Maternal Mortality
There is a rising women’s public health crisis sweeping across our Nation, and it’s ravaging the State of South Carolina. From 2018 – 2019 alone, there was nearly a 10 % increase in women dying as a direct result of pregnancy or childbirth. Maternal mortality is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, excluding accidental or incidental causes ( 2019). In the United States the maternal mortality rate is three times higher than that of other high-income countries according to data provided from the Commonwealth Fund (2022). The greatest tragedy of this crisis is that maternal mortality rates among African American women are disturbingly higher than their white counterparts, no matter their level of education or income. African American women are 67% more likely to die during childbirth or during the postpartum period than their white counterparts (SCDHEC, 2023). This public health indicator explicitly illustrates the gaps present in ensuring equitable, anti-discriminatory health care is accessible to all women. These alarming rates of maternal mortality are even more horrific as data indicates that nearly 68% of deaths were determined to be preventable. Such data indicates that lives could have been saved had their healthcare providers reacted to their needs more favorably (SCDHEC, 2023). Rates are expected to increase as bans on abortion have been implemented nationwide, and specifically amongst conservative states, further limiting accessibility to safe and quality healthcare for South Carolinian women.
This unfortunate loss of life inevitably impacts the social and emotional dynamics of families, negatively impacts trust, and leaves many to deal with traumatic experiences on what are supposed to be the happiest moments of their lives. Historically this lack of trust towards our healthcare system is passed down from generation to generation and will only continue to decline if immediate action is not taken to address these alarming health disparities. Just as W.E.B. Dubois wrote about in the 20th century, health and illness directly correlate with both racial and economic class lines. It is my professional belief that systemic racism and bias from medical providers and clinicians are driving the increase we see in maternal mortality rates amongst women of color. These stark inequities are unacceptable and community-based solutions are a key component in turning the curve towards improved health outcomes for women of color.
Live Healthy Spartanburg is a health collaborative with a mission to achieve health equity and improve health outcomes for all Spartanburg County residents. Through intentional collaborative efforts with partners like BirthMatters, the LHS Access to Care Committee, the LHS Policy Committee, and the LHS Birth Outcomes Committee, we collectively seek to positively impact maternal mortality and morbidity rates of women by identifying communities where we can increase the number of support positions such as community health workers and community doulas, as well as expand the capacity of residents to serve in these specific leadership roles.
The community health worker model has been instrumental in both empowering current residents to receive the certifications needed to promote health amongst their peers and community members. Our community health workers in the AccessHealth program , and those strategically located in areas where the need was the greatest have now become change agents in reducing racial health disparities. This is equivalent to the individualized care and support that community doulas provide to women as they go through their pregnancy, labor, birth, and the most critical time frame for both mom and baby: postpartum. It is my professional belief that community doulas are a cost-effective tool to improve health outcomes for all women, especially African American women, and serve as specialist, aiding in improving the birthing experience for all mothers. Personalized prenatal care from the start of a mother’s pregnancy is imperative as most new moms must adjust to changing their health behaviors, so they are in favor of a healthy delivery and baby. Community doulas are equipped with comprehensive care models which empower mothers of all ages to make informed healthy choices for themselves and encourage breastfeeding which has been proven to decrease infant mortality rates.
It is my sincere hope that state and local legislators continue to see the positive impact that community health workers, and community doulas have on health outcomes for residents, especially those most at-risk. Every woman deserves access to comprehensive care provided by doulas and both public and private insurance agencies should consider expanding coverage to increase access to doula care. In addition, law and policy makers should strongly consider increasing reimbursement rates for this demanding profession which is emotionally taxing for both clinician and patient. This can only be done if we as a community take action and continue to fight for improved health outcomes at the polls. Advocacy is key, and we must continue to speak up for those who no longer can speak for themselves as we aim to correct the mistakes of the past and illuminate the path for generations to follow. All women deserve an equitable opportunity to live after delivering a child.
About the author
JaLisa Jordan was born and raised in Macon, Georgia. She is a graduate of Tuskegee University where she obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Biology. She received her Master's of Public Health from Mercer University and is currently a Doctor of Public Health Leadership Candidate at Georgia Southern University.
JaLisa has a passion for all things Public Health and has worked in this field for over 7 years. She served in the role as The Deputy Director for Environmental Health for the North Central Health District, Regional Healthy Homes Coordinator for the Georgia Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at the Georgia Department of Public Health, Chemical Hazards Specialist, and Environmental Health Specialist for the Macon-Bibb County Health Department.
JaLisa and her family made Spartanburg, SC their home in 2021 where she serves in the role of Program Manager for Live Healthy Spartanburg . Live Healthy Spartanburg is a brand-new health collaborative, and their mission is to achieve health equity and improve health outcomes for all Spartanburg County residents. Since beginning this role JaLisa has completed Furman’s Diversity Leaders Initiative through the Riley Institute and serves numerous committees and community boards. She is an active member of Toastmasters Club #48 where she works weekly to improve on public speaking.
She loves any opportunity she can learn more from the community she now calls home and seeks to serve in any capacity she can. She is a member of the Spartanburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. She spends all her free time with her son, Christian “CJ” Michael Jordan Jr., and her husband Christian Jordan.
