Improving health outcomes for Black women, infants is priority for Louisville councilwoman

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The maternal health crisis in America is an issue significantly affecting women and infants of color, with Black women three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause in comparison to other races.Louisville advocates say addressing one of the nation’s most troubling health disparities starts with acting and achieving health equity in their own community.Aiding in the fight is Metro Councilwoman Cassie Chambers Armstrong, who is offering a $10,000 grant to support one local nonprofit working to combat infant and maternal mortality, and push Metro Government to prioritize funding for initiatives in this area of discussion.“Our city doesn’t currently spend a single dollar on programmatic initiatives to improve maternal and infant health,” Chambers-Armstrong said. “$10,000 is not going to solve this massive problem and to be honest, it won’t even make a significant dent, but I do hope it will generate energy, enthusiasm, and to help fund good work that will save lives.”It’s an effort that first-time mom, Ashley Robinson, appreciates being addressed now, so hopefully her daughter, Emri, will not suffer in the future. “So that one day when my daughter decides to have kids, she doesn’t have to worry about what she may go through in that situation,” she said.Robinson, like most new moms, had fears that as a minority were heightened. She knew the risk of pregnancy and birth complications that black women face at a disproportionate rate, and data from the Louisville Metro Health Department backed her feelings.Kentucky ranks among states with the poorest health outcomes and has a maternal mortality rate that is three to four times higher than the national rate.“The current state of black maternal health in the U.S. has been declared a public health, racial and reproductive justice crisis,” said Jan Rogers, health program analyst for the Louisville Health Department.In 2018, one-and-a-half women died per week from pregnancy-related issues. A new study released by the health department this year also found that minority women in Jefferson County have inequitable access to prenatal care. The report, which you can find here, also recommended several policy changes for health care entities. Some include: Ensure providers work with and respond to parents to make sure they feel heard Increasing access to doulas and the presence of Black midwives in OB settings Promote options for births outside of the hospital, vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), unmedicated births, water births and models of care such as midwifery Increasing support after delivery – i.e. breastfeeding, mental health/postpartum depression and postpartum-related assistance and care“We want to connect people to the resources there and then also work with them to change the policies and practices that are in place, not only in government, but certainly other institutions like healthcare and education to see if we can make change together,” said Leanna French, community health administrator for Louisville Health Department. For Chambers Armstrong, addressing and combatting the maternal health crisis is long overdue in Louisville and the commonwealth.“If Louisville is to be the cradle-to-career city that we hear so often about, we must invest more in the cradle, and the moms and babies most at risk who are suffering and dying because of our inaction,” she said.The application for 501(c)(3) organizations to apply for the grant can be found here. The deadline is Oct. 15.

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