Black maternal health
As maternal mortality rises, Ohio policymakers urge action
With a recent CDC report showing a significant increase in maternal mortality, Ohio health advocates say the state needs more prevention strategies, particularly when it comes to minority health. The CDC’s report showed a 40% increase in maternal mortality in 2021, the most recent data released by the National Vital Statistics System. The report showed […]
Ohio House Reps, Senators reintroduce bipartisan doula services bill
Bipartisan bills will be coming to both the Ohio House and Senate to help birth doulas receive the Medicaid support they need and improve maternal and infant outcomes in the state. “It’s bipartisan and bicameral, and it has always been that way,” said Erica Crawley, former state representative and now current Franklin County Commissioner, at […]
Legislative effort to support pregnancy doulas has bipartisan support
Maternal and infant health advocates and certified doulas alike expressed their support Monday for a bill currently awaiting consideration by the Ohio Senate to bring doula services into the state’s Medicaid program. Participants in a meeting of the Ohio Legislative Children’s Caucus met with organizations employing and promoting the use of doulas as part of […]
Doula services could soon be covered by Medicaid after racial equity bill passes Ohio House
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. A bill that is aiming to combat racial disparities in infant […]
Heartbreaking stories of Black maternal deaths, pregnancy complications, racism related at hearing
WASHINGTON — When U.S. Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri was pregnant with her first child, Zion, she saw a sign in her doctor’s office encouraging her to speak up about anything unusual she was feeling. She did so, telling her physician that she was having severe pains, but her concerns were swiftly dismissed. The doctor […]