BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In 2023, more than 20% of pregnant Arkansans didn't receive prenatal care until their fifth month of pregnancy.
On Wednesday, health professionals and local lawmakers met to discuss the key factors contributing to the high maternal and infant mortality in Arkansas.
According to the panelists, a lack of care in rural areas is what leads to preventable prepartum and postpartum health complications. Experts said many pregnant women in Arkansas have to travel outside of city limits to receive prenatal care.
"More than half the counties in Arkansas don't have a birthing hospital," Pearl McElfish, the director of the Institute for Community Health Innovation at UAMS, said. "We are looking at innovative ways to have mobile health units go into those counties where there is no healthcare, using telemedicine, and support healthcare workers such as doulas and community health workers to meet women where they are."
Doulas are the missing piece to the puzzle. Through education and awareness, Nicolle Fletcher with UJIMA Network said misconceptions on who use doulas and what they do are breaking down.
"Everybody was talking about doulas today," she said. "It's because we're a huge part of the solution. For me, I walked away today understanding and believing that there is hope for every single mother in Arkansas."
Doulas advocate for women throughout their pregnancy and provide care during the postpartum period. More than 75% of maternal mortality happens after birth and after a woman leaves the hospital.
"The state launched Life 360, which provides a community health worker and, in some cases, a nurse to enter a woman's home and provide the support she needs for 18 months," McElfish said. "That 18-month period is really critical to making sure mama and baby and the entire family have a healthy start."
That program is designed to also address other issues like postpartum depression. Experts said psychological and physical stress is the leading cause for pre-term delivery and the high infant mortality rate.
Sen. Boozman said funding for these programs is underway.
"We were able to secure some grants for nursing and things like that in the last appropriations bill," he said. "We're working hard to do the same thing in this coming appropriations bill."
The first panel discussion was hosted by Gov. Sanders in Little Rock. Boozman said the goal is to host a discussion in each congressional district.
"Information is one of the biggest problems that we have," Boozman said. "Really young mothers just simply not knowing that various care abilities out there, making sure that they understand what's available."
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