Experts to Address Rising Maternal and Infant Mortality Despite Price Tag of $79 Billion for Maternity Care

The United States spends more on healthcare than any country in the world, $79 billion in 2005. Pregnancy and delivery and newborn care are 2nd and 3rd most expensive conditions treated in U.S. hospitals and the two most expensive conditions billed to Medicaid and private insurance. Despite these burdensome costs fewer newborns die in countries like Lithuania, Slovenia, Israel, Greece, and Portugal. One in 4,800 women in the U.S. are likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to 1 in 9,600 in Kuwait, 1 in 17,800 in Denmark, and 1 in 47,600 in Ireland. The CDC estimates the true level of U.S. maternal deaths may be 1.3 to 3 times higher than the reported rate. At the 2008 Mother-Friendly Childbirth Forum hosted by the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), March 6-8 in Kissimmee, Florida, expert speakers will address this issue and explore solutions for what can be done to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate while enhancing care for the nation's most vulnerable populations - mothers and babies. (PRWeb Feb 26, 2008)

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