Working together for healthy starts

the challenge

NC's maternal mortality rate is 78% higher than the national goal.

NC's rate of 26.7 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (March of Dimes NC data for 2018-2022) is 78% higher than the Healthy People benchmark of <15.

10.7%

of North Carolina births are premature (a D+ grade). Too many babies are starting life in the NICU.

Data attribution:
March of Dimes
13.4%

of women lack a birthing hospital within 30 minutes. Distance puts mothers and babies at risk.

Data attribution:
March of Dimes
21%

of NC counties are maternity care deserts. Thousands of families lack access to maternity care.

Data attribution:
March of Dimes
29%

lower preterm birth risk with doula support. Doulas help more babies make it to full term.

Data attribution:
Falconi et al.
46%

more likely to attend postpartum visits with a doula. Postpartum care saves lives.

Data attribution:
Falconi et al.
47%

lower Cesarean risk with doula care. Doulas support healthier, safer births.

Data attribution:
Falconi et al.
50%

of NC births are covered by Medicaid. Policy decisions directly shape maternal health outcomes.

Data attribution:
NCIOM
6.8

infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Too many babies don’t make it to their first birthday.

Data attribution:
March of Dimes
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OUR RESPONSE

Connecting cross-sector leaders committed to bettering maternal and infant health, together.

steering comm
UNC Gillings School of Public HealthKristin Black
March of DimesPat Campbell
HealthConnect OneTwylla Dillion
John William Pope FoundationJohn Hood
Mountain Area Health Education CenterAmy Marietta
IMCEaster Maynard
Dogwood Health TrustSusan Mims
501 VenturesMeg Powell
HopeStar FoundationLiz Star
Kate B. Reynolds Charitable TrustShenell Thompson
Duke Margolis Institute for Health PolicyBrianna Van Stekelenburg
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North CarolinaMarcus Wallace
ECU Department of Obstetrics & GynecologyJames Whiteside
Duke University School of MedicineCharlene Wong
NC Division of Public HealthKathy Dail
Rural Health GroupKristen Dorsey-Leake
NC Hospital AssociationLaPonda Edmonson
RTI InternationalTim Gabel
Unified Women's HealthBarrett Gunter
SASRachel Hardin
Piedmont Health ServicesDaniella Jaimes-Colina
The Duke EndowmentJay Kennedy
Perinatal Quality CollaborativeMartin McCaffrey
NC Institute of MedicineMichelle Ries
NC AHECHugh Tilson
UNCSarah Verbiest
NC DHHSJanelle White
OUR APPROACH
Our three focus areas for lasting change
MATERNAL HEALTH WORKFORCE
Expanding and supporting NC's maternal health workforce to deliver high-quality care where families need it most.
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rural healthcare
access
Closing gaps in care for rural communities, ensuring every mother and baby has access to essential services.
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public policy
optimization
Driving smarter public policy to sustain improvements in maternal and infant health statewide.
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