5/30/2025: The State of Maternity Care and Digital Health

In the news, headlines spotlight growing momentum to improve maternal health access and outcomes. A bipartisan Senate bill proposes eliminating out-of-pocket costs for childbirth, while new research reviews advances in managing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Florida sets an example for addressing OB-GYN care deserts with innovative models, and recent data show continued declines in maternal mental health, especially among marginalized groups.

5/30, Vox: America might make childbirth free

A new bipartisan bill introduced in the Senate last week would require private insurance companies to fully cover all childbirth-related expenses — from prenatal care and ultrasounds to delivery, postpartum care, and mental health treatment — without any co-pays or deductibles.

5/29, Cureus: A Comprehensive Review of Current Advancements in the Diagnosis, Treatment, and Long-Term Implications of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy

A review of 65 articles including randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses on the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in the PubMed database. 

5/28, Becker's Hospital Review: ‘We can’t keep working in silos’: Florida systems tackle OB-GYN deserts

Florida hospitals navigate widening care gaps with telehealth, partnerships with community organizations, and other alternate care models.

5/27,  Medical Economics: Private practices prioritize payer renegotiations, time spent with patients, survey says

Economic pressures drive practices to renegotiate reimbursement rates and expand services to boost revenue and compete with large health systems, while staffing challenges persist. 

5/27, MedPage Today: Self-Reported Maternal Mental Health Declined in Recent Years

New data shows that maternal mental and physical health declined from 2016 to 2023, with more troubling trends seen for mental health. Mothers with lower education levels and publicly insured or uninsured kids, as well as single mothers, had higher odds of self-reporting worse physical and mental health.