Maternal health advocates await key Texas report on pregnancy-related deaths

The useful part

Abide Women's Health Services says up-to-date information about pregnancy-related and maternal deaths can be critical to preventing future deaths. "They can have education, income, health insurance, and that does not eliminate the disparities that we see in maternal health outcomes," Gia Thompson of Abide Women's Health Services said. Abide Women's Health Services serves historically underserved communities through pregnancy, birth and postpartum needs in South Dallas and now Fort Worth.

How it works

• The spokesperson said the acting commissioner directed the committee to strengthen the report to make clearer connections between the data, findings and recommendations.
• Faith Fletcher, a public health and bioethics expert, said the timing of information can affect how people view the health care system.
• Experts with Rice University's Baker Institute also expressed concerns to the Houston Chronicle about expected omissions related to the first two years of the state's near-total abortion ban.
• A spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services said the biennial report is not "delayed" and is going through an internal review process.
• The agency also emphasized that the previous Legislature approved moving such deadlines to Dec.

What to take from it

"It definitely influences people's perceptions of healthcare and also can really diminish public trust," Fletcher said. Fletcher said timely releases can influence changes in state and national health policy and help track the impacts of measures su...