News
Public health agencies warn the public about increasing numbers of highly potent synthetic opioids
10+ hour, 11+ min ago (660+ words) Four state agencies have joined together to warn Missourians about the growing presence of a highly potent class of synthetic opioids. According to one of those agencies, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, nitazenes, some of which are…...
Improving Outcomes: Missouri’s Perinatal Quality Collaborative
1+ week, 7+ hour ago (485+ words) "When we think of postpartum, traditionally we think of 6 or 12 weeks after delivery, but the majority, about 43% of those deaths actually occur between six weeks and 12 months postpartum, which is pretty unexpected and surprising for most people." Thomas said professionals…...
Care across distance: Maternal health in rural settings
1+ week, 7+ hour ago (786+ words) Kimberly Elliott is director of social services for Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, also known as CMH. They serve an eight-county area, including Benton, St. Clair, Hickory, Polk, Cedar, Dade, Dallas and parts of northern Greene County. "When I first…...
The Doula effect: Increasing access to support
1+ week, 15+ hour ago (446+ words) Kimberly Costello is CEO of the Doula Foundation. The Springfield-based nonprofit has served southwest Missouri for over 25 years. Costello said it's doing more than ever to address not just the clinical, but the social challenges facing new mothers, families and…...
Black women are at higher risk of death during pregnancy and postpartum than White women
1+ week, 2+ day ago (605+ words) And Black women are two and a half times more likely to die during pregnancy and in the year after giving birth than White women. Alicia Jenkins, director of the Office of Minority Health with DHSS, said Black women account…...
A good patient/provider relationship can be key to a good pregnancy, birth experience
1+ week, 2+ day ago (678+ words) When a woman is having a baby, it's important that she not only listen to her healthcare provider but that the provider listen to her needs and concerns. Dr. Courtney Barnes, physician and associate professor of clinical OB/GYN at…...
OB/GYNs stress the importance of prenatal and postpartum care
1+ week, 3+ day ago (547+ words) Veronica Peterson's baby Brendan is seven months old. Her pregnancy was normal, except for the morning sickness. "The morning sickness was unreal," she said, "so I was, I was in a way, and the first one was, too. But this…...
Family Connects helps new parents find needed community resources
1+ week, 2+ day ago (467+ words) Bringing a baby home is a special time for moms and dads, but that doesn't mean it comes without challenges. Moms are dealing with changing hormones after giving birth. They can feel isolated, especially if they don't have support systems…...
Missouri lags behind the nation in maternal health. But work is being done to improve the numbers
1+ week, 3+ day ago (583+ words) On average, 70 women died in Missouri while they were pregnant or within a year after they gave birth each year from 2018 to 2022, according to the state's Perinatal Quality Collaborative. That data comes from the Missouri Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Board in…...
Buying water from for-profit kiosks may come with lead, research finds
3+ week, 9+ hour ago (1570+ words) Supersized water and ice kiosks continue to pop up in the Midwest. The owners of these standalone kiosks advertise their products as safer and purer than tap water. But researchers from the University of Iowa found that water purchased from…...