Maternal & Infant Health
By: Kalina Dickinson, Communications Intern
High maternal and infant mortality rates are extremely present here in Indiana. As of 2022, the state had the third highest maternal mortality rate among all reporting states at 44 deaths per 100,000 live births. Due to this overwhelming presence, maternal and infant health is not only important to understand, but it is also necessary for this subject to be talked about.
Key Terms:
Maternal health- the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period. This includes both the physical and mental well-being of women during these three stages. Maternal health is also the absence of maternal mortality and maternal morbidity, and its goal is to have each stage be a positive experience for women.
Maternal mortality- the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes.
Maternal morbidity- unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery that result in significant short- or long-term consequences to a woman’s health.
Infant health-the well-being and prevention of diseases among infants during the ages 0 to 36 months.
Infant mortality- the death of an infant before its first birthday.
Maternal Health Concerns:
Physical:
According to the CDC, these are the top health concerns women may face during pregnancy…
Anemia
Urinary tract infections
Mental health conditions
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Obesity and weight gain
Infections
According to the Mayo Clinic, these are some of the top health concerns women face postpartum…
Cardiovascular diseases
Other medical conditions often reflecting pre-existing illnesses
Infection or sepsis
Hemorrhage: Excessive bleeding after giving birth.
Cardiomyopathy: A disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body.
Thrombotic pulmonary embolism: A blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs often caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from the legs.
Strokes
High blood pressure
Amniotic fluid embolism: A rare but serious condition that occurs when amniotic fluid or fetal material, such as fetal cells, enters the mother's bloodstream.
Anesthesia complications
Mental:
According to Stanford Medicine, the top two mental health concerns during the three stages of maternal health are…
Anxiety
panic attacks
hyperventilation
repeated thoughts or images of frightening things happening to the baby
excessive worry
restless sleep
Depression
Fatigue or lack of energy
Restlessness or feeling slowed down
Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
Difficulty concentrating
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
Other mental health issues that can arise include…
bipolar disorder
episodes of low-energy depression and high-energy mania
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
eating disorders
EX: bulimia or anorexia nervosa
Source: KidsHealth
Infant Health Concerns:
After birth, infants face the following health concerns…
Prematurity
Respiratory disorders
Low blood sugar (glucose)
Severe infections
EX: sepsis
Heart problems
Metabolic disorders
Birth defects that may require surgery
Maternal Mortality Causes:
Some of the leading causes of maternal mortality include:
Cardiovascular disease
Severe bleeding (hemorrhaging)
Obstructed labor
Unsafe abortion
Infection
According to the Health Department medical detectives, 84% of U.S. maternal deaths are preventable.
Infant Mortality Causes:
According to the CDC, almost 20,000 infants died in the United States in 2020. The five leading causes of infant death in 2020 were…
Birth defects
Preterm birth and low birth weight
Sudden infant death syndrome
Injuries (e.g., suffocation)
Maternal pregnancy complications
According to a study, approximately 35.3% of infant deaths could have been prevented with the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases during pregnancy and 26.8% of them could have been prevented with better care conditions for pregnant women.
Infant and Maternal Mortality Rates by Race:
In 2019, infant mortality rates by race and ethnicity were…
Non-Hispanic Black: 10.6
Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 8.2
Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native: 7.9
Hispanic: 5.0
Non-Hispanic white: 4.5
Non-Hispanic Asian: 3.4
Source: CDC Infant Mortality
In 2021, maternal mortality rates by race and ethnicity were..
Non-Hispanic Black: 37.3
Non-Hispanic White: 14.9
Hispanic: 11.8
Source: CDC Maternal Mortality Rates
Maternal Mortality Review Board:
The Maternal Mortality Review Board is a committee that reviews the specifics surrounding the deaths of pregnant women that occur from conception up to one year after the end of their pregnancy. Those who conduct these reviews are from diverse backgrounds in the medical field. Typically they are representatives from public health, obstetrics, gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, nursing, midwifery, forensic pathology, mental and behavioral health, and patient advocacy groups.
You can see their recent findings here in their 2022 report.
Learn More:
Want to learn more? Look at our past blogs that dive deeper into specific areas of maternal health and mortality!
We also have a maternal health resource hub and our maternal health and infant mortality policy brief!
Upcoming Event:
Listen, Connect, Participate: Maternal & Infant Health | July 26th at 10 East Arts Hub
This event will be an hour of networking and panel discussion with experts on the topic of maternal and infant health. It will be our first time at 10 East Hub. Your voice has power. Continue the conversation with us! You can purchase tickets here.