Community partnerships are critical to improving maternal, infant health

Adequate access to resources such as child care, nutritious foods, and housing can help people of reproductive age and their families lead healthy lives. However, these resources are not sufficiently available across all geographic areas and communities in the United States. People in these underserved communities—who have historically been disproportionately affected by rigid policies, minimal support services, and limited provider hours and locations—are at greater risk of negative maternal and infant health outcomes, such as birth and postpartum complications. Those living in rural areas, people of color, and individuals experiencing language and cultural barriers are particularly at risk, and COVID-19 has further exacerbated these disparities. To improve maternal and infant health, organizations and agencies can design systems of care that are responsive to client and community needs. Using a multidisciplinary approach, these parties can work to better coordinate and integrate service design and delivery while creating structures that engage community voices. (author abstract)