The U.S. has unacceptable rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, especially when compared to other developed nations. Women in America continue to experience sickness and death throughout the perinatal period – during pregnancy, birth, and in the postpartum period. This activity provides resources and educational stories from National Public Radio (NPR), USA Today, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), the March of Dimes, and the Illinois Department of Public Health. Please work through the activities and Student Name: _________________________________________ o o o o o o o o o Choose two of the video stories and two of the article stories that captured your attention the most. Provide a brief for each of the four pieces. Include your , and if anything you. Each commentary should be a separate paragraph, 4-5 sentences for each. Briefly summarize Antoinette Pratsinakis, Ali Lowry and YoLanda Mention’s stories. What were their complications? What did the health care team do right? What did they do wrong? Define maternal mortality. Rank the maternal mortality rate from for the following developed nations: U.S., Canada, Germany, Japan, France, England. Approximately how many women die in childbirth in America every year? How many suffer severe complications? What does the acronym POSTBIRTH stand for? How can we use this to better educate our new mothers on postpartum risks? According to the CDC, what are “pregnancy-related deaths”? What are the top causes of maternal deaths? What is the role of the March of Dimes in efforts to reduce maternal mortality? What is the name of HR 1318? In your own words, summarize HR 1318. What and when was the outcome of HR 1318? Do you think this will help to reduce the problem of maternal M&M? Why? What were the highlights of what the committee found? Summarize the 6 key recommendations from the report. o What reaction did you have to these resources? What was the most impactful story, article, or new information you learned? Why? o What solutions have been suggested to address the growing problem of preventable complications? What is our responsibility, as health care professionals? o What do you think are the barriers that nurses face which prevent the delivery of quality care and education? Edit question’s attachments..

The U.S. faces significant challenges in reducing maternal morbidity and mortality rates, particularly when compared to other developed nations. Women in America continue to experience complications and even death during the perinatal period, including pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. In order to address this issue, this assignment provides various resources and educational stories from reputable sources such as National Public Radio (NPR), USA Today, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), the March of Dimes, and the Illinois Department of Public Health.

For this assignment, students are asked to choose two video stories and two article stories that stood out to them the most. They are then required to provide a brief summary for each of the four pieces, including any personal reflections or takeaways. Each commentary should be written in a separate paragraph, comprising 4-5 sentences to adequately capture the key aspects of the stories.

In addition to summarizing the selected stories, students are also expected to define maternal mortality and rank the maternal mortality rates for the U.S., Canada, Germany, Japan, France, and England among developed nations. They are also asked to estimate the number of women who die in childbirth in America each year and the number who suffer severe complications. Moreover, students are encouraged to understand the acronym POSTBIRTH, its significance in educating new mothers about postpartum risks, and how it can be effectively utilized.

Students must also familiarize themselves with the CDC’s definition of “pregnancy-related deaths” and the leading causes of maternal deaths. Furthermore, they are required to comprehend the role of the March of Dimes in efforts to reduce maternal mortality. This includes knowledge of the specific House Resolution (HR 1318), a summary of its contents, and its outcome. Students are then prompted to express their opinion on whether HR 1318 is likely to address the problem of maternal morbidity and mortality and why.

Additionally, students are expected to summarize the key findings of the committee, as well as the six recommendations outlined in the report. They are then asked to reflect on their initial reaction to the provided resources and identify the most impactful story, article, or new piece of information they learned and explain why. Furthermore, students should discuss the suggested solutions to address preventable complications and explore the responsibilities of healthcare professionals in this regard. Lastly, they are asked to identify and discuss the barriers that nurses may face when delivering quality care and education.

In conclusion, this assignment aims to enhance students’ understanding of the alarming rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. by providing a range of resources and educational stories. By critically engaging with these materials, students can develop insights into the causes, consequences, and potential solutions to this pressing issue. Through this analysis, they are encouraged to reflect on their own roles and responsibilities as future healthcare professionals.