Who we provide for
Imagine a world where together we improve the quality and equity of care for every mom and baby in Georgia regardless of wealth, race, gender, or geography.
Maternal Mortality | Georgia Department of Public Health (reference)
Five Focus Areas to Improve Maternal Health.
In August of 2024, HOPE for Georgia Mom’s Maternal Health Task Force had an in-person strategic planning session. A 5-year draft Strategic Plan was developed and from there, five focus areas were prioritized for Year 2.
- Cardiac Conditions in Obstetric Care
- Doulas
- Maternal Mental Health
- Data System for Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) & Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)
- Self-advocacy & Respectful Care
Cardiac Conditions in Obstetric Care
Cardiac Conditions is a leading cause of maternal death in Georgia. The combination of cardiomyopathy and cardiovascular/coronary conditions accounted for 23% of maternal deaths.
Doulas
Doulas play a pivotal role in removing barriers to birthing education, advocacy, and labor support. Doulas are individuals that live in the community, with shared values and can provide culturally appropriate birthing education.
Maternal Mental Health
Maternal mental health became a leading cause of death according to the 2018-2020 report of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee. The statistics on maternal mental health are staggering: 1 in 5 women will experience depression or anxiety while pregnant or after delivery.
Data: SMM & SDOH
Severe Maternal Morbidity (SMM) includes unexpected serious complications resulting from labor and birth that can have significant impact on maternal health. There is a need for better monitoring of SMM and Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) to track the impact of maternal health programs and quality improvement initiatives and have transparency to that data.
Self-advocacy & Respectful Care
Self-advocacy is crucial to empowering parents during pregnancy. Being informed, making informed decisions, and expressing your needs can make your birth experience better.
Our goal is to provide accurate and credible information to educate those who are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, and postpartum as well as providers of maternal care and support.
This website aims to:
- Serve as a state-wide portal for clear, credible, local, and accurate information and encourage collaboration among the task force members thereby reducing duplication of resources.
- Educate women in Georgia about advocacy, pregnancy and postpartum warning signs, and other health related topics
- Inform maternal health care providers in Georgia about the importance of effective communication, quality of care and concepts of respectful care.
- Elevate the work of the many members of the Maternal Health Task Force that are engaged in the improvement of maternal health outcomes in academia, public health and community programs and clinical settings.
What’s Happening in Georgia
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