Health Equity

A Safe Place to Give Birth

More than half of the state’s counties are maternity-care deserts, with no OB/GYNs, certified midwives or hospitals providing obstetric care. We are working toward a Mississippi where all mothers can give birth safely.

Policy advocacy

Our partners successfully advocated for Medicaid postpartum extension in 2023, which extended Medicaid coverage from 60 days to one year after birth. They won presumptive Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women in 2024, which allows women to access immediate care while their application for Medicaid is being considered. Both measures represent critical policy changes that can improve infant and maternal mortality rates.