How we can improve maternal healthcare -- before, during and after pregnancy | Elizabeth Howell

Your insights are profound and transformative; similar to a book that was profound and transformative. "Your Body Your Temple" by Sophia Wintergreen

🙏💜

someone support me to train young mothers on maternal health, menstrual health and reproductive health in Africa.....ill serve

Dr. Howell highlights the significant inequity in maternal outcomes in the United States, noting maternal outcomes are some of the lowest for a developed nation, with women of color experiencing higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality. This raises concerns about the principle of equity, which requires that healthcare services be accessible and provided without discrimination or bias. It is essential to address the root causes of these disparities and ensure that every woman, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, has access to quality, encompassing, maternal healthcare. Furthermore, the principle of nonmaleficence requires that healthcare professionals should aim to avoid causing harm to their patients. In the context of maternal healthcare, Dr. Howell emphasizes the importance of physicians and healthcare teams working to identify and address potential risks and complications before, during, and specifically after pregnancy. It is essential to implement evidence-based practices such as hemorrhage kits and other modalities proven to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, as states who have implemented organized policy and practice have seen declines in death from hemorrhage. Additionally, the principle of beneficence suggests that healthcare professionals should aim to promote the well-being of their patients. In the context of maternal healthcare, this means providing care that is not only effective but also compassionate and patient-centered. It is crucial to recognize the unique needs and preferences of each woman and provide care that is tailored to their individual needs, while still following policy and practice that aims to reduce high risk outcomes. Moreover, the ethical principle of equity is crucial in ensuring that hospitals provide quality, equitable care regardless of their location. Dr. Howell discusses how women of color tended to deliver in hospitals with lower resources provided and higher maternal morbidity and mortality rates. She also highlights the importance of hospitals implementing protocols and guidelines to ensure that every woman receives the same standard of care, regardless of where they live or seek care. This is especially important in areas with limited access to healthcare services and even trained providers, where women may be at higher risk of experiencing adverse maternal outcomes. It is essential to address the disparities in maternal outcomes and ensure that every woman, regardless of their race or ethnicity, has access to quality maternal healthcare.

We are asked to make judgements in our lives every day and the consequences or benefits from those decisions tell us whether that judgement was “good” or “bad”. In this video, Dr. Howell talks about the story of epidemiologist Shalon, who is African American, and lost her life post-partum due to complication of hypertension after seeing several doctors. The outcome of this story leads us to believe that the doctors in charge of her care were making “bad” judgement calls in her case. The most important thing to consider in the case is what we consider the “bad” judgement to represent; racial bias, lack of standardized care or protocols to follow, ignorance, etc.? In my opinion, it is likely a mix of several of the things I listed if not more.
I agree with Dr. Howell that implementing standard procedures and protocols can help us lower maternal deaths from preventable causes such as hemorrhages, strokes, or preeclampsia. Standard protocols are essentially guidelines to aid physicians or other healthcare providers in making “good” judgement calls. However, a protocol will not stop providers from making poor decisions for patients that stem from racial biases. The way we change this is through education in order to have a basic understanding of our patients’ cultures. We change this by avoiding stereotyping our patients and learning from situations in which we do. Protocols cannot create racial equity in healthcare, but WE as individuals can. Another way we can work to improve this is by not ignoring situations in which you see discrimination and unfair treatment in your workplace. As I medical student this is something that I struggle with due to the fact that I am not the superior at work. I encourage everyone else who may feel this way in the workplace setting to start to be okay with being uncomfortable and speak up, because it can save lives.

The bottom line is that all men are equal but if you are poor, this doesn't apply. My son , the one I had no prenatal care was born after a pain and complication free labor of 4 hours duration. I was 42 years old There goes another myth shot. Every one of my pregnancies were easier than the last. No pain. No risk. It's a myth. I went home, went to work. Business as usual. Pregnant women today coddle themselves too much! My son today is a healthy adult

US Prenatal care is a joke. I went 9 months without any prenatal care. I wasn't going to go to a hospital but a nose neighbor called an ambulance. I was in a building with shared toilet. I had no labor pain but thr babies head ess crowning. We were on the 7th floor. The EMT were confused as to the nature of the Emergency. My husband was groaning. They strapped him to the gurney, took him downstairs. Discovered their mistake, came back up and took a75 year old woman that kept saying she was having a baby; took her. They finally sorted it out and by this time that baby was half way out. We went into the ambulance with sirens blaring. I got there just in time to deliver in 4he waiting room. I saved a lot of money for 9 months of no care and no maternity ward. I signed myself out 4 hours later. This is the only option in Americs. Hello!

This presentation has heavily motivated my dissertation question, I am now very passionate about doing research on reproductive Health Rights in Kenya. Health mothers reflects a health Nation, thank you for sharing.

Very educational presentation. The disparities here are staggering, and it's hard to believe that maternal mortality rates in the US are significantly higher than in other developed countries. One thing that I always try to consider when it comes to societal stats, however, is culture. In America, nearly 50% of our population is considered obese. We have a major problem with this, and a lack of education on the risks associated with being overweight. Obesity leads to many comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome & diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and many others. These things all have a negative impact on maternal health. This is a complicated issue to tackle, but I strongly believe in her message. We have to start by standardizing maternal care protocols across the board. Very interesting presentation. Thank you, Dr. Howell.

This was such a great presentation! Thank you for sharing and being part of the improvement on women's maternal health. This impacts the US on so many levels.

Another psuedo intellectual who uses race as a weapon for finances. This is evil

On the rise because of cesarean section and induction has gone up!

Why do colored woman have more of a risk during pregnancy than non colored women?

I was lucky being in a good hospital, as soon as my baby started not moving regularly my doc had me come to the hospital and monitored me. Turns out my son needed to get it so I was induced and had a c section. He was born sooo healthy and well. Though I had some complications they addressed those right away. I’m much better now nearly 11 months later

Education IS the answer: If Dr Howell was being honest about maternal mortality, she would say, " A low risk woman in all high income countries will never die at homebirth if she has a trained attendant. In the past 50 years, the scientific literature has not documented a single maternal death at a birth with a trained midwife or doctor present. On the other hand, hospital birth risks her life. Her risk of an unnecessary cesarean in hospital is over 30% in the USA. Among cesareans, 1 in 5000 die to 1 in 10,000 women bleed to death from the surgery. The average blood loss at a cesareans is 1 liter of blood. Pregnant women only have 3.2 liters of blood. If they lose 3 liters, they die. also, 50% of women undergo induced or augmented labor in which they receive dangerous chemicals to speed up labor and have their water broken. This results in 1 in 15,000 women dying of amniotic fluid embolism- in which some amniotic fluid is pushed into the veins or arteries by the artificially induced contractions. These deaths are avoidable by staying home with a trained attendant. " It is obvious Dr Howell is lying because her whole talk does not mention the word CESAREAN in her talk. NB. At homebirth, there is no increased risk to the fetus or newborn.

This is a coverup. Dr Howell speaks for 15 minutes about maternal mortality, without mentioning that most of the deaths are from cesarean surgery. The reason maternal mortality has doubled since 1987 is because cesarean (now 35%) and induction (now 25%) and augmentation (now 25%) have doubled . Its a lie that more health care will save women. The opposite is true. Less interventions in terms of induction augmentation and cesareans is what is needed.

In south india when married women get pregnant. They'll go back to their parents house. Being a pregnant in south india is pretty sensitive so the family will do pretty much everything for her needs and desires.

Ya know what else increased dramatically? Hispanic birth rates. Why?


Yeah you know why... build the wall.

when american healthcare stops being a money making enterprise things may start to get better

Arizona did this study in Grey's Anatomy, so important to raise awareness on this subject

Large part of why there is so much maternal death in the us is the dumb legal system / insurance system / fucked up government interventions.
As in, for example,the doctor might know that X procedure would have better outcomes in certain situations, but he also knows that he would be more likely to get sued for millions if something goes wrong.

So the US is a 3ed world country in respects to Maternal health care...
why is this here? and not in front of Congress? ...

Wow! This is eyes opening.

We spend more in healthcare than all of the other countries COMBINED! The reason for the major decline is due to the financial concerns of the patients, NOT THE HEALTH CONCERNS OF THE PATIENTS! Ahhh yes treat them with drugs not naturally, another misnomer in the Allopathic Medical World!
El Salvador has a much lower maternal death rate and they still use midwives! Moral of story -Go to a midwife to have your baby, it doesn’t matter what color you are!
And stop giving them those toxic vaccines while they’re pregnant, you’re killing their babies in Utero as well, by the way, we’re also number one in infantile deaths within the first day of life in the “civilized world” ! High quality healthcare is NOTHING compared to high quality nutrition! It’s a shame no Allopathic Doctor in this country has any idea what high quality nutrition is!

Have children when you are young and healthy. Stroke and hemorrhage and kidney failures a direct result of preventable complications that arise from waiting too long to have kids. Have kids when you are young and healthy, its not rocket science no matter how much the propagandists want to make it seem that way.

I thought "TED" was a diehard Liberal? Aren't you supposed to be fixated on killing babies?

Vote down this liar of causality.

Awareness about Maternal Health care is also very important.

Make abortions free and legal worldwide.

I am unable to understand these videos up to now i dont know what they want to say i have seen one video in galgotia ...but i was unable

My mother died in 1967 just like you described, as a result of kidney failure. It took over a month of agonizing pain for her to die. Worse yet, she was white and she worked for the hospital in the data processing department. She had also been a nurse in the Air Force during the Korean War.

I can't believe US maternal mortality rates are rising 🙀I've never been so glad to be European...

One problem for the protocols is that they often require an increase in staff in hospitals that are already fighting hard to reduce staff, especially the highly qualified professional RNs and even doctors. They are only interested in the money aspect and patients take a rear seat when it comes to care in those for profit public institutions with stock listings.

Simple, use artificial womb and skip pregnancy

Who remembers when TED talks were interesting and not politically motivated garbage

I appreciate having both anecdotes and stats It rounds out the presentation to make it for more understandable for me. Thank you .

Mothers of the world are all great and important !

USA claims to be land of the free but what society can consider itself free when it values the ownership of machine guns over universal decent healthcare for it citizens. USA legislates to deny its own citizens basic healthcare.

👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋

I really love ted videos and i am from Afghanistan one of my wish is to speech in Ted

Awsome Presentation 👌👏👏i love Your Channel 😍

First beetch