����������

The March of Dimes recently updated its implicit bias training modules to emphasize the importance of creating an action plan.

Behavioral health startups that offer virtual care continue to draw strong interest from investors, with pediatric-focused Brightline being the latest example.

Participants in the Healthy Start Initiative may apply for up to $180,000 each in supplemental funding.

With perinatal mood and anxiety disorders the single largest complication of pregnancy and childbirth, a new AHA infographic highlights five key ways to prioritize maternal mental health based on hospitals with successful programs.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced a learning collaborative and webinar series to help state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program agencies improve maternal and infant health by reducing cesarean deliveries for low-risk pregnancies.

In AHA’s newest Advancing Health podcast, recorded for International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, Priya Bathija, AHA’s vice president of strategic initiatives, talks to journalist and author Anushay Hossain about the health care experience of women, particularly women of color.

Million Hearts 2027 is a national initiative to prevent one million heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular events over the next five years.

Receiving two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy might help prevent your infant from being hospitalized for COVID-19 in the first six months after birth, according a study released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a statement submitted to the Senate Finance Committee for a hearing on protecting children’s mental health, the AHA urged Congress to lift the caps on physician residency positions and increase scholarships, loan forgiveness and other financial supports to encourage health care providers to specialize in behavioral health services.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Hear Her campaign has released a new website and resources to help health professionals communicate with pregnant and postpartum patients about their concerns and respond to urgent maternal warning signs. 

Hospital leaders and clinicians will join experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AHA and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Jan. 26 to discuss how health care professionals can work with their patients and communities to build trust in the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant people.

SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may cause inflammatory immune responses in the fetus, even if the virus does not infect the placenta, according to a small National Institutes of Health study published in the journal Nature Communications.

In a recent memo to state survey agencies, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services encouraged hospitals to review their maternal health policies and procedures and incorporate maternal safety bundles and other evidence-based best practices for managing obstetric emergencies and addressing disparities.  

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health recognized 20 organizations, including AHA-member hospitals and health systems, for their effective programs to monitor and provide follow-up care for hypertensive disorders to pregnant and postpartum women.

The Health Resources and Services Administration awarded states and territories an additional $81 million in emergency funding from the American Rescue Plan Act for the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, which provides voluntary home visits to improve maternal and child health for families in high-risk communities.

America’s hospitals and health systems are committed to providing the best possible care for all women, including pregnant women, new mothers and their babies, and to amplifying the voices of women of color who are disproportionately affected by maternal morbidity and mortality.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., released an Advisory on Protecting Youth Mental Health, which calls for a “a whole-of-society effort to address longstanding challenges, strengthen the resilience of young people, support their families and communities, and mitigate the pandemic’s mental health impacts.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services intends to propose adding a “birthing-friendly” hospital designation on its Care Compare website to drive improvements in perinatal health outcomes and maternal health equity, the Department of Health and Human Services announced.

The White House hosted a summit to mark the first federal Maternal Health Day of Action. The summit highlighted actions the federal government is taking to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. 

The House passed the Maternal Vaccination Act (H.R. 951), an AHA-supported provision from the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act that would direct the Health and Human Services Secretary to carry out a national campaign emphasizing the importance of maternal vaccinations.