Over the last few years, it’s become increasingly apparent that our state is more concerned with appearing pro-life than actually performing the hard work of providing the services necessary to be truly pro-life.
A 2018 report from the March of Dimes (“Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S.”), shows the U.S. maternal death rate has increased over the last few decades while other nations have successfully reduced their maternal death rates. Indiana is among the leaders in this unfortunate trend, with a death rate that is almost twice that of most other states. We were also seventh in the nation for infant mortality rates.
In their newly released 2020 report ( https://www.marchofdimes.org/materials/2020-Maternity-Care-Report.pdf ), President and CEO Stacy D. Stewart, said: “Every 12 hours a woman dies due to complications resulting from pregnancy. Additionally, 2 babies die each day…” and “…In 2020 the U.S. remains among the most dangerous developed nations for a woman to give birth.”
Our state’s response? A maternal mortality review committee.
In the meantime, our state and local legislators continue to offer more and more restrictive “pro-life” laws, which should be more accurately be described as “pro-birth” laws.
The “pregnancy accommodation” bill contains no accommodations, and this year’s House Bill 1577 would require doctors to promote an unproven drug for “abortion reversals”. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not support the opinion that this drug is effective. Additionally, some aspects of the bill’s requirements would further harm those women faced with aborting a much desired pregnancy. Could we please temper our pro-life earnestness with a little sympathy and kindness for those families facing this type of tragedy?
And can we please remember that there is a living woman carrying this much valued life? Shouldn’t we put a little more effort into ensuring she has the resources she needs during pregnancy, delivery, and the critical one-year period postpartum?
Hancock Regional Hospital was recently named among the best in the nation in a study conducted by the Leapfrog Group. (See the Daily Reporter’s March 22 article for details). This is fortunate for our community, but 33 of our 92 counties do not have hospitals that provide OB services. Yes, they can drive to another hospital… if they have reliable transportation. Yes, they can call for an ambulance for delivery, but how do they get to their routine check-ups?
Hancock County also offers some wonderful support services through non-profit organizations and local churches. Regretfully, the same is not true in all communities, and it is that very shortfall that leads not only to higher infant and maternal death rates, but to avoidable issues that deprive children of the ability to reach their full potential.
The bottom line is that we all want a positive outcome, but we don’t want to pay for it. This is, after all, a matter of “personal responsibility.” If the expectant parents couldn’t afford it, then they shouldn’t have gotten pregnant — even if the reason they got pregnant was because they couldn’t afford or didn’t have access to contraceptives and/or accurate birth control information.
Thus, in effect, we are turning away from those in need and blaming any sad outcome on those who don’t have the ability to change that outcome. It’s not our fault they made a bad decision; didn’t get the right education for a good job; took on too much student debt; or whatever else led to the financial situation that put them between a rock and a hard place.
Medicaid covers roughly half the cost of maternal deliveries in Indiana and many other states. However, not everyone who needs assistance qualifies for Medicaid. Unexpected complications and failure to note obscure clauses in insurance policies can also lead to high bills and personal bankruptcies. This, in turn contributes to the rising loss of OB services in rural hospitals.
There are many reasons why Indiana ranks high among the states with poor pregnancy outcomes, but the bottom line is that these are issues we could fix if we were willing to back up our proclaimed ideals with funding and programs that have been proven to be effective.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
A lifelong resident of Hancock County, Linda Dunn is an author and retired Department of Defense employee.
