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70% of these deaths were preventable. We know that now. This new state report, an investigation of Alabama's maternal deaths, tells us more about who died and why. But it also gives recommendations for making pregnancy, childbirth & postpartum safer. 1/ https://reckonsouth.com/maternal-mortality-panel-finds-70-percent-of-alabama-pregnancy-deaths-preventable-urges-medicaid-expansion/
The first recommendation? Expand Medicaid. Alabama is one of 14 states that hasn't done so, and the report's authors say Alabama's failure to do so is “an underlying, yet significant factor” impacting the deaths of Alabama mothers. 2/
In Alabama, it's not too difficult to qualify for Medicaid if you're pregnant. Medicaid actually pays for half of all births in the state. But it only kicks in after a woman becomes pregnant, & it drops out 6 weeks after birth, leaving those women potentially uninsured. 3/
Two-thirds of AL's maternal deaths happened 43 days to 1 year AFTER childbirth. That's outside the Medicaid window. Women left uninsured after 6 wks may not be able to afford care for potentially life-threatening physical/mental health issues that arose from pregnancy. 4/
Other non-Medicaid expansion states have tried to close that gap. Earlier this year, Georgia lawmakers voted to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to 6 months after birth. AL Rep. Laura Hall brought a similar bill in the 2020 legislative session but it died in committee. 5/
Other findings from the report: Mental health & substance use disorders accounted for nearly half the deaths. For those mothers who want help, it's hard to find. Alabama has very few inpatient beds to treat pregnant women w/ these disorders. 6/
Some Alabama counties choose instead to charge pregnant women w/ felonies for chemical endangerment & jail them to keep them from using. Jefferson County has programs to prevent that from happening, but most counties don't. Whether you're arrested depends on where you live. 7/
A few more from the report: Cardiovascular diseases were most common cause of death, but lack of autopsy reports made it difficult to learn more. Investigators found problems with access to care and a lack of care coordination among systems and health care providers 8/
Here's the full report. The numbers are relatively small when compared to other killers like cancer or heart disease. But with 70% of the deaths preventable, finally having the data means Alabama has the chance to do something about it. https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/perinatal/assets/2016MMR_Report_FINAL.pdf
