Where We Stand
Section: Sexual and Reproductive Health Care
Policy: Maternal Mortality and Morbidity as a Public Health Crisis

Maternal Mortality and Morbidity as a Public Health Crisis

OMA supports the following policy statements on Maternal Mortality and Morbidity as a Public Health Crisis:

1. That our OMA advocates for a standardized, inclusive, and uniform definition of maternal mortality and morbidity, along with the adoption of federal standards for the collection and reporting of race and ethnicity data, to accurately measure and monitor outcomes and reduce disparities.
2. That our OMA advocates for additional research into the causes, impacts, and severity of maternal morbidity to inform evidence-based interventions.
3. That our OMA advocates for legislation to improve maternal health during and after pregnancy, with a focus on Black, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) maternal health, including increased funding for Medicaid programs for up to a year postpartum.
4. That our OMA advocates for formation of medical-legal partnerships and broader policy changes that address social and structural determinants of health, including economic justice, housing stability, and equitable access to health care, to improve maternal health outcomes.
5. That our OMA advocates for expanded funding and access to mental health services and substance use treatment programs, with a focus on culturally responsive health navigation staff.
6. That our OMA recognizes the importance of ongoing anti-racist education for learners and clinicians on cultural humility, implicit bias, and systemic racism to improve maternal health outcomes for Black, AIAN, and NHPI patients, as well as all Oregonians. This extends to fostering an anti-racist culture of learning, belonging, accountability, and continuous improvement among all individuals involved in the delivery of healthcare.
7. That our OMA advocates for the meaningful engagement of patients and communities with lived experiences of marginalization in the development of research, policies, and clinical practices to improve maternal health equity.
8. That our OMA supports policies and initiatives aimed at recruiting, retaining, and advancing health care professionals from racial and ethnic communities underrepresented in medicine to improve maternal health outcomes.

9. That our OMA acknowledges the role of systemic racism and bias in preventable maternal mortality and morbidity and supports reforms to eliminate these disparities.

See Appendix X