The American Medical Association (AMA) has unveiled concrete steps to enhance maternal health outcomes in the United States. Working in conjunction with various members of the Federation of Medicine, including relevant specialty societies, state medical associations, and physicians from rural areas, the AMA has put forth a series of recommendations to address the pressing issue.
AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., MPH, expressed gratitude for the Administration's attention to the maternal health crisis, acknowledging its complexity and the need for significant systemic changes. He stated, "We appreciate the Administration’s action on this worsening problem that is immune to easy fixes and simple remedies. The Administration has correctly noted that the maternal health crisis is at the intersection of multiple complex issues, including health equity, adequate access to health care, socioeconomic factors, and more making the maternal health crisis an issue that will require large systemic changes to successfully address."
The statistics on maternal health in the U.S. are concerning, with a higher number of women dying from pregnancy-related complications compared to other developed countries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,205 pregnancy-related deaths in 2021, with 80 percent of these deemed preventable. Racial disparities are stark, with Black women three to four times more likely than non-Hispanic White women to die from pregnancy-related complications, and American Indian or Alaska Native women more than twice as likely to face such outcomes.
The AMA is advocating for concrete actions at the federal level to combat the rising rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. Their recommendations aim to address the systemic issues contributing to the crisis and improve overall maternal health outcomes in the country.
The release of these recommendations highlights the ongoing efforts to tackle the maternal health crisis and underscores the importance of collaborative efforts across various medical organizations and stakeholders.
