Maternal health
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3 Ivon Hernandez
Florida state’s policies on access to maternal health resources such as contraceptive care including abortion for women with and without health insurance coverage.
Maternal health is a significant concern in Florida. Inadequate maternal health resources in this state generally account for poor outcomes for mother and baby. The problem predominantly affects racial minorities, with non-Hispanic black mothers experiencing maternal mortality almost three times their non-Hispanic white counterparts (Florida Health Justice Project, 2020). So far, Florida has implemented policies to enhance maternal health access.
Florida has specific policies that influence maternal health resource access. For instance, the Department of Health ensures patients susceptible to pregnancy complications receive prenatal care periodically and establishes a prenatal program for pregnant women who come from low-income families, with payment depending on the family size and income (Florida Department of Health, 2021). However, the poorest in Floridian communities do not need to cover fees for these services, meaning they receive them free of charge. The local health departments also guarantee all teens and adults have access to family planning and other preventive care services (Florida Department of Health, 2021). These services include counseling, birth control, education, pregnancy testing, and referral care.
State’s policies in relation to abortion are very specific. Health plans such as Medicaid and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans, only pay for abortion in the event of rape, life endangerment, or incest, unless the individual pays additional fees for optional rider. There are many facilities in Florida and most of them are clinics that perform abortion regardless of whether the person has insurance coverage or not. Nevertheless, this could change in the future if Florida Governor Ron DeSantis supports the enactment of a law to ban abortion.
Florida’s infant and maternal mortality rates and the possible relationship between these factors.
Florida has higher infant mortality rates compared to average national figures. Specifically, the infant mortality rate for this state is 6.1 compared to 5.9 nationwide (Young, 2021). Similar to infant mortality, the maternal mortality rate in Florida is slightly higher than the national average. According to Ungar and Simon (2018), this state had a maternal mortality rate of 22.3 for every 100,000 live births. Usually, infant mortality rate increases with growing maternal mortality. It follows that maternal pregnancy complications account for a significant number of infant deaths.
Maternal health is a challenging issue in Florida. Generally, policies affect access to different maternal health resources. The state and local health departments in Florida have adopted various approaches to ensure all people, including the uninsured, can obtain maternal care services.
References
Florida Department of Health. (2021, March 11). Family planning.
http://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/womens-health/family-planning/index.html
Florida Health Justice Project. (2020). Maternal health in Florida: Poor outcomes made worse
by lack of Medicaid expansion.https://www.floridahealthjustice.org/uploads/1/1/5/5/115598329/medex___mat_health_brief-final-2.pdf
Ungar, L. & Simon, C. (2018). Which states have the worst maternal mortality? USA Today.
https://www.usatoday.com/list/news/investigations/maternal-mortality-by-state/7b6a2a48-0b79-40c2-a44d-8111879a8336/
Young, D. (2021). Florida maternal and child health fact sheet. National Health Law Program.
https://healthlaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Florida-MCH-Fact-Sheet_Publication.pdf
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Yanet Garrido Coutin
I have chosen to practice as a family nurse practitioner in Ney York city. The Reproductive Health Act is a contraceptive care act in New York State that was enacted in 2019 to expand on abortion rights and eliminate different restrictions associated with abortion inside the state. The act was passed to change the social services and insurance laws to mandate that all FDA-approved contraceptive pills and other related devices be covered by health insurance policies (“Assembly passes legislation to defend women’s reproductive rights and assure access to family planning,” 2019). They must also cover voluntary sterilization operations, contraception education, counseling, and follow-up health care services. In addition, the policy tends to restrict health insurance companies from imposing any cost-sharing requirements or other delays.
The goal of implementing this policy is to encourage the reduction of unwanted pregnancies, enhance birth outcomes, and promote the welfare and health of New York citizens. It also ensures that women in the state of New York have ample access to contraceptives as well as the necessary information to successfully plan their families and futures (“Assembly adopts legislation to safeguard women’s reproductive rights and ensure access to family planning,” 2019). There exist many clinics in NYC willing to assist women that have made the decision to go for an abortion. Some of these clinics offer free assistance for women without insurance financed by the USA Government.
New York has the highest maternal mortality rate in the United States, with roughly 20.9 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Furthermore, studies show that African American women are more likely to die during and after childbirth as a result of pregnancy-related problems (Gillibrand, 2018). The infant mortality rate in New York State, on the other hand, is currently 4.8 per 1000 live births. Between 2007 and 2017, the state’s newborn mortality rate dropped by almost 14%. (“Peristats,” 2017). The most common causes of pregnancy-related death were thrombosis and mental health problems, followed by cardiovascular problems. Studies have shown that there is not correlation between the lack of health insurance and the mortality rate. However, The Health Department recommended that work on New York City’s comprehensive plan to prevent maternal fatalities and life-threatening complications of childbirth continue in last year’s 2019 report.
