US lacks innovation in maternity care management, says report

A US femtech company dedicated to maternity and neonatal intensive care management has called for more innovation in the maternity care management sector in a new report. 

The research from ProgenyHealth has shown that despite ongoing advances in medical technology, maternal morbidity and costs associated with pregnancy and postpartum complications continue to climb.

One in every 10 babies in the US are being born prematurely while complications and costs are rising despite the US spending more per capita than any other country on healthcare.

The newly released report has highlighted the need for fully integrated maternity programmes to use a multi-modal approach that includes early identification and engagement of patients, risk stratification and comprehensive assessments, app-based support for healthier pregnancies, telephonic case management, specialised infant care management, support for social determinants of health to ensure health equity and extended care throughout the 12 months after delivery for mum, baby and family.

Ellen Stang, MD, founder and CEO of ProgenyHealth, said: “Successful maternity programmes must always first address two critical concerns, which are reducing preterm births and NICU utilisation, while also ensuring the overall health of the pregnant mother throughout their pregnancy.

“Across the country, we are seeing advancements that are moving from a strictly medical focus to one that includes behavioural health and social determinants of health.

“This means taking a whole-person approach, which addresses anxiety, diet, substance use disorder, postpartum depression, and other social factors.”

As health plans seek to embrace a full continuum of maternal and infant health programs, those that can identify and engage mothers as early as possible provide the best opportunity to reduce premature birth rates, support healthier infants and deliver better outcomes.

Linda Genen, MD, chief medical officer at ProgenyHealth, added: “We have found that health plans are seeking to partner with healthcare innovators who are able to be more proactive in managing maternity cases.

“Our research has shown that health plans seek partners who can manage these maternity cases holistically and improve health equity and quality outcomes for their members.”