The M.O.M.S Tour made a stop in Joliet recently. U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois), State Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Illinois), Deputy Governor Grace Hou, and Illinois Rep. Camille Lilly joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at its 2024 M.O.M.S. (Maternal Outcomes Matter Showers) Tour at the Nowell Park Recreation Center in Joliet.
The tour focus is to visit targeted communities around the country where mothers to be at high maternal mortality risk live. The organization provides information and resources that educate the families about the risk to help improve maternal health outcomes, particularly among African American and American Indian/Alaska Native women who have high maternal mortality and morbidity rates, according to Clintandra Thompson, communication specialist with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women, and American Indian/Alaska Native women are two times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women.
However, more than 80 percent of these deaths were determined to be preventable, according to Thompson. Recognizing the early warning signs, getting an accurate and timely diagnosis, and having access to quality care can save lives, Thompson said.
The M.O.M.S. Tour comes after research showed overdose deaths increasedin pregnant and postpartum women from early 2018 to late 2021.
Among those between the age of 35 and 44, overdose mortality more than tripledduring this period. Mental health conditions were the highest percentage (22.7 percent) of the 6 most frequent underlying causes of pregnancy-related death, according to Thompson.
The M.O.M.S. Tour targets cities with high maternal mortality and morbidity rates, especially among Black and American Indian-Alaska Native populations. The tour brings together mental health professionals, birth workers, medical professionals, and community members to provide resources and support for pregnant and postpartum women and to engage them in meaningful discussions on maternal health disparities.
Carmen Mendoza of Joliet said the event was beneficial to her.
“They offered everything I needed to be physically and mentally fit,” she said. “Women like us need the help in our lives and for our baby’s health.”
In addition to baby resources, pregnant women and families had access to essential health-related services such as healthcare coverage, mental health services, vaccinations, substance use disorder support, local services offered by doulas and midwives, health screenings, toolkits for postpartum depression, nutritious food, and also sessions for the fathers.
