Keeping Current @ the Capitol: Maternal Mortality Study Committee, Meeting Five

The fifth convening of the House Maternal Mortality StudyCommittee (MMSC) was held December3 from 1:30PM-3:00PM. The MMSC is chaired by Chairwoman Sharon Cooper(Marietta) and Chairman Mark Newton (Augusta). Legislative members of the MMSCinclude Representatives Chuck Efstration (Dacula), Deborah Silcox (SandySprings), Darlene Taylor (Thomasville), Carolyn Hugley (Columbus), and ValenciaStovall (Forest Park). Dr. Chad Ray and Dr. Jane Ellis also serve as citizenmembers of the MMSC.

This meeting focused on social determinants of health andthe role of certified nurse-midwives. To watch a recording of the meeting visithere.Committee agendas, public announcements, and speaker presentations can be foundhere.Below is a summary of what was discussed.

Naima Joseph, MD, MPH – Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow,Emory University

• On October 15,2019, Grady Health launched the “Blue Sheet Project” to assess the role ofsocial determinants of health during pregnancy and their role in hypertensivemorbidityby
  • Implementingroutine screening during prenatal care
  • Defining anddocumenting complex need in low-income pregnant patients
  • Determiningneeds most predictive of adverse pregnancy outcomes
• As of December3, 2019, 1,622 patients have been screened and it was found that 37% hadliteracy needs, 22% food insecurity needs, 19% had transportation needs,and 15% had housing instability.

Lexi Dunn, PhD, CNM and Kate Woeber, PhD, CNM, MPH – GeorgiaNurses Association

• About 94.6% of Georgia deliveries attended by certifiednurse-midwives (CNM)take place in a hospital.
  • In Georgia, CNMs attend about 20%of births.
• CNMs provide care across the reproductive life withcare before and between pregnancies, during the prenatal period,throughout labor and delivery, and postpartum.
• CNMs have had a number of positive outcomes inGeorgia including reducing C-section rates through avariety of interventions.