Rethinking maternal healthcare for the 21st century in the United States

Abstract

To date, the United States (U.S.) maternal mortality rate (MMR) is almost 30% higher than that of its global counterparts. With disproportionate maternal morbidities and mortalities across the U.S., the people look to governmental legislation to remedy the steadily rising cases of maternal and infant demise across various states. Health outcomes like postpartum hemorrhage, hypertension, and maternal infection during pregnancy are now important causes of maternal death across the U.S., conditions that were once sustai- nably treated and, therefore, preventable. Though maternal surveillance and legislation imparted by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) stipulated minor governance of maternal healthcare, indeed, rising maternal death tolls counter its effectiveness, showing disparate discrepancies across ethnicities. Comparative global country analysis reveals effective methods that need to be communicated in U.S. legislation for maternal care standardization and sustenance. States like California also offer tangible evidence of legislative change and maternal and infant outcome success. This paper provides an overview of the maternal and infant crisis in the U.S., provides insight into the current state of maternal surveillance and the ACA, compares the pros and cons of effective maternal healthcare in global countries, and offers a tangible solution to correct the maternal healthcare crisis in the United States of America.

Keywords

• america; care; crisis; healthcare
• maternal healthcare; morbidity; mortality; united states; usa; maternal mortality rate