Location
Suwanee, GA
Start Date
17-4-2026 12:00 PM
End Date
17-4-2026 1:00 PM
Description
Introduction: Maternal mortality in Georgia remains one of the highest in the United States and is driven by persistent racial disparities, difficulty gaining access to prenatal care, and gaps in healthcare infrastructure which limits timely clinical intervention. While Georgia has implemented some measures to combat this crisis, they have not yet fully addressed the complex social, geographic, and medical determinants of maternal health. Furthermore, Black women in Georgia specifically bear a disproportionate burden of preventable morbidity and death.
Objective: This literature-based review aims to analyze the current trends and underlying factors driving the maternal mortality crisis in Georgia. Additionally, we propose an integrated framework of technologically advanced and community-based strategies designed to reduce preventable maternal deaths in Georgia and improve health outcomes especially for Black women.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed to identify original studies and reviews examining current drivers of maternal mortality and initiatives that have been undertaken to address this crisis. Peer-reviewed literature was supplemented with academic medical lectures to analyze initiatives and how to adapt them to Georgia’s maternal health context.
Results: Specifically, this paper evaluates five key initiatives while also examining how similar strategies implemented in other states have yielded measurable improvements in maternal health: (1) AI-powered diagnostics, remote monitoring devices, and wearable biosensors to detect early signs of hypertensive disorders, cardiomyopathy, and postpartum deterioration, (2) Medicaid-funded doulas to provide Black women with the extra knowledge and care with also physical and emotional support throughout the perinatal period; and (3) transportation partnerships to overcome access barriers in all the Georgia counties that do not have access to close, reliable, and timely care to ensure emergency and routine prenatal and postnatal needs are met as soon as possible.
Conclusion: Collectively, these interventions address social determinants of health, mitigate systemic bias, expand access to early and consistent care, and help ensure that complications are recognized and treated before becoming life-threatening. By highlighting the needs of Black women and using an integrative health approach to maternal care, Georgia can move towards creating safe and equitable health experiences for all women.
Embargo Period
6-2-2026
Included in
From data to action: addressing maternal mortality disparities among black women in Georgia
Suwanee, GA
Introduction: Maternal mortality in Georgia remains one of the highest in the United States and is driven by persistent racial disparities, difficulty gaining access to prenatal care, and gaps in healthcare infrastructure which limits timely clinical intervention. While Georgia has implemented some measures to combat this crisis, they have not yet fully addressed the complex social, geographic, and medical determinants of maternal health. Furthermore, Black women in Georgia specifically bear a disproportionate burden of preventable morbidity and death.
Objective: This literature-based review aims to analyze the current trends and underlying factors driving the maternal mortality crisis in Georgia. Additionally, we propose an integrated framework of technologically advanced and community-based strategies designed to reduce preventable maternal deaths in Georgia and improve health outcomes especially for Black women.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed to identify original studies and reviews examining current drivers of maternal mortality and initiatives that have been undertaken to address this crisis. Peer-reviewed literature was supplemented with academic medical lectures to analyze initiatives and how to adapt them to Georgia’s maternal health context.
Results: Specifically, this paper evaluates five key initiatives while also examining how similar strategies implemented in other states have yielded measurable improvements in maternal health: (1) AI-powered diagnostics, remote monitoring devices, and wearable biosensors to detect early signs of hypertensive disorders, cardiomyopathy, and postpartum deterioration, (2) Medicaid-funded doulas to provide Black women with the extra knowledge and care with also physical and emotional support throughout the perinatal period; and (3) transportation partnerships to overcome access barriers in all the Georgia counties that do not have access to close, reliable, and timely care to ensure emergency and routine prenatal and postnatal needs are met as soon as possible.
Conclusion: Collectively, these interventions address social determinants of health, mitigate systemic bias, expand access to early and consistent care, and help ensure that complications are recognized and treated before becoming life-threatening. By highlighting the needs of Black women and using an integrative health approach to maternal care, Georgia can move towards creating safe and equitable health experiences for all women.