Skip to main content

To improve newborn health in Georgia, think beyond healthcare

2018-10-18T07:01:15

(BPT) – According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 10 infants were born preterm last year. This is the second straight year that the national preterm birth rate rose. This issue is particularly severe in Georgia, where one in 11 babies are born at a low birth weight.

Teens, women over age 35, African-American women and women with low income are at greater risk of giving birth to preterm babies. Preterm births can result in lifelong health challenges for children that go well into adulthood, like disabilities, developmental delays and chronic conditions.

Stacey Stewart, president of the March of Dimes, stated it plainly in a recent interview: “The chance of a baby’s survival should not depend on where a baby is born, or the income, race and ethnicity of her mom.”

While prenatal health is important for any expectant mom, it can be especially critical for low-income women, many of whom receive coverage from Medicaid. The increased health risks for a low-income woman and her baby — much like other low-income populations — is often tied to social and economic factors. As a result, WellCare Health Plans, a Medicaid provider in Georgia, helps connect its Medicaid members to social services through its Community Connections program. According to WellCare of Georgia, the top social service requests for Georgia residents in 2017 included utilities assistance, medical transportation and financial assistance.

The March of Dimes has set a national goal of reducing preterm birth rates to 8.1 percent by 2020, but, to get there, experts agree there are critical points along the journey an expectant mom must take to ensure she, and her baby, can be as healthy as possible.

Three keys to improving newborn health in Georgia, especially for low-income women on Medicaid:

  • Improve Prenatal Care Programs: Many women start prenatal care late, or get no prenatal care at all. There are programs across the state that can help expectant moms maintain proper prenatal health habits, as well as preparation for after their baby is born. The WellCare of Georgia team, for example, works one-on-one with members to coordinate prenatal and postpartum care and, as a result, has seen a decrease in newborns born at very low birth weight.
  • Going Beyond Healthcare: It’s hard to maintain healthy behaviors during pregnancy when you don’t have a place to live, or can’t get to your doctor’s appointments because of lack of transportation. By building connections between healthcare and social services, those barriers can be addressed. There are a number of social services available across the state of Georgia to help with social and economic barriers.
  • Assistance and Support after Baby’s Birth: Women who are at high risk for preterm birth, or who have gone through preterm birth, need additional assistance. Personalized services, including in-home monitoring of the baby’s health, can help women who have a preterm newborn to manage the medical and emotional aspects, and help new moms keep up with well-baby checkups and immunizations.

WellCare of Georgia offers a Community Connections Help Line to help connect callers with local support resources. Please call (866) 775-2192 for help, where someone is available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time).


Data & News supplied by www.cloudquote.io
Stock quotes supplied by Barchart
Quotes delayed at least 20 minutes.
By accessing this page, you agree to the following
Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.