Maternal Health Awareness Day – Know What’s at Stake

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has designated January 23^rd as Maternal Health Awareness Day. The theme “Know What’s at Stake” calls to raise awareness about the health risks for women as the maternal mortality crisis in our country continues. The current maternal mortality rate in the United States remains unacceptably high, and roughly 80% of maternal deaths are considered preventable, according to the Maternal Mortality Review Committees.

Here in California, as hospitals with maternity units in rural and lower income communities have closed over the decade, the state has experienced a surge in “reproductive care deserts,” which refers to a lack of reproductive care resources, including prenatal, obstetrician/gynecology clinics and inpatient maternity units.

Since 2012, at least 56 hospitals have closed their maternity wards in California – 11 closures occurred during 2023 and eight in 2024 – according to the California Hospital Association. Many of these closures have impacted the Los Angeles region, with our Black, Latino and low-income communities disproportionately affected.

As one of the busiest maternity units in the region, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center (PVHMC) has remained steadfast, expanding services for high-risk patients and continuously moving forward in its efforts to enhance patient safety and birth experiences, and improve access to resources for our mothers.

Our Commitment to Mothers

As a leader in addressing maternal mortality, our experts begin with assessments for early identification and interventions for risk factors. Our community obstetricians (OB) recognize that PVHMC is a leader in perinatal services. Our labor and delivery unit, which provides specialized care for women with high-risk pregnancies, received advanced certification from The Joint Commission.

Our hospital is home to one of the largest gestational diabetes programs in California, “Sweet Success at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.” At this center, we provide nutrition counseling to expectant mothers with elevated BMI and/or gestational diabetes throughout their pregnancy.

Our maternity unit features a comprehensive simulation program to enact every type of maternal emergency, no matter how rare, so that our team is prepared. Our postpartum hemorrhage simulation, which is the 6^th leading cause of death for pregnant women, resulted in the development of a “Code Crimson,” a best practice code that activates a dedicated response team to initiate lifesaving measures.

We also offer an abundance of resources within the maternity unit, including an in-house OB program, in which specialists can attend to any obstetric and gynecologic emergencies, 24/7; access to a substance-use nurse navigator, best practice management of and response to elevated blood pressure, including providing free blood pressure cuffs and ensuring follow-up with an OB within one week of delivery.

One of our most important initiatives is reducing C-section rates for first-time mothers with low risk of complications, a metric known as an NTSV rate. We receive numerous accolades for our low NTSV rates, as it directly contributes to better outcomes for low-risk women and their babies. C-section rates are associated with a higher risk of bleeding, infection, pulmonary embolism and subsequent C-sections versus vaginal deliveries. PVHMC is proud to offer vaginal birth after C-section (VBAC), an option highly beneficial to mothers who meet the requirements, yet unavailable at a majority of hospitals in the state.

We recognize that implicit bias contributes to racial disparities in maternal mortality. Our staff receive implicit bias training to ensure cultural sensitivity. Each patient receives a personalized approach to their care based on their medical needs, health history and birth plan, however the quality of care we provide to all our patients remains at the highest level.

In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked PVHMC among 26 facilities in the nation, and only five in California, for achieving excellent outcomes for C-section and unexpected newborn complications among Black patients. This accolade demonstrates our progress and success in reducing health disparities and ongoing implicit bias training.

Reaching Beyond Our Community

For our community OB/GYNs, we offer abundant resources to ensure our mothers have access to care. Through annual meetings with our providers and their medical office staff, we provide the latest news and education on issues impacting our maternity populations.

We also offer information related to services we offer at no cost to our community, including:

• Influenza vaccinations
• YoMingo pregnancy and postpartum app
• In- and outpatient lactation center and hotline, available 24/7
• Virtual pregnancy and postpartum support group

Our maternal-fetal transport program allows us to provide our service to neighboring hospitals that aren’t equipped to manage high-risk maternal fetal cases. The program also allows us the opportunity to provide education, resources and training to these hospitals, including simulations and telehealth visits with our expert OBs on how to manage patients in the Emergency Department before they are transported to PVHMC.

Looking to a Healthy Future for our Mothers

PVHMC is committed to providing excellence in maternity care and strives to help our patients with the education they need to make informed health care decisions.

If you are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant, talk to your doctor about maternal health risks, including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, desired or previous C-section, pre-eclampsia (prenatal and postpartum), etc. To find a doctor near you, click here.

Our team is here to guide you every step of the way in your pregnancy and postpartum journey. Learn more here.