New Jersey has more maternal deaths than the counties of Uzbekistan and Georgia. Women of color are 3 times more likely to die in New Jersey then white women. We didn't get these poor outcomes overnight. So what's happening? What's being done? What's the plan moving forward? While most people think that mothers die during child birth, the majority of deaths occur after the 43rd day postpartum.
In the New Jersey Senate held a hearing on maternal death. The outcomes were horrendous. How could a state with 70 acute care facilities be the 3rd most dangers state for pregnant and postpartum women? In a state that has the 5th most expensive hospital care costs in the country, we are certainly not seeing where expensive hospital care has improved the death rate. Several legislative bill were born from that hearing. It's been a long legislative process, but there are hopes that progress will be made.
Legislation The Bills introduced January 22, 2019 A1662 Doula care-prov. Medicaid coverage 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S1784 A4930 Maternity care-estab. training protocols 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3373 A4931 Maternity care eval.-concerns 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3363 A4932 Medicaid-perinatal episode care prog. 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3365 A4933 Listening to Mothers Survey Act 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3377 A4934 Medicaid coverage-concerns elig. 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3374 A4935 Early elective deliveries-proh. coverage 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3378 A4936 Maternal health care pilot prog.-estab. 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3375 A4937 Maternal mental health-concerns 2RA3/18/2019 Senate Bill S3364 A4938 My Life, My Plan-estab. prog. 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3376 A4939 Interconception care-concerns 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3372 A4940 Perinatal health training-concerns 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3371 A4941 Maternity care pub health campaign-estab 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill S3370 AR219 Birth standards-encourage DOH dev. 2RA3/18/2019 Senate bill SR121 Click here to link to the bills While all of the bills have passed through the committees fairly swiftly, the full assembly still has to vote on this package of bills. The bill that saw the most opposition was the bill to provide payments to doulas. Here is the roll call for that vote: Session Voting: Sen. 1/31/2019 - 3RDG FINAL PASSAGE - Yes {30} No {6} Not Voting {4} - Roll Call Addiego, Dawn Marie (D)- Yes Andrzejczak, Bob (D) - Yes Bateman, Christopher (R) - Yes Beach, James (D) - Yes Brown, Chris A. (R) - Yes Bucco, Anthony R.(R) - Not Voting Cardinale, Gerald (R) - Yes Codey, Richard . (R) - Yes Connors, Christopher J. (R) - No Corrado, Kristin M. (D) - No Cruz-Perez, Nilsa (D) - Yes Cryan, Joseph P. (D)- Yes Cunningham, Sandra B. (D) - Yes Diegnan, Patrick J., Jr.(D) - Yes Doherty, Michael J. (R) - No Gill, Nia H.(D) - Yes Gopal, Vin (D) - Yes Greenstein, Linda R.(D) - Yes Holzapfel, James W.(R) - No Kean, Thomas H., Jr.(R) - Yes Lagana, Joseph A.(D) - Yes Madden, Fred H., Jr. (D) - Yes O'Scanlon, Declan J., Jr.(R) - No Oroho, Steven V.(R) - No Pennacchio, Joseph (R)- Not Voting Pou, Nellie (D) - Yes Rice, Ronald L.(D) - Yes Ruiz, M. Teresa (D) - Yes Sacco, Nicholas J.(D) - Yes Sarlo, Paul A.(D) - Yes Scutari, Nicholas P. (D) - Yes Singer, Robert W. (R) - Yes Singleton, Troy (D)- Yes Smith, Bob (D)- Yes Stack, Brian P. (D)- Yes Sweeney, Stephen M.(D) - Yes Thompson, Samuel D.(R) - Not Voting Turner, Shirley K.(D)- Not Voting Vitale, Joseph F. - Yes |
Lauren Bloomstein NJ, Nurse Who Shouldn't Have DiedU.S. Is Not Prepared to Care For Maternal Deaths |
What is Preeclampsia?
Documentary by Kristine Weatherston
Annually 300,000 mothers are diagnosed with preeclampsia and the leading cause of preterm birth worldwide. Preeclampsia does not discriminate in the lives it impacts. Women from all socioeconomic, race, and backgrounds are impacted. Preeclampsia is also associated with HELLP syndrome which has up to a 30% mortality rate.
Symptoms of HELLP can be misdiagnosed, delaying care. For more information click here.
Symptoms of HELLP can be misdiagnosed, delaying care. For more information click here.
U.S. Rankings for Maternal Deaths |
From 2016 to 2018 New Jersey improved in rank from 47th to 45th, but the county slipped form 19th to 20th in the world.
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Maternal Mortality by State 2016
Massachusetts 1 California 2 Nevada 3 Maine 4 Alabama 5 Colorado 6 North Carolina 7 Oregon 8 Virginia 8 West Virginia10 Wisconsin 10 Delaware 12 Minnesota 12 Connecticut 14 Nebraska 15 Washington 16 Hawaii 17 Iowa 18 New Hampshire 19 Illinois 20 Pennsylvania 21 North Dakota 22 Arizona 23 Rhode Island 23 Utah 23 Tennessee 26 Kansas 27 Idaho 28 Kentucky 29 New York 30 Ohio 30 Wyoming 32 Michigan 33 New Mexico 34 Florida 35 Montana 36 South Dakota 37 Maryland 38 Oklahoma 39 Mississippi 40 South Carolina 41 Missouri 42 Texas 43 Indiana 44 Louisiana 45 Arkansas 46 New Jersey 47 Georgia 48 Alaska•• Vermont•• United States 19 District of Columbia•40.7 |
Maternal Mortality by State 2018
California 1 Massachusetts 2 Nevada 3 Colorado 4 Hawaii 5 West Virginia 5 Alabama 7 Minnesota 8 Connecticut 9 Oregon 10 Delaware 11 Wisconsin 12 Washington 13 Virginia 14 Maine 15 North Carolina 16 Pennsylvania 17 Illinois 18 Nebraska 19 New Hampshire 19 Utah 19 Kansas 22 Iowa 23 Rhode Island 24 Arizona 25 North Dakota 26 Kentucky 27 Michigan 27 Ohio 29 New York 30 Idaho 31 Mississippi 32 Tennessee 33 Oklahoma 34 Maryland 35 Florida 36 Montana 37 Wyoming 38 New Mexico 39 South Carolina 40 South Dakota 41 Missouri 42 Texas 43 Arkansas 44 New Jersey 45 Indiana 46 Louisiana 47 Georgia 48 Alaska•• Vermont•• United States 20 District of Columbia 36 |

What is California doing so well?
In 2004 California has it's first drop in maternal deaths. That was the same year the state implemented safe staffing laws for all hospital units. There was a slight increase during the time around the recession, when many people had job instability and many lost insurance due to the price ncreases according to news sources. "Research by Of Two Minds here shows that workers’ deductibles grew 176% and coinsurance by 67% from 2006 to 2016, while wages only increased by 29%", Mary Juetten, Forbes March 26, 2019
In 2004 California has it's first drop in maternal deaths. That was the same year the state implemented safe staffing laws for all hospital units. There was a slight increase during the time around the recession, when many people had job instability and many lost insurance due to the price ncreases according to news sources. "Research by Of Two Minds here shows that workers’ deductibles grew 176% and coinsurance by 67% from 2006 to 2016, while wages only increased by 29%", Mary Juetten, Forbes March 26, 2019