Maternity Care with a Heart

LEARN

About the problems & the solutions

Is There a Problem with Maternity Care in the United States?

Almost everyone agrees that we need to improve the quality of health care in the United States, but many assume that pregnant women, new mothers, and their babies already get the best care possible. Do they? No matter which way we look at it, the answer is no. We pay more for maternity care than any other country, but have higher rates of maternal death, newborn death, and low birth weight than dozens of other nations. We invest too much in overusing high-tech care with no proven benefit and fail to invest in preventive care, or in strategies to address troubling disparities in access and outcomes. Described in 1989 as "the perinatal paradox: doing more and accomplishing less," the crisis in maternity care has fundamentally worsened in the time since.

Learn about what's wrong with the status quo >>

What Does the Maternity Care Women and Babies Deserve Look Like?

All women and families deserve maternity care that is:

Woman-centered - Care should respect the woman's values, culture, choices, and preferences. All childbearing women should be treated with kindness, respect, dignity, and cultural sensitivity.

Safe - Care should be aimed at producing the best outcomes for women and babies with the least risk of harm. This requires coordination, teamwork, and a commitment to safety.

Effective - Care should be guided by the best available research. Caregivers should avoid using practices that are ineffective or harmful, and should improve care by incorporating the practices that have been shown to improve the health of women and babies.

Timely - Care should be delivered when it is needed and women should not have to wait unnecessarily for long periods of time. The timing and progress of labor and birth should be determined by what's safest and healthiest for the woman and her baby, and not by convenience or other pressures.

Efficient - The maternity care system should deliver the best possible health outcomes and benefits with the most appropriate, conservative use of resources and technology. An efficient system does not waste resources and expose women and babies to harm from unnecessary treatments and medical interventions.

Equitable - All women and families should have access to and receive the same high-quality, high-value care. An equitable maternity care system addresses disparities related to class, race, ethnicity, and language to ensure optimal maternity care outcomes and experiences for every woman and baby.

Hundreds of leaders and advocates endorsed this vision for maternity care, and worked together with us to design a plan for how to get there: our "Blueprint for Action." We all play a role in system transformation, and by working together we can achieve rapid gains in maternity care quality and value. To learn more about these qualities and other features and goals of the envisioned maternity care system,

Learn more about our 2020 Vision Report >>

Learn more about our "Blueprint for Action" >>

Get Involved

With transforming maternity care

We have the collective vision, and we know how to get there. But, we need your help to transform maternity care for all women and babies. There has never been a more critical moment than right now. Leaders and legislators are listening and women are activated because they know they deserve better. Please help by:

Donating now to Childbirth Connection

A donation to Childbirth Connection is a strong statement that you support a better future for maternity care. We need your help to continue our work and achieve our 2020 vision. Show that you stand with mothers and babies by donating to Childbirth Connection today.

Spreading the Word

Post this page on Facebook or Twitter, or email it to your colleagues, family, and friends - maternity care affects all of us.

Helping Improve Maternity Care Locally

Get involved in maternity care quality improvements wherever you live or work. Look for ideas in our Action Center.