For some time now, my research has focused solely on Maternal Health and without mincing words, doing this work comes with mixed feelings as I work particularly with women who have had adverse experiences giving birth in Georgia. Their narratives are eye-opening and traumatizing and I cannot but raise awareness about the menace of maternal mortality. Overall, I love my work as a budding maternal health specialist.

Today, January 23, 2023, we celebrate Maternal Health Awareness Day with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). This year’s theme is“𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐡𝐲.” According to the CDC, more than 80 percent of maternal deaths in the United States are preventable. To prevent these disheartening deaths, which are occurring at an increasing pace, it is necessary to understand why they are occurring. This year, ACOG will focus on uncovering the fundamental causes of maternal deaths and emphasize the significance of data in finding solutions to improve maternal health outcomes.

Maternal mortality has diverse and complex causes. According to ACOG, some questions to ask are: What are the underlying causes of maternal deaths that most affect the patient population in your community or state? What issues are significant to your organization? This year, the ACOG encourages you to identify your “why,” or the cause of maternal deaths that you wish to highlight. Regardless of your motivation, raising awareness about the causes of death during and after pregnancy brings us one step closer to ending the maternal mortality problem that plagues the United States.

This year, ACOG will concentrate on the two major causes of maternal mortality recognized by maternal mortality review committees and recently reported by the CDC: mental health problems and cardiovascular and coronary illnesses. Interestingly, my research focuses on maternal mental health conditions that serve as an underlying cause of pregnancy-related mortality; perinatal mental health. For #MaternalHealthAwarenessDay 2023, we need to Know Why the U.S. maternal mortality crisis is worsening. The causes are numerous and complex, but focusing on even just one can help make a difference. Choose what matters to you!

You can watch/listen to my podcast to learn more: YouTube Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast

Image Source: ACOG