pregnancy

The U.S. has one of the worst maternal mortality rates of any wealthy nation. A Florida childbirth center, started by a midwife from Britain, is part of a patchwork of solutions aiming to curb those deaths.

In Broward, an ER doctor discharged a woman who had leaked amniotic fluid. She later miscarried in a public bathroom, was rushed to another hospital, placed on a ventilator and discharged after six days.

Relatively few respondents fully endorse the idea that a fertilized egg should have the same rights as a pregnant woman, but a significant share (46%) say it describes their views at least somewhat well.

The SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective centers its mission on maternal health with its Birth Justice Care Fund, which provides doula care, maternal mental health therapy and baby supplies.

The facility will provide medical care and social services in a collaborative effort to reduce maternal and infant mortality, preterm birth rates and high rates of neonatal hospitalization in the city's largely Black community.

A new Florida law makes the Sunshine State the first in the nation to let cesarean sections be performed in "advanced birth centers." Some health experts are leery even though many hospitals have closed maternity wards.

The website will include educational materials on pregnancy and parenting, maternal health services, prenatal and postnatal services, programs for fathers, adoption services and more.

Black babies are at higher risk of infant mortality than white babies. There are also several factors behind the barriers to prenatal care in Florida.

Dr. Nisha Verma says in the nearly two years since Georgia's six-week abortion ban went into effect, she's seen patients suffer and some colleagues leave the state. She fears the same thing will happen in Florida.

The new rules cover documentation and clarify that it will not "constitute an abortion” to induce live births and babies die because of prematurely ruptured membranes, or for treating ectopic pregnancies and trophoblastic tumors.