Kirsten Fisch
Co-Founder at - Momentum Health NetworkKirsten Fisch, MSN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC, LCCE Kirsten is a women's health nurse who specializes in high-risk pregnancy and postpartum care. She is certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing, a board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. She works with women from conception through the postpartum period. Passionate about empowering women throughout their reproductive journeys, Kirsten combines evidence-based care with compassionate support to promote the health and well-being of mothers and babies.
The United States spends more on healthcare than any other country in the world, yet we continue to struggle with maternal health outcomes. Here’s what every family should know.
Why This Matters
If you’re pregnant right now, planning a pregnancy, or supporting someone who is, there is something important you should know:
The United States spends more on healthcare than any other country in the world, yet we continue to struggle with maternal health outcomes.
That sounds like a policy problem.
But it matters because every statistic represents a real woman, a real family, and a real pregnancy.
Over the years, I have cared for women in many different maternity settings. I’ve worked in community hospitals, large academic medical centers, and high-risk obstetric units.
The goal was always the same:
A healthy mother. A healthy baby.
What differed was everything surrounding that goal.
The resources available. The support systems. The access to specialists. The time providers had to spend with patients.
Those differences matter.
The Numbers Are Difficult to Ignore
More women die from pregnancy-related complications in the United States than in many other high-income countries.
Even more concerning, experts estimate that most of these deaths are preventable.
That means many women who died experienced complications that might have been avoided through:
- Earlier recognition of warning signs
- Timely treatment
- Better follow-up care
- Improved access to healthcare
- Stronger postpartum support
These are not simply unavoidable tragedies.
They are often signs that something in the system failed.
Most pregnancy-related deaths in the United States are considered preventable.
The Most Dangerous Time May Be After Delivery
One of the biggest misconceptions about pregnancy is that the risk ends once the baby is born.
In reality, some of the most serious complications occur during the weeks and months after delivery.
These can include:
- Severe bleeding
- Infection
- Blood clots
- High blood pressure complications
- Heart conditions
- Postpartum depression and other mental health concerns
As a nurse, I’ve often felt that we spend a tremendous amount of time preparing families for labor and delivery while spending far less time preparing them for recovery.
Birth is not the finish line.
The postpartum period is a critical part of maternal health.
Not Every Woman Experiences Pregnancy the Same Way
One of the most concerning findings in maternal health research is that outcomes are not equal for all women.
Black women in the United States experience significantly higher rates of pregnancy-related complications and death than white women.
Researchers continue to study all the reasons behind this disparity, but the gap remains even among women with higher incomes and higher levels of education.
The reasons are complex and include:
- Differences in access to care
- Underlying health conditions
- Social determinants of health
- Systemic barriers within healthcare
The important takeaway is this:
Not all women enter pregnancy with the same risks, and not all women receive the same experience of care.
The Hospital Matters More Than You Think
Most parents assume that outcomes are determined primarily by their doctor or midwife.
Those relationships are incredibly important.
But maternal health is influenced by much more than a single provider.
Factors that affect outcomes include:
- Nursing staffing
- Access to specialists
- Social work support
- Mental health services
- Transportation
- Insurance coverage
- Availability of postpartum follow-up
I have worked in hospitals where nearly every resource imaginable was available within minutes.
I have also worked in hospitals where dedicated professionals were doing their absolute best with far fewer resources.
The intentions were always the same.
The outcomes were not.
What Parents Should Know
At this point, you might be wondering:
“What does this mean for me?”
The good news is that most pregnancies result in healthy mothers and healthy babies.
The purpose of understanding these statistics is not to create fear.
It is to help families recognize that maternal health deserves attention.
Practical Takeaways
✔ Keep your postpartum appointments
✔ Learn the warning signs that require medical attention
✔ Speak up when something doesn’t feel right
✔ Ask questions
✔ Accept help and support when it is offered
✔ Remember that your health matters too
Knowledge doesn’t eliminate risk.
But it helps families recognize problems earlier and get the care they need.
Why This Conversation Matters Right Now
Maternal health is receiving increasing national attention.
Programs are being reevaluated.
Funding priorities are shifting.
States are making different decisions about healthcare access.
And major changes to maternity care reimbursement are scheduled to take effect in 2027.
Before we can understand those changes, we need to understand where we are today.
The reality is this:
- Too many pregnancy-related deaths remain preventable.
- Significant disparities persist.
- Access to care is not equal across communities.
- The experience of pregnancy can vary dramatically depending on where a woman lives and receives care.
These are not political observations.
They are simply what the data shows.
Looking Ahead
The good news is that we know far more about maternal health than we did a generation ago.
The challenge now is deciding what we do with that knowledge.
In the next article, we’ll look at the maternal health programs and policies that are changing right now, what those programs actually do, and what those changes could mean for women and families.
Continue Reading
Next in this series:
The Programs Behind Maternal Health — And Why They Matter
Kirsten Fisch, MSN, RNC-MNN, IBCLC, LCCE Kirsten is a women's health nurse who specializes in high-risk pregnancy and postpartum care. She is certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing, a board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. She works with women from conception through the postpartum period. Passionate about empowering women throughout their reproductive journeys, Kirsten combines evidence-based care with compassionate support to promote the health and well-being of mothers and babies.
