For many women, bringing a new life into the world is a very positive and fulfilling experience.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case, especially for women living in low income, at-risk communities, where they are more likely to experience heightened levels of stress, fear and anxiety while also facing higher risks of complications, morbidity and even mortality.  In our country that spends approximately $98 billion annually on hospitalizations for pregnancy and childbirth—higher than any other country in the world, maternal death rates related to pregnancy and childbirth continue to rise.  Furthermore, research has shown that African-American women are roughly four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than women in all other racial/ethnic groups.  

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According to the World Health Organization, about half of all maternal deaths in this country are preventable.  Improving access to a full range of high quality and affordable reproductive health services can make a difference.  Data indicates that in the United States, women without health insurance are 3-4 times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications.  Increasing the availability of updated and accessible reproductive health information can also make a significant impact.  Prenatal care programs play an important role in alleviating risk factors and improving pregnancy outcomes.  Yet, due to lower levels of education and language barriers, immigrants and Hispanic women are at higher risk than white or black women for receiving little to no prenatal care.