Maternal mortality continues to be the maternal health story that Texas media are covering with the greatest depth and frequency, though the recent release of the enhanced analysis of 2012 deaths seems to have changed the emphasis of some of the coverage.
Nationally, the recent focus has been on the Trump administration's policies on breastfeeding and formula, with the administration pushing to weaken language that supports breastfeeding in a WHO resolution. Internationally, there are some interesting stories on what appears to be a fairly dramatic decline in maternal deaths in India.
TEXAS
San Antonio Medicine - July 18, 2018
The May issue of San Antonio Medicine is focused on maternal mortality.
KUT - July 5, 2018
"To Rice University Students, Texas' Maternal Mortality Is A 'Social Justice Issue'"
A group of students at Rice University embarked on a trip to Austin last spring to study maternal mortality in Texas. The students say health disparities and social justice issues are at the core of why some women are dying while pregnant or shortly after giving birth.
Texas Monthly - May 2018
A harrowing journey through Houston’s health care system offers an inside look at why so many women are dying after giving birth.
KXAN - May 9, 2018
"Hospitals participating in TexasAIM looking to improve maternal care"
Though Texas' maternal mortality rate was found to be lower than was previously reported, the Texas Department of State Health Services is still looking for ways to improve care for expecting mothers.
Houston Chronicle - May 4, 2018
"Three steps to reducing Texas' maternal mortality [Opinion]"
The state of Texas must continue its focus on maternal mortality issues, despite data changes. Texas policymakers should be applauded for forming and activating the Task Force on Maternal Mortality and Morbidity; members of the Task Force authored the study that identified errors in coding. The task force continues to work diligently to reduce preventable pregnancy complications from hemorrhaging, high blood pressure, drug overdoses and other causes.
U.S.
PhillyVoice - May 9, 2018
"Pennsylvania establishes review committee on rising maternal mortality rate"
Pennsylvania soon will begin a concerted effort to collect information about maternal mortality and disseminate findings that may help health care professionals reduce the number of women who die from pregnancy-related causes.
Vox - July 10, 2018
"The next frontier of Trump’s defense of baby formula"
How the administration is helping the infant formula industry mislead moms about breastfeeding.
Forbes - July 10, 2018
"Dairy Industry Trumps Infant Health With U.S. Rejection Of Breastfeeding Resolution"
When the U.S. pushed to weaken language supporting breastfeeding in a WHO resolution at the World Health Assembly recently, the Trump administration prioritized the U.S. dairy industry and the $70 billion baby food industry over babies’ health, according to Alison Stuebe, M.D., M.Sc.f, a maternal-fetal medicine physician and president-elect of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.
INDIA
The Hindu - June 6, 2018
"Maternal mortality ratio in the country drops to 130 from 167"
As per the data, the MMR (number of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births) has dropped from 167 (in 2011-2013, the last SRS period) to 130 for the country. This 28% drop is an achievement arising from painstakingly reducing the MMR in each of the States.