Hospital uses text messaging to improve maternal care

Parkland Health in Dallas uses new technologies and messaging platforms to identify at-risk mothers-to-be and develop personalized care plans. Since its program began in 2018, preterm delivery rates have declined by 20%; prenatal doctor’s visits have risen by 8% and associated costs have decreased by 6%. Many hospitals employ similar programs to reduce maternal mortality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week that the U.S. maternal mortality rate increased to 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2021 from 23.8 in 2020. The rate for Black women was nearly three times the rate for white women. Mortality rates increased with maternal age, with the rate for women aged 40 and over nearly seven times higher than the rate for women under 25. (HealthLeaders Media article)