Latest news with #maternalhealth
CBS News
3 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Community baby shower in North Philadelphia provides resources for new moms, families
It takes a village to raise a child, and a community baby shower in North Philadelphia on Saturday looked to make the job of being a parent a little easier. Kanika Force-Carter attended the event at Temple University. As a mom of three, she knows the hardships of being a parent. Carter recently had her youngest child, Kingston, and says having the support from the community eases the pressure of being a mom. "It takes a lot of stress off of you by giving you the resources needed so you can accomplish your goal of being a good parent," she said. Carter joined hundreds of families on Temple's campus for the event, which is now in its fourth year. The event focuses on promoting maternal health and wellness for new mothers while also providing resources to help them be successful parents. "These days, even working two jobs and having a man, it's hard," Carter said. "Rent is triple what it was when I was able to stay home and breastfeed my last two, so just having things like this really helps." For parents like Carter, it's the small things at the event that make a huge difference. Items such as diapers, formula and clothes were given to the new moms and families free of charge. Pennsylvania State Representative Sharif Street teamed up with Temple and other community partners to bring this event to North Philadelphia. Street says the event is also hoping to tackle the issue of maternal mortality, and it's something that continues to disproportionately affect Black and Brown women. "Part of that is lack of connection to resources, so we want to connect. We were intentional being in a zip code where those disparities are high," said Street. Over 80 vendors took part in the event, including Vera Thompson-Jenkins with Breastfeeding Awareness and Empowerment. Jenkins was at the event to provide educational resources about breastfeeding to help new moms. "Because again, maternal health is our goal, to make sure our babies and our communities ... that we're growing, we're thriving, that we are getting the best maternal care as possible." And for parents like Carter, the support from the community goes a long way in helping her and her family. "Makes a huge difference," she said.
Fast Company
5 days ago
- Health
- Fast Company
Femtech changed fertility. Now it's ready to rebuild maternal health
It's time to rebuild how women give birth. In the U.S., we've poured billions into fertility tech, helping people conceive. But when it comes to pregnancy, birth and the first year, innovation is lagging and outcomes are suffering. With the proper focus and attention, we can ensure the health and safety of mothers and infants through remote monitoring, improved tools for labor and delivery, and wraparound care postpartum. We have a chance to not only make pregnancy safer but also ensure every mother gets the care and attention they deserve. In the past decade, femtech has emerged as an industry helping women manage a range of health challenges. Maternal health, however, hasn't received nearly the attention it deserves. There is a pressing need for innovation across prenatal, labor and delivery and postpartum care. The United States' maternal mortality rate is still 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live maternal health and delivery complications, while not fatal, may impact women's cardiovascular, pelvic, and mental health for the rest of their lives. It's instructive to look at the fertility market to see just how much we could improve maternal health with a concerted effort by technologists, entrepreneurs, and investors. Fertility solutions have received the most investment across femtech, with over $10 billion in venture and private equity investment in the past decade. Every aspect of fertility has received significant investment, from employer-based benefits programs to cycle-tracking apps and wearables, to at-home fertility and insemination kits, plus a range of high-tech solutions for fertility clinics. This investment of capital has led to meaningful gains: At-home kits are reducing costs for individuals, AI is improving IVF outcomes, and employer-backed benefits are expanding access to care. We need the same attention and investment focused on maternal health. Here are three places to start: 1. REAL-TIME PREGNANCY MONITORING AND SCREENING With more maternal health deserts occurring in the US and abroad, remote monitoring may help fill the gap to detect complications before they escalate. Femtech startups are developing robust wearable technology, including smart rings and adhesive sensors designed to track fetal movement, as well as connected devices for early detection of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Bloomful recently earned FDA clearance for a device that tracks blood pressure, glucose levels, and fetal heart rate. Their system has demonstrated significant improvements in maternal health outcomes, including a 61% reduction in preeclampsia cases among high-risk pregnancies. Another promising development is Armor Medical's wearable to proactively detect postpartum hemorrhage. The company has developed a wrist sensor that provides objective, real-time insights on blood loss for early intervention. While wearables are one way to monitor pregnancy and detect early complications, biomarkers offer another option. For example, Dionysus Health has created an epigenetic test to prescreen for postpartum depression in the third trimester. And MOMM Diagnostics is pioneering a simple finger-stick kit to be used at home that detects preeclampsia biomarkers well before symptoms arise. The critical challenge is making maternal monitoring and screening tech scalable, affordable, and accessible to all expectant mothers, and building the systems necessary to monitor and respond to the issues surfaced. 2. PRETERM LABOR DETECTION AND PREVENTION 10% of all babies in the US are born preterm, often ending up in intensive care and facing more health issues over time. These babies may struggle with feeding and immune system development, while preterm mothers are at greater risk for postpartum bleeding and infection, postpartum depression and challenges with breastfeeding. Although the technology is still in its early stages, promising tools are available to help detect and prevent preterm labor. Pregonlia is developing a medtech device to detect early signs of preterm labor, and Stanford is using health data from wearables plus AI to identify disrupted circadian rhythms, which may indicate an increased risk of pre-term labor. In the future, new devices like Novocuff can help close the cervix to retain amniotic fluid and maintain cervical length, thereby preventing early delivery. Preterm labor technology is still in its infancy, but with increased investment and careful integration into clinical workflows, these tools have the potential to make a meaningful impact. 3. POSTPARTUM CARE Many women experience physical and mental health issues after they leave the hospital. Yet, in most cases, the postpartum care plan consists of a follow-up appointment six weeks after delivery. It is no surprise that complications are often missed and mental health conditions go untreated. Femtech can provide continuous care, and a wave of new tools is emerging to help close this gap. Some offer continuous physical recovery tracking, while others integrate mental health screening and virtual access to doulas, pelvic floor specialists, and lactation support. The opportunity in this space is huge, and many fertility-focused companies, like Maven and Progyny, now offer wrap-around care to support families through the first year, understanding the benefits afforded to the mothers as well as employers. The solutions moving forward need both better research and broader reach, which can only be achieved through continued innovation, increased investment in research and technology, and policy change. WHERE CHANGE IS NEEDED Healthcare transformation moves slowly. Shifting the standard of care requires clear clinical evidence, upfront investment, and coordination across the system. New models must demonstrate real-world outcomes, fit into existing workflows, and be reimbursable to even have a chance at successful adoption. Change will be driven by two factors: investment and employers. Specialized funds like Wellstar Catalyst, the Laerdal Million Lives Fund, and Medicines360's Innovation Hub are stepping up investment in maternal health innovation. More investment is needed from VCs and private equity to fund maternal care innovation at scale. At the same time, employers have a unique opportunity to accelerate this transformation using the same playbook that worked for fertility and family building benefits. By supporting new mothers through comprehensive care, companies can improve retention with better support for their employees. We've already proven that focused investment and innovation can transform women's healthcare. Femtech changed everything for conception and family building. Now, maternal health is ready for the same revolution. It's time to rebuild birth and the first year.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Axmed and Every Pregnancy announce transformative partnership to enhance access to affordable essential medicines for mothers and babies affected by conflict and crisis
WASHINGTON, July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Axmed, a health technology venture revolutionizing access to medicines and health products through an innovative procurement platform, and Every Pregnancy, a global, faith-based coalition that provides health services to mothers and babies affected by conflict and crisis, today announced a strategic partnership to bring affordable, quality medicines to mothers and babies who need them most. Approximately 92% of maternal deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. In these regions, pregnant women are dying from preventable causes due to lack of access to and high costs of essential medicines and health supplies. Families in low-income countries often pay more than double for the same medicines as families in high-income settings. This new collaboration will provide Every Pregnancy partners access to affordable and quality medicines through Axmed's pioneering B2B marketplace. Together, Every Pregnancy and Axmed will break down systemic barriers that prevent medicines from reaching mothers and newborns – including fragmented supply chains, missed demand, and the limited purchasing power of local NGOs who are best positioned to meet the needs of local populations. "No mother or newborn should die simply because of where they live or how much they earn," said Emmanuel Akpakwu, Founder & CEO of Axmed. "Through our partnership with Every Pregnancy, we're combining cutting-edge procurement and supply technology with a powerful network of frontline maternal health providers to drive systemic change – faster, smarter, and at the scale this crisis demands." Through its tech-enabled procurement platform, Axmed aggregates demand from public, private, and nonprofit health care procurers, enabling bulk purchasing directly from qualified manufacturers and drastically reducing costs and improving the quality of products. By partnering with Every Pregnancy, Axmed extends its platform's reach and impact in over 20 countries with high burdens of maternal mortality – including Nigeria, Sudan, Pakistan, Palestine, and more. "This is what it looks like when community power and innovation work hand-in-hand," said Isra Chaker, CEO of Every Pregnancy. "Our collaboration with Axmed is about more than access – it's about equity, justice, and building responsive health care systems that save lives." The Axmed–Every Pregnancy partnership marks a turning point in equitable health care delivery for moms and babies, so that one day, every mother and child will have access to the quality care they deserve. About Axmed: Axmed is a technology-enabled marketplace revolutionizing how medicines and health products are sourced, financed, procured, and delivered across low- and middle-income countries. By digitizing large-scale procurement and aggregating demand across diverse procurers, Axmed enables direct access to a trusted network of local and international prequalified suppliers. Visit About Every Pregnancy: Every Pregnancy is a faith–inspired initiative committed to ensuring safe pregnancies and healthy newborns in areas impacted by conflict or crisis. The organization unites a coalition of over 40 faith–inspired philanthropists and NGOs across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Pakistan, Yemen, and beyond. Visit Media inquiries: info@ or comms@ Photo - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Axmed; Every Pregnancy Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
ABC News
15-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Birth trauma link to poor mental health
Becoming a mum is supposed to be a joyous occasion, but sadly for many women, the injuries they sustain giving birth cause serious physical and psychological issues. News surveys found delays in getting a timely diagnosis are compounding the problems. Those who struggle to get a diagnosis are 2.4 times more likely to experience suicidal thoughts. Here's National Health Equity reporter, Caitlyn Gribbin. Caitlyn Gribbin: Kristy Keefe is soaking up the special moments with her dinosaur-loving son. Riley is six years old and the Brisbane mum's second child. Kristy Keefe: I absolutely love motherhood. I feel like I was made to be a mother. Caitlyn Gribbin: But in the months following Riley's birth, things were very different. He was unexpectedly born at home and a medical emergency followed. Kristy Keefe: They found out that I had a fourth-degree tear because of my placenta being stuck. I was hemorrhaging quite bad. Caitlyn Gribbin: The birth injury led to incontinence, triggering feelings of dread and isolation for Kristy Keefe. Kristy Keefe: Really anxious. I didn't want to be left alone with my baby. And I had times where I thought about ending my life. Caitlyn Gribbin: It's been more than a year since a landmark inquiry in New South Wales heard traumatic birth experiences, including pelvic floor damage and incontinence, can have tragic mental health consequences. Now, a new survey from advocacy group Birth Trauma Australia finds the longer it takes to diagnose those injuries, the more catastrophic the consequences. Chief Executive, Amy Dawes. Amy Dawes: We found that women that had struggled to get a diagnosis, they were 2.4 times more likely to experience suicidal thoughts. I have heard firsthand accounts of women sharing their experiences of being in a really dark place and struggling to get care. Nisha Khot: It is a complete disaster. I mean, it's just a sign that we have failed women. Caitlyn Gribbin: Nisha Khot is president-elect of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She points to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Research showing suicide is one of the leading causes of maternal death during pregnancy and up to six weeks after pregnancy. And while it's not known if those women were suffering from birth trauma, the obstetrician believes they are intertwined. Nisha Khot: If you have physical trauma and you're struggling with your body functions, that is going to affect you psychologically as well. That has such huge implications for you to be able to just lead a normal life. You can't do any of these things because of your incontinence. That is bound to have a huge impact on your mental well-being. How could it not? Caitlyn Gribbin: State governments in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia say they're spending new money on perinatal mental health care and birth trauma policies. Advocates say it's positive to see more investment and education of health care workers, but more is needed. Kristy Keefe: You love cuddles, don't you? Yeah, and mum, look! Yeah! Caitlyn Gribbin: And after her struggle to get help in the public health system, Kristy Keefe agrees. Kristy Keefe: If I didn't go and get that help and pay all that money to go and see that private gynaecologist, that maybe I wouldn't be here today. Sabra Lane: Brisbane mum, Kristy Keefe, ending Caitlyn Gribbin's report. And if this story has raised concerns for you or anyone you know, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
New mother had 'terrifying' thoughts of hurting her baby
A mum who was plagued by thoughts of hurting herself and her newborn has spoken out amid a rise in new mums seeking help for their mental health.A specialist service which provides perinatal mental health treatment in the west of England has seen an 80% rise in referrals in the past three from Bath, said she had had "absolutely terrifying" thoughts of hurting her son and was at risk of taking her own life or abandoning her family before she asked her health visitor for help."Instead of judging me, they met me with so much empathy and understanding," the 36-year-old said. "I learned intrusive thoughts like the ones I was facing are actually really common, especially in new mums." The two community perinatal mental health teams in the West, which operate in Bristol, Bath, North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, received 4,816 referrals in 2024-25 - up from 2,668 in service is run by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) and its clinical development lead Becky Eva said more awareness of its services and a better understanding of perinatal mental health had played a "significant role" in the rise. Ms Eva explained maternal suicide was the leading cause of death for a woman in the first year of their child's life."The hope for the service is that we reach the women who need our service and we are able to give them access to psychological therapies and evidence-based treatment," she added. Becky was supported by the service in 2023 after experiencing postnatal depression and severe anxiety. While still in pain and recovering from giving birth, Becky said she had struggled to shower, eat and sleep while also trying to establish breastfeeding and care for her son. "On top of that, I was getting these really frightening, intrusive thoughts about harming my son," she added. "These thoughts, they absolutely terrified me."After experiencing symptoms for about six months, Becky said she had ended up "fleeing" her home in her dressing gown one evening after her husband had arrived said: "I walked to the nearest park in the dark and I walked around thinking 'I can't look after my son'."Everyone was telling me that I should enjoy this time, that this time goes so fast, and aren't I lucky? And I'm really struggling." 'Repulsed' Becky said she had had "just enough grip on reality" that she returned home and asked for help from her health was sent for a rapid assessment and received support at home from the mental health team until her son was one year said she had been "repulsed" by the intrusive thoughts and "desperately" did not want to act on them, meaning she was not considered a threat to herself or her baby and was treated at home rather than in a mother and baby unit. Becky told the BBC she felt it was "no surprise" an increasing number of women were using the service."I think a lot of it comes down to a lack of support we have within our community," she said."We're increasingly segregated and expected to raise our children on our own, whereas previous generations raised them within the family, within the community."She added: "Without the support from peers and the mental health team, I think I was at serious risk of taking my life or potentially abandoning my family." The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has said mental health problems frequently go unrecognised and untreated, with some women not seeking help due to the fear of stigma or of intervention by social adds perinatal mental health problems can have significant and long-lasting effects on a woman and her family, as well as on children's emotional, social and cognitive development. Ms Eva said AWP had provided training to help clinicians and people supporting new mothers recognise the signs of mental ill health."Mental health can deteriorate for a number of reasons, with additional stresses around finances and interpersonal relationships," she said."Our maternity and health visiting colleagues do those routine checks. We have done a lot of work to create a single point of access, which means all referrals come through to the specialist team."By having this single point of access, it creates a much better safety net." If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, information and support is available at BBC Action Line.
