Two-thirds of the U.S. pregnancy are postpartum. Provided by Deanna Wathington.
The U.S. has some of the highest infant mortality rates among any other wealthy country, according to the First Focus Campaign for Children. Federal programs that assist in preventing infant mortality are facing cuts.
More than 180 national, state, and local organizations joined the First Focus Campaign for Children and the National Healthy Start Association, demanding that the Trump Administration restore staff and guarantee funding for the only nationwide government program aimed at reducing infant deaths, according to a press release by the First Focus Campaign for Children.
“We are concerned by threats to the Healthy Start program that would jeopardize this program’s vital work to save the lives of newborns and protect maternal health,” said Vice President of First Focus on Children Averie Pakulis. “Now is not the time to turn our backs on newborns and their families by cutting effective and essential programs”.
She said some states, like Mississippi, have declared infant mortality a public health emergency.
The Commonwealth Foundation said in 2023, the U.S. maternal mortality rate was 18.6 deaths per 100,000 live births. They said this rate is higher than in other high-income countries, despite a decline.
REACHUP is a non-profit organization in Florida that promotes and protects the health of pregnant women, their infants and young children. They offer resources and services that mothers can turn to for assistance.
Deanna Wathington, the clinical director for REACHUP, said that although they have not faced cuts, there is still concern for these other organizations when rates are still high.
“I think we are unfortunately thinking we will continue to see these high rates (of infant mortality) until we figure out how to actually fund and provide services across this spectrum,” Wathington said.
She said this has been a crisis for a long time, and even though the recent rates have decreased, the U.S. still has the most deaths compared to other developed nations.
“Most of our pure countries, and even those that are not pure countries, utilize a spectrum of care for women, and that spectrum includes doulas and midwives. Pretty much everywhere else than the United States,” Wathington said.
REACHUP offers nurse family partnerships, Healthy Start services, educational resources, car seat safety tips and more to support pregnant families.
The First Focus Campaign for Children is advocating for $145 million in Healthy Start funding for 2026.
