As we enter an election year, we can safely expect women’s health, particularly pregnancy and maternal care, to be front and center among candidates and on party platforms. However, beyond just serving as a campaign issue every four years, this is an issue that is ripe for action by our elected officials, and surprisingly, an area where bipartisan consensus is also possible.
Specifically, tech advancements in healthcare, like ones that are already simplifying the pregnancy process, is an area that is innovating every moment and something lawmakers across the country have been eager to fully support.
Consider Philips’ Pregnancy+ mobile application. With tens of millions of downloads, it’s the world’s most popular pregnancy app. From interactive 3D models of a baby’s development to personalized educational content, the app walks parents through all stages of a pregnancy. It informs expectant mothers about proper nutrition, exercise, and medical checkups while allowing loved ones to track all 42 weeks of the baby’s progress. Just last year, Forbes gavethe app a “perfect score” after analyzing other pregnancy trackers, and the app continues to boast 5 stars on the App Store.
By putting vital information in the hands of anyone with access to a mobile device, the Pregnancy+ app has helped reverse health disparities for under-resourced mothers. For too long, racial disparities have plagued health outcomes in the United States – a reality that the COVID-19 pandemic magnified. These inequities are especially stark when it comes to maternal care.
According to a KFF study, women of color are far more likely to face birth risk factors contributing to infant mortality. For example, Black women between 30 to 34 years have a 4 times higher infant mortality rate than white women of the same age.
State governments have begun paying attention to the benefits of public-private partnerships in maternal care – and some have even subsidized and promoted them.
For example, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently expanded its contract with Philips to connect Medicaid-eligible families with additional state resources through Pregnancy+. In the last year alone, the app reached over 32,000 families in the state, and nearly 80 percent of users reported becoming more aware of existing state programs. Even better, around half of users said they used one or more of the state and local resources they learned about. This partnership means more needy families are accessing home visiting services, breastfeeding education, and quality healthcare.
While Michigan’s adoption of Pregnancy+ should be celebrated, we must do more on a national level to encourage such partnerships between technology and government. Michigan has laid the blueprint for our federal government to follow on scaling access to these types of transformative technologies to make a difference to countless women.
After all, ensuring better health outcomes for both mother and child, as well as addressing complications early to help reduce stress on the system at large should be a bipartisan goal. Following in Michigan’s footsteps, members from both parties should consider ways that existing federal resources for expectant mothers can be more readily accessible. Whether it’s a user-friendly pregnancy app or cutting-edge technology for OB/GYNs, our elected officials should be ready to bolster breakthroughs in maternal care.
Thankfully, technology is bridging gaps in maternal care and improving health outcomes for all. There is no better time for our elected officials to act on this than right now. By championing these advancements in the private sector, lawmakers can guarantee mothers and their children enjoy healthier and easier lives.
Pam Akers is an Alderwoman in Greenfield, Wisconsin who also serves on the city's Board of Health.
