Maternal Mortality: From Conversation to Implementation

The 2019 Annual Meeting is fast approaching, and I couldn’t be more excited for the program we have planned for all of you! It will be an action-packed meeting full of opportunities to learn, network, enhance your practice, and get inspired to make a difference in your communities.

I’m especially enthusiastic about the President’s Panel, where I’ve carefully selected outstanding speakers to create a positive, solutions-based interactive session on maternal mortality. My presidential initiatives have focused on reducing maternal mortality, and this year’s panel reflects a dynamic group who will help us make the transition from conversation to implementation.

One panelist is Mary-Ann Etiebet, MD, the lead and executive director of Merck for Mothers. I met Mary-Ann while doing work for the CDC and had the amazing opportunity to learn about her work around the globe to reduce maternal mortality. With Merck for Mothers, Mary-Ann leads the charge on innovative, outcomes-based maternal health programs and private-sector partnerships that help create solutions that empower women and provide resources to health care providers. Her work promotes access to quality care and helps create the foundation for strong families and communities by keeping mothers healthy through pregnancy and beyond. If you’re looking to understand how empowering women can improve their health outcomes, look no further than Mary-Ann’s work!

Another panelist is Rebekah Gee, MD. As the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health (LDOH), Rebekah oversaw the state’s Medicaid expansion, which allowed more than 470,000 Louisiana residents who previously didn’t have health insurance to become insured. Before serving as secretary, Rebekah was the director for the LDOH Birth Outcomes Initiative, which reduced the infant mortality rate by 25% in Louisiana by improving the quality of care for mothers and infants and addressing poor pregnancy outcomes for high-risk mothers. Enhancing access to high-quality care really makes a difference. Rebekah has been a champion working tirelessly on behalf of women in need.

I hope that Mary-Ann’s and Rebekah’s passion, methods, and results will inspire every single attendee to think about how they can implement change in their practices and communities as we all continue working to end preventable maternal mortality.

Registration is now open for the 2019 ACOG Annual Meeting. If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to register now. As always, you can connect with me directly on Twitter at @TXMommyDoc.