2/21/2025: The State of Maternity Care and Digital Health

Federal and state maternal health priorities continue to be of issue in the news. Public health advocates examine Medicaid’s role in maternal health decline, while Virginia awaits Governor Youngkin’s decision on legislation expanding midwifery and maternal care access. The March of Dimes is funding new research into preeclampsia and preterm birth, and BMJ reviews the growing role of digital health in antenatal care. Finally, the story of an expecting mother dealing with preeclampsia and its after effects emphasizes the need for better education and solutions around blood pressure management. 

2/20, Harvard Public Health: How to reverse the decline in U.S. maternal health

Medicaid aims to address the poor outcomes in maternal health, but lack of reimbursement and proper incentive structures, among other things, have held back progress. The author recommends a system that would build on the successes of public health coverage while appropriately addressing the needs of the maternal health population.

2/20, Virginia Mercury: Maternal health bills move forward, now Youngkin holds the final say

Legislation expanding midwifery, implicit bias training, and maternal care access awaits the Virginia governor’s decision, likely to come on or before March 24. Virginia will join Arkansas in implementing legislation to support maternal health, pending the governor's line item vetos/approval, and can provide a blueprint for other states looking to follow suit. 

2/18, March of Dimes: March of Dimes Discovery Grants Support Research into Preeclampsia, Aspirin Dosing During Pregnancy, and the Role of the Vaginal Microbiome in Preterm Birth

The March of Dimes will award three $200K research grants to scientists with a track record in maternal health to support their work in improving maternal and infant health outcomes through new diagnostics, interventions, and therapeutics.

2/13, BMJ: A scoping review of digital technologies in antenatal care: recent progress and applications of digital technologies

A comprehensive review of the applicability, outcomes, and recent advancement of digital health modalities in antenatal care as expectant mothers increasingly engage with social media, online platforms, and mobile applications.

2/8, CBS News: An expecting mom's headache seemed normal. It was an early warning sign of an alarming condition

Julia Tavares caught her preeclampsia early because she understood the warning signs and was  monitoring her blood pressure levels. Her continuing issues highlight the long term cardiovascular risks and the need for better blood pressure management solutions.