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Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

  • COVID-19 Resources, All in One Place

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    As more reports come in on the spread of coronavirus COVID-19, TMA has convened a task force of public health experts to help Texas physicians prepare for the next phase. We’ve started by compiling all the news and information you need right now on our online resource center. Bookmark that page as we will update it continually.

    COVID-19 Resource Center  

  • Mental Health Care for New Moms Costs Texas $2.2 Billion Each Year, Report Says

    Texas spends about $2.2 billion each year helping young mothers and their children deal with maternal mental health condition, according to a report released today.

    Details About the Report  

  • Maternal Health Problems in Central Texas Underscore Statewide Crisis

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    Central Texas has significant maternal health challenges, including the highest rate of maternal death among black women, in part because of barriers to health care coverage and because resources are underused, according to a report by the nonprofit Texans Care for Children.

    The Report Calls for Four
    Major Areas of Action      

  • Want to know more about Healthy Texas Women and Family Planning in Texas?

    This website includes the latest information from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission on the program eligibility process, patient benefits, program fact sheets, and outreach materials for three programs:

    What else, you ask? You will find the updated version of THE TEXAS Long-Acting Reversible Contraception TOOLKIT which provides information that physicians and their teams can use to increase LARC availability and addresses some common billing and reimbursement questions. Interested in helping identify and provide treatment for women with postpartum depression? The Texas Clinician’s Postpartum Depression Toolkit (Vol2) is available to put all of the pieces together – from screening tools and treatment to coding and billing for uninsured and underinsured women.

  • Background

    While maternal mortality is decreasing in most countries, maternal death rates in the U.S. have been increasing and Texas is recognized as having the highest maternal death rate in the country. Texas’ own study on maternal deaths indicates that Texas’ rates have nearly doubled in recent years. Some of the leading factors contributing to Texas’ maternal deaths include drug overdose, cardiac events, hypertension/eclampsia, and hemorrhage — factors that require the care and treatment of a physician and health care team. And with most maternal deaths occurring many months after childbirth, coordinated and comprehensive postpartum care provided by a physician is essential for the early identification and monitoring of health issues and complications that can develop post childbirth. Individual behavioral factors that put women at risk of maternal illness such as smoking, drug use, and obesity further complicate the care of the woman, and the need for comprehensive and timely community support and care even months after giving birth.  

    Read the following TMA articles:

    TMA’s Maternal Health Congress Turns Spotlight on Saving New Moms (Texas Medicine Today, March 27, 2018)

  • Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Forum

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    The Texas Medical Association (TMA) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) invited physicians, health care professionals, and public health experts to review the recent findings of the state’s Maternal and Morbidity Task Force, and the current state initiatives to address maternal health and safety. Three workgroups will identify challenges and develop action plans to reduce maternal deaths and morbidity through the areas of systems of care, public health systems, and data.

    Get the Details Here  

  • Texas Looks for Answers

    The Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force was created by Senate Bill 495, which passed during the 83rd Legislative Session in 2013. The multidisciplinary task force studies and reviews cases of pregnancy-related deaths and trends in severe maternal morbidity, and makes recommendations to help reduce the incidence of pregnancy-related deaths and severe maternal morbidity in Texas.

    DSHS Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force

    Maternal Mortality and Morbidity task force report  

    Legislation: Senate Bill 495, 83rd, 2013; Senate Bill 1599, 85th , 2017; Senate Bill 17 85th (1), 2017

    DSHS Grand Rounds, Healthy Texas Babies: Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review, May 14

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