Maternal Health Awareness Day is a Call To Action for Better Access

As a former OB-GYN and now the CEO of Rimidi, a digital health company that enables remote patient monitoring with software, services, and connected devices, I’ve spent my career at the intersection of healthcare delivery and innovation. January 23, National Maternal Health Awareness Day, is a poignant reminder of the ongoing challenges that so many individuals face during one of the most pivotal times in their lives—pregnancy and childbirth. While the statistics and stories surrounding maternal health can be sobering, this day also serves as a call to action, highlighting the opportunities to transform care through better policies, care delivery models, and technology.

The Policy Imperative

In the United States, maternal health outcomes continue to lag behind those of other developed nations, especially among marginalized communities. In my home state of Georgia, the maternal mortality rate is one of the highest in the nation, with approximately 46.2 deaths per 100,000 live births. Among Black women in Georgia, this rate is even more alarming—almost three times higher than that of white women and higher than many less wealthy and less-developed countries, such as El Salvador, Mongolia or Syria. While the state has extended Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months, barriers to access and care delivery remain significant challenges.

Policy must be at the forefront of improving access to maternal health care. In part, this means expanding Medicaid postpartum coverage beyond the 60-day cutoff in every state, as research shows that many maternal deaths occur weeks to months after delivery, and expanding Medicaid to include telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring for OB-GYN care. 

Following the Supreme Court Dobbs decision, access to abortion has been severely restricted across the U.S. Clinicians we work with in various communities have described the precarious situation this creates for a woman with a history of pregnancy complications facing a subsequent high-risk pregnancy. Without access to safe and legal abortion services, women who have experienced severe preeclampsia or heart disease may be forced to carry pregnancies to term that significantly endanger their health. This not only increases the risk of maternal mortality but also places undue strain on already overwhelmed healthcare systems, and increases costs for both patients and payers. 

Paid family leave policies are another crucial piece of the puzzle. Too often, the lack of financial support during pregnancy and postpartum periods forces individuals to choose between their health and their income. Policymakers have the power to alleviate these burdens, ensuring that every parent has the resources and time to care for themselves and their baby.

Care Delivery Models: Breaking Down Barriers

Even with strong policies in place, logistical challenges remain significant barriers to maternal health. Transportation is a frequent obstacle, particularly for those living in rural areas. Imagine being 30 miles from the nearest prenatal care provider, with no reliable access to a car or public transportation. For too many, this is the reality.

In Georgia, for example, 82 out of 159 counties lack an OB-GYN. And, as stated above, restrictive abortion policies are likely to further exacerbate the issue with fewer providers choosing to practice in states with restrictive laws that create ambiguity, liability and limitations on their ability to practice medicine in the best interest of their patients. The exodus of currently practicing maternal health providers and decrease in incoming clinicians is compounding the challenges in areas already facing critical shortages of OB-GYNs and hospitals offering obstetric services.  

For those able to get sufficient time off work and with access to transportation for prenatal and postpartum visits, childcare is yet another hurdle–especially with older children at home. Attending prenatal visits, undergoing ultrasounds, or managing high-risk pregnancies often requires hours away from home. Without accessible childcare options, these necessary appointments become almost impossible to attend. The provider scarcity and childcare challenges underscore the importance of expanding access through alternative solutions.

Leveraging Technology: RPM and Telehealth

Digital health innovations have the potential to revolutionize maternal care and to rethink our current care delivery models. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) and telehealth have already shown promise in addressing both logistical and clinical barriers.

For example, wearable devices can track blood pressure, glucose levels, and fetal heart rates, sending self-monitored data from the home to care teams. This not only reduces the need for frequent in-person visits but also ensures early detection of complications such as gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. For individuals managing high-risk pregnancies, RPM can be a lifeline, providing ongoing monitoring without requiring constant travel–especially in the first six weeks postpartum, when stroke risk is the highest.

With connected blood pressure cuffs, our clients have been able to detect when a patient is at risk of an adverse outcome and get them into the hospital. One client has reported that in the last month alone, three postpartum mothers returned to the hospital after detecting elevations in their blood pressure – something they would not have done if they weren’t provided the blood pressure cuff and education upon discharge. Another client shared that because providers were able to track a patient’s blood pressure and, importantly, text them in their native language, the patient received timely care and avoided a worse outcome.

A Shared Responsibility

Improving maternal health is not the sole responsibility of any single stakeholder. It requires a collaborative effort between policymakers, healthcare providers, technologists, and community leaders. Each of us has a role to play in dismantling barriers and ensuring equitable access to care.

On this National Maternal Health Awareness Day, let us recommit to a vision of healthcare that uplifts every parent and child. By prioritizing policy reform, addressing logistical barriers, and embracing technology, we can create a future where maternal health is a universal right, not a privilege.