-gyns, and no certified nurse midwives.
In Mississippi and in the South, ob-gyns are leaving because of low Medicaid and private insurance compensation rates that make it difficult to keep a practice open. Practices that remain open are often short-staffed, and providers sometimes burn out after being on a 24/7 call schedule. As a result, women having emergencies during childbirth may not be able to get to a doctor in time.
Mississippi and many other states in the South have also not expanded Medicaid, meaning women may be going into pregnancy less healthy than they would if they had more access to health care. If women do not have health insurance, they may not be visiting a doctor regularly to control chronic conditions like obesity or diabetes. One of the big factors leading to more infant deaths, Warren says, is that many are born premature, and much of prematurity is driven by a mom’s health before she even becomes pregnant.
https://time.com/7312122/mississippi-infant-mortality-public-health-emergency/?utm_source=firefox-newtab-en-us
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Dear Neo-Confederates, MAGAts, etc.: Play stupid games - win stupid prizes!!!
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