Doctors, health officials discuss maternal mortality with Indiana lawmakers

Indianapolis, Indiana – Maternal mortality is being examined more closely by Indiana legislators.

Although there are no official state rankings for maternal mortality rates from the CDC, experts claim Indiana has one of the highest rates in the country.

During a meeting of the Statehouse interim study committee on Tuesday, physicians and health experts provided testimony on the subject.

Deaths occurring during pregnancy, childbirth, or up to one year after delivery are included in maternal mortality.

“We are losing almost 100 mothers to postpartum complications,” State Rep. Vanessa Summers (D-Indianapolis), who requested the discussion, said of the state’s 2020 data.

The most recent state data are available for 2020, and according to Dr. Kristina Box, Indiana’s state health commissioner, maternal fatalities increased considerably in that year.

According to Dr. Box, overdoses have been the main cause of fatalities. Additionally, she continued, women of color are dying at higher rates than white Hoosiers, much like the rest of the country.

“The 2020 data shows that the Black non-Hispanic mortality ratio is 93% higher than the non-Hispanic white ratio,” Dr. Box told lawmakers.

Two months after Republican state lawmakers approved an almost complete ban on abortion, which is temporarily on hold after a temporary injunction was granted last month, the topic will be discussed on Tuesday.

“We’re all concerned this is going to impact access to care,” said Dr. Jasmine Johnson, assistant professor of OB/GYN at the IU School of Medicine.

Dr. Johnson was questioned about how the law would affect healthcare by Dr. Richard Feldman, a former state health commissioner. Johnson expressed concern that the effects on health might intensify.

“I am concerned that our patients who already may not trust the medical establishment for a number of reasons, some of them very valid, are, again, not going to trust us and not going to seek care,” Dr. Johnson said.

State Representative Summers stated that she is preparing to offer legislation to reduce maternal fatalities in the upcoming session.

The Maternal Mortality Review Committee for the state has provided suggestions for lowering maternal fatalities. These consist of expanded postpartum PTSD assessments and better access to mental health services, according to Dr. Box.