Maternal Health
Every mom should have a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Every infant should have a healthy start to life.
New York must do more to support expectant and new mothers, and to eliminate disparities in birth outcomes for moms of color and particularly Black moms.
New York has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country. For every 100,000 live births in our state, there are 21.7 maternal deaths, compared to our national average of 23.5. The United States as a whole is facing a crisis of unacceptably poor outcomes for maternal health overall, but especially for moms of color and Black moms specifically. A Black mom in the United States is 3-4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications, and much more likely to give birth to new babies with low-weight at birth. From access to affordable prenatal and perinatal care to anti-discriminatory and anti-racist maternal care, to high-quality support for postpartum mental health, we must do more.
Pregnancy, giving birth, and the first year of motherhood should be a safe and supportive experience for all women. Read below to learn more about the maternal health crisis facing our state, get resources if you are a new or expectant mom who needs support, and take action to help make New York State the best place in the country to have a baby.
Maternal Mental Health
Between 15-20% of new moms experience maternal depression or anxiety. The Schuyler Center website has a number of resources covering screening, referral, and treatment for maternal mental health.
Severe Maternal Morbity
New York State’s severe maternal morbidity rate is higher than the national average, and most concerning in New York City.
The Maximizing Midwifery report outlines how we can achieve high-value maternal care in New York.
Maternal Mortality
In New York City, Black moms are more than 12 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than White moms. New York State is ranked 30th in the nation in its maternal mortality rate, and this rate has been on the rise over the past two decades.
Read the New York State Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Advisory Council Report March 2023 report.
Disparities in Maternal Outcomes by Race
Get Support
The organizations and resources below exist to help new and expectant moms access the resources and support they need.
Sharing Their Strength
Chanel almost died. Twice.
Vanessa’s fears about protecting her baby led her to isolate herself from friends and family.
Geri fell into a deep postpartum depression after giving birth to her newborn.
These women are not alone. They are among the hundreds of thousands of New York mothers who lack access to knowledgeable medical and mental health professionals who specialize in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
Something must change.
Child care for infants and toddlers at severe risk as pandemic threatens providers across New York State
New York State has more than $134 million currently available federal CARES Act funding that the state should strategically invest to rebuild, sustain, and strengthen the state’s child care system for infants, toddlers, and other young children. In April, the state announced that it would make available $30 million in CARES Act funding for child care scholarships for essential workers and for crucial supplies for child care providers.
Raising NY findings on child care capacity highlight urgent need for New York to invest in high-quality infant and toddler care
NEW YORK – The estimated number of infant and toddler child care slots decreased in nearly every region of the state between 2009 and 2018, and many providers report that they are running on a deficit, according to new resources released today by Raising NY, a statewide coalition dedicated to increasing the number of children on track for school readiness.
Poll: Voters say strengthening early childhood is among top issues for NY to address, want state to do more to support infants and toddlers
NEW YORK – A new poll reveals that likely voters rank strengthening education and child care for all New Yorkers as among the top priorities for the state to address, with 85% saying they support the state investing more public funds to expand access to...
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