Merck for Mothers is known as MSD for Mothers outside the United States and Canada. 07/17 ... Merck for Mothers supports
MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY IN MISSOURI
Overcoming the Distance Challenge in Zambia: TheDID Maternity Waiting Homes Alliance YOU KNOW?
the cornerstone of a healthy and prosperous GeoGraphic areas: 8 districts across Zambia (Lundazi,Women Mansa,are Chembe, world. When a woman dies, the ripple effect on her family and Kalomo, Nyimba, Pemba, Zimba, and Choma) Maternal mortality is on the rise in the U.S., even as it is
community is enormous. The United States (U.S.) is one of very
scale: 24 maternity waiting homes linked to high quality facilities fewhealth developed countries where deaths related to pregnancy or declining globally timeframe: June 2015 – May 2018
childbirth are increasing. What’s even more surprising is that nearly 60% of these maternal deaths are preventable.
60,000 women suffer from maternal morbidity: severe complications during Merck for Mothers is Merck’s 10-year, $500 million childbirth have In Zambia, many womenthat livemay miles from the closest health facility with few, if any, affordable and safe transportation initiative to end preventable maternal deaths life-long effects on their options, making it difficult for them to receive the quality, timely care they need during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. health and wellbeing worldwide. We collaborate with more than 90 The Maternity Waiting Homes Alliance aims to overcome this distance challenge by building and strengthening partners in over 30 countries to improve maternity waiting homes — residences near health facilities where pregnant women can stay until theyaccess go into to labor and immediately after childbirth. The goal is to make these homes sustainable by empowering local communities quality maternal health care. The leading causes of to both effectively manage them andU.S. generate income to support their operations through creative entrepreneurial activities, maternal death in the include bleeding, therefore ensuring theexcessive homes and the services they provide are available for the long term. high blood pressure, blood Focus clots, and heart disease
Merck for Mothers is working in 16 states to address four major contributors to maternal mortality: inconsistent obstetric care across hospitals; lack of good data to understand why women Quality care before, during and after delivery the foundation financial are dying; the riseLaying of chronic conditionsfor like obesity, high blood Black women are 3-4 times Each home is located near a quality health facility sustainability more likely to die during pressure, diabetes and heart disease; and minimal awareness of equipped topregnancy manage life-threatening can attention The to partners are exploring a variety of community-driven, and childbirth emergencies thatand the problem.
KeY featUres of the iNitiatiVe
White women arise duringthan pregnancy or childbirth. The homes offer a range income generating activities to provide a consistent of educational resources and income generating activities for source of revenue to ensure the long-term sustainability Approach pregnant women to participate in during their stay, as well as of the homes. space to accommodate women who require extendedMerck for Mothers supports organizations at the policy, hospital, The rise in chronic health Building evidence for scale up postpartumconditions care. Safe is Motherhood Action Groups (community contributing and community levels to develop solutions and tools to end the The Alliance will conduct a robust impact to pregnancy and childbirth health workers) conduct local outreach to encourage pregnant preventable tragedy of women dying while giving life. evaluation to help determine whether maternity waiting complications. Nearly 30% women to use the homes and plan for a safe delivery, of women* are obese or homes can be both an effective and sustainable solution including saving for transportation and supplies for childbirth. have been told they have at to overcoming the distance barrier to high quality care for Top Priorities least one chronic condition Community driven management women from remote areas. The evaluation will produce Ensure that every hospital is prepared to respond to obstetric Community-elected governing committees work actionable findings to inform efforts to scale up maternity emergencies with maternity home managers and health facility staff to waiting homes in Zambia and beyond. Maternal mortality and and effective linkages ensure smooth day-to-day operations Count, review, and report every maternal death morbidity are to the to other services, such ascostly postnatal care, postpartum family health system: for example, Link women with chronic conditions to care to improve health planning and health education. California’s Medicaid system before, during, and after pregnancy incurred $200M to treat pregnancy complications The Maternity Waiting Homes Alliance is part of Savings Mothers, Giving Life, a public-private partnership among the U.S. Government, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Raise awareness of maternal mortality and morbidity as a related to excessive bleeding the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Every Mothers Counts, Project C.U.R.E and Merck for Mothers to reduce maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. serious — but solvable — problem and high blood pressure
These programs are supported by funding from Merck, through Merck for Mothers, the company’s 10-year, $500 million initiative to help create a world where no woman dies giving life. Merck for Mothers is known as MSD for Mothers outside the United States and Canada. 07/17
MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY IN MISSOURI
Overcoming the Distance Challenge in Zambia: TheSPOTLIGHT Maternity Waiting Homes Alliance ON MATERNAL HEALTH IN MISSOURI GeoGraphic areas: 8 districts across Zambia (Lundazi, Mansa, Chembe, Over the last several years, the rate of maternal Kalomo, Nyimba, Pemba, Zimba, and Choma) mortality in Missouri has nearly quadrupled. scale: 24 maternity waiting homes linked high quality health facilities Pre-pregnancy obesity has more thantodoubled over the last 20 years, and racial disparities timeframe: June 2015 – May 2018
are evident: Black women are approximately 2.5 more likely to die during pregnancy and >75,000 childbirth than White women. One fifth of annual live mothers reported they did not receive prenatal births In Zambia, many women live miles from the closest health facility with few, if any, affordable and safe transportation care during their first trimester, and almost half options, making it difficult for them to receive the quality, timely care they need during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. started prenatal care late. The Maternity Waiting Homes Alliance aims to overcome this distance challenge by building and strengthening maternity waiting homes — residences near health facilities where pregnant women can stay until they go into labor and immediately after childbirth. The goal is to make these homes sustainable by empowering local communities to both effectively manage them and generate income to support their operations through creative entrepreneurial activities, The maternal mortality rate is therefore ensuring the homes and the services they provide are available for the long term. **
24 DEATHS
KeY featUres of the iNitiatiVe per 100,000 live births
Quality care before, during and after delivery Each home is located near a quality health facility equipped to manage life-threatening emergencies that can arise during pregnancy or childbirth. The homes offer a range ** activities for of educational resources and income generating pregnant women to participate in during their stay, as well as have told they have high blood spacebeen to accommodate women who require extended pressure postpartum care. Safe Motherhood Action Groups (community health workers) conduct local outreach to encourage pregnant women to use the homes and plan for a safe delivery, including saving for transportation and supplies for childbirth.
31% OF WOMEN
10% OF WOMEN 7% have been told they have diabetes;
of women knew they had gestational diabetes during pregnancy Laying the foundation for financial
sustainability The partners are exploring a variety of community-driven, income generating activities to provide a consistent source of revenue to ensure the long-term sustainability of the homes.
24% OF WOMEN were obese prior to pregnancy
Building evidence for scale up The Alliance will conduct a robust impact evaluation to help determine whether maternity waiting homes can be both an effective and sustainable solution to overcoming the distance barrier to high quality care for Our Partners and Projects Community driven management women from remote areas. The evaluation will produce Community-elected governing committees work actionable findings to inform efforts to scale up maternity with maternity home managersCounting and healthand facility staff to Maternal waiting homes Zambia and beyond. Reviewing Deaths: TheinCDC Foundation and the Association of ensure smooth day-to-day operations andand effective Maternal Childlinkages Health Programs are building Missouri’s capacity to review maternal to other services, such as postnatal care, postpartum family deaths, determine why they occur, and develop actionable recommendations to prevent planning and health education. future tragedies. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services solicited
community perspectives on major barriers to care for pregnant women, including lack of The Maternity Waiting Homes Alliance is part of Savingsto Mothers, Life, a public-private partnership among the U.S. Government, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, access care,Giving prevalence of chronic conditions and substance use, and unhealthy lifestyles. the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Every Mothers Counts, Project C.U.R.E and Merck for Mothers to reduce maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. The state also conducted a survey to assess health providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and
practices regarding maternal mortality and identify ways to improve maternity care. *Women of reproductive age (18-44). **Women over 18 years of age. These programs are supported by funding from Merck, through Merck for Mothers, the company’s 10-year, $500 million initiative to help create a world where no woman dies giving life. Merck for Mothers is known as MSD for Mothers outside the United States and Canada.
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