Ann Anderson Berry, MD, PhD, executive director of the Child Health Research Institute and medical director for the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative, delivered the keynote speech at the Governor’s Maternal Health Symposium in September in Columbus, Nebraska. At this meeting, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen announced the extension of post-partum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months, which was supported by maternal child health advocates across the state.
In her keynote address, Dr. Anderson Berry noted that Nebraska maternal and neonatal outcomes are getting worse. She cited increasing rates of prematurity over the last 10 years and large disparities in neonatal mortality, with black infants dying at rates of 13.6 per 1,000 live births as compared to white infants at 4.2 per 1,000 live births.
“These statistics bolster a continuous call to action for communities, providers, hospitals, payors, Nebraska Medicaid and state and county departments of health to work together to improve perinatal outcomes in Nebraska,” Dr. Anderson Berry said.
Dr. Anderson Berry discussed the goal — developed by ALIGN Nebraska, a multidisciplinary group working to improve outcomes for maternal child health — to decrease Nebraska’s neonatal mortality to less than four per 1,000 live births. She then listed the Nebraska Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative’s recommendations toward achieving ALIGN Nebraska’s goal:
- Ensure early and adequate prenatal care;
- Provide respectful perinatal care;
- Support high risk pregnancies with doulas; and
- Have early and consistent enrollment in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children at the beginning of pregnancy
What is more important than that health of Nebraska’s babies, mothers and their families? Thanks Dr. Anderson Berry for reminding us that we are being called to treat every family and family-to-be with dignity, respect, providing equitable health care to all, bringing our best to each one.