December 11, 2023
Governor Parson Announces New Investment, Partnerships to Reduce Maternal Mortality in Missouri
On Wednesday, December 6, Governor Mike Parson announced that the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) will release new funding o help improve the health of pregnant women and support their care after childbirth to reduce maternal mortality and poor health outcomes. The investment includes $4.3 million in new funds proposed by Governor Parson and authorized by the Missouri General Assembly to transform the quality and increase the access of health services provided to women during pregnancy and postpartum.
In 2023, Missouri’s latest Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review (PAMR) report found that annually an average of 61 Missouri women die while pregnant or within one year of pregnancy – ranking Missouri 44th among states in maternal mortality. These deaths occurred along the continuum of pregnancy and early motherhood. Contributing factors include access to care challenges, missed clinical interventions to manage conditions like heart disease, and unaddressed or unresolved mental health conditions – including substance use disorders, which are the leading cause of death and long-term harm.
Missouri’s maternal mortality prevention plan includes the following five domains:
- Missouri Maternal Quality Care Protocols
- Maternal Care Workforce
- Optimize Postpartum Care
- Maternal Health Access Project
- Improved Maternal Health Data