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Moms Deserve More: The State of Maternal Health in Arizona

May 16, 2024
Pregnant woman holding belly cropped

Moms need more support before and after they give birth. A new report underscores the need for increased awareness, attention, and action dedicated to maternal health.

The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) recently released its latest Maternal Mortality report with data up to 2019. Maternal mortality refers to the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth, or within one year after the end of pregnancy.

Key findings:

  • The leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in AZ is mental health conditions (32.6%), followed by heart conditions (20.9%).
  • People of color are experiencing pregnancy-related deaths at a disproportionate rate.
  • Approximately 90% of the deaths were considered preventable.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (AZ Blue) believes that moms deserve more – and we’re doing something about it. The alarming statistics reinforce our commitment to addressing the health of moms and their babies and reducing racial disparities.

AZ Blue taking action

High-Risk Maternity Care Management Program: Healthy pregnancies, healthy moms, healthy babies. That’s the goal of AZ Blue’s High-Risk Maternity Care Management Program! We have Care Managers dedicated to working directly with moms covered by AZ Blue who have been identified as ‘high-risk.’ High-risk can mean different things, but some examples are those who have a history of pregnancy-related complications, have gestational diabetes, or are pregnant with multiples. High-risk individuals don’t have to reach out to us for extra support on their pregnancy or postpartum journey, we reach out and offer it to them. Our teams help connect them to the right care and ensure they have all the resources, education, and information they need.

  • The program helped more than 1,000 high-risk pregnant women in 2023.
  • Beyond direct pregnancy-related needs, our team helps with social or behavioral needs that can affect overall health – like food insecurity or mental health. We can connect women with providers or community organizations that can help.
  • If you have not been contacted by AZ Blue or referred by your doctor and believe you could benefit from working with a Care Manager – AZ Blue members can call the Care Management line and ask about the program: 1-877-475-8449.

Maternity Care Training: AZ Blue partnered with March of Dimes, a nonprofit committed to ending preventable maternal health risks and death, to offer in-network maternal care providers implicit bias training. The training explains how structural racism has played a role in shaping U.S. maternal care and covers recognizing and remedying implicit bias. This training can help everyone in care settings – like doctors, nurses, and front desk staff – foster safe, supportive environments for pregnant women.

AZ Blue Foundation: One of the focus areas of the AZ Blue Foundation is health equity. The Foundation continues to fund programs, projects, and research, and host educational webinars that address maternal health equity and make a difference. Examples:

  • A Community Collective webinar on Arizona’s Maternal Mental Health Crisis on May 21. Sign up to learn about the issues and be a part of the solutions: Webinar Registration - Zoom
  • AZ Blue funded Postpartum Support International (PSI) to expand the number of providers of color and rural providers with perinatal mental health certification. This will result in more access to more healthcare professionals who can help moms experiencing mental health challenges during pregnancy and postpartum.
  • AZ Blue funding is supporting the State of Black Arizona and its research into challenges in health equity for Black mothers and children in Arizona. The research will help identify gaps and encourage change in the right places and ways.

These are just a few of the many ways AZ Blue supports moms and is working to reduce inequities in maternal healthcare. We care about moms and babies and want every Arizonan to have the best opportunity to lead a healthy life!

How can you help Arizona moms and babies?

  1. Donate: There are many nonprofits statewide that serve moms, babies, and families. If you don’t know where to start, consider:

2. Volunteer: Similarly, there are many volunteer opportunities across Arizona. AZ Blue employees take pride in supporting maternal health through volunteer work, and some of the Blue crew will be assembling postpartum care kits with 4th Trimester Arizona at the end of May. Some volunteer opportunities for you:

3. Reach out and check in on the moms in your life. If you’re a mom or know of a mom looking for mental health support, reach out to a doctor or call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-852-6262.