Allison Felker, PhD’s Post

Maternal morbidity and mortality remains a significant challenge, influenced by factors affecting both healthcare providers and pregnant individuals. Firstly, there is a noticeable lack of knowledge among healthcare providers regarding the identification and management of complications in pregnant women. This gap can lead to delayed or inadequate care. Additionally, many providers may hesitate to conduct necessary investigations or prescribe medications due to fears of legal repercussions, further compromising patient care. On the side of the pregnant individuals, barriers such as limited access to healthcare services and insufficient awareness of health issues are prevalent. Many women, especially in underserved communities, may not seek help due to a lack of understanding of the signs and symptoms that warrant medical attention. Empowerment also plays a crucial role. Often, pregnant women rely on the opinions of family members—such as mothers, sisters, or husbands—who may downplay the seriousness of their symptoms. This cultural perspective can discourage women from seeking timely medical care, perpetuating the cycle of morbidity and mortality. Addressing these multifaceted issues requires a concerted effort to improve education and awareness among both healthcare providers and pregnant women, ensuring that all individuals understand the importance of seeking appropriate care during pregnancy.

This #BleedingDisordersAwarenessMonth, we are continuing to raise awareness of the gender disparities that impact women with bleeding disorders. Our determination to break down barriers faced by this community, such as access to equitable care and timely diagnosis, has never been stronger.   Compared to men, women are more likely to experience symptoms of von Willebrand Disease (VWD) due to the increased bleeding it causes during menstrual periods, pregnancy and after childbirth. Women also often face delays in diagnosis, with an average of 16 years between the onset of their symptoms and their diagnosis of a bleeding disorder. Read more about our efforts to accelerate the diagnostic journey and expand access to specialized #RareDisease care: https://lnkd.in/dw4b_uXy

Proud to share our latest release, which includes additional data from The Harris Poll's 2nd Annual State of Maternal Health report, today. With it being the 2nd anniversary of the #dobbs decision, these findings surrounding access to care, and quality care are especially concerning, and are a clear call for change. ❗ More than half of US women feel they have to *fight* to get the medical care they need ❗ Only 42% of women who are currently pregnant/have ever been pregnant feel they had access to the best possible care when they were pregnant - down from 50% who reported this in 2022 ❗ Two-thirds (67%) note that the current political climate is increasing risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth ❗ 83% say that more needs to be done to ensure safer pregnancy and birthing conditions in the US Let's do better for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends. https://lnkd.in/eHppi46r

Important research for all pregnant and postpartum women Have your say in the development of the national physical activity guidelines

Women are still underrepresented in healthcare research which leads to a lack of information about their health. Dr Elpida Vounzoulaki is researching health inequalities for women following a diagnosis of gestational diabetes in pregnancy. She strives to work with policymakers to transform healthcare systems and tackle disparities among these women. #CitizensOfChange | #WorldDiabetesDay

Black and African American women in the United States face a higher risk of stillbirth than non-Hispanic White women, as well as higher risks of other adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn about the NICHD-led Stillbirth Working Group's findings and recommendations on U.S. stillbirth research and care, including data collection, communities at higher risk, and known risk factors for stillbirth. The group is also exploring how best to understand the psychological impact of stillbirth. Learn moreat https://go.nih.gov/YaSQGS2. #stillbirth #StillbirthResearch #NICHDimpact #MaternalHealthNICHD #WomensHealthMonth #WomensHealthWeek

👧👶 Children’s cover has become an increasingly important part of CIC in recent years, however the level of cover offered between a typical core plan and an enhanced plan varies substantially particularly when it comes to the inclusion of birth-related conditions. Our Critical Thinking research report showed: 🔍Once aware of the differences, 51% of women said they would choose a policy that does include birth- related conditions. “What this data shows is that for consumers who plan to have a family, too many do not understand the value of having pregnancy cover and congenital illnesses included. This illustrates the vital role advisers play in improving awareness of this valuable cover and enabling more people to claim.” Thank you to Emma Thomson of the Women in Protection Network for her valuable perspective on our findings. We completely agree that too many female consumers do not understand these significant differences and that provides us all a challenge… How and when can we best educate female clients about considering the value of pregnancy and congenital illness cover? Tell us what you think! 📊🔍Want to find out more about our consumer research? Click here to register for your own copy of the full report:  https://lnkd.in/e9Nigd6z #WomeninProtection #CriticalThinking2024 #FinancialAdvice #WIPConf

Each year in the United States, about 700 women die from pregnancy or delivery-related problems, and many of these deaths are preventable. People who are Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, or Hispanic/Latina, as well as people living in rural areas, experience higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality. That is why NIH CEAL now includes two maternal health-focused programs, the Maternal Health Community Implementation Program (MH-CIP) and Implementing a Maternal health and PRegnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone Community Implementation Project (IMPROVE-CIP). This Women's History Month, join us in celebrating IMPROVE-CIP and MH-CIP researchers and community partners whose work focuses on reducing disparities in maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity. Discover how #NIHCEAL supports communities and researchers who are working together towards a future in which the experience of pregnancy and birth can be safer for everyone: https://bit.ly/48y7f8Z

Approximately 12 million girls (15-19 years) and at least 777,000 girls under 15 years give birth each year in developing regions. Complications during pregnancy and childbirth are the leading cause of death for 15-19-year-old girls globally. We must protect our adolescents from unintended pregnancies. Preventing pregnancies and investing in #SRHR is essential to achieving positive health outcomes across their life course. Read the #MNCH Resolution: https://lnkd.in/gu2p8CgM The recent PMNCH Accountability Breakfast was a key opportunity for multi-stakeholder action to deliver on country-led commitments to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality, including adolescents’ pregnancy: https://lnkd.in/d7xgQXm #AccountabilityMatters #UNGA79 #MaternalHealth