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.
It’s time to expand the Empire State Child Credit, New York!
As it stands currently, the Empire State Child Tax Credit policy excludes young children under 4 and its phase-in structure reduces the credit amount for children in families experiencing deep poverty – meaning families earning below $9.667 are ineligible to receive the full ESCC amount.
Poll: Parents across all racial groups have encountered challenges accessing high-quality child care
The poll, conducted by Global Strategy Group in partnership with the Raising NY coalition, also found that while parents overall are satisfied with their child care program, their experiences with some areas of the system can vary widely across racial lines.
Despite significant child poverty, New York lags behind other states in providing tax credit relief to families of young children
New York was among the first states in the nation to offer a child tax credit and once led the country in its generous, fully refundable family tax credits, primarily the Empire State Child Credit. But New York has quickly fallen behind as other states have instituted more generous credits in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.