This week is National Women's Health Week, and New York is taking steps to improve women's health.

The New York state Legislature has passed numerous bills to strengthen reproductive health and eliminate maternal health care inequities.

A 2023 report from the state's Department of Health found discrimination was a probable circumstance in 46% of all pregnancy-related deaths in 2018.

Ali Foti, program officer for the New York Health Foundation, described a grant program they have developed, which focuses on eradicating maternal health disparities.

"We have a grant-making priority area here at the New York Health Foundation called Empowering Healthcare Consumers, which really focuses on ensuring patients who have been marginalized in our health care system are instead placed at the center of their care and are able to make care decisions that align with their needs and preferences," Foti explained.

She pointed out the program aims to help mothers and birthing people make well-informed decisions about their care.

A 2021 report from New York's Taskforce on Maternal Mortality and Disparate Racial Outcomes made numerous recommendations on how to improve maternal care. Most centered around improving access to health care and services associated with prenatal and postpartum care.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the regularity with which people seek medical care. According to a survey from the Journal of the American Medical Association Health Forum, around 20% of adults said they delayed or were unable to get medical care because of the pandemic.

Dr. Donna O'Shea, OB/GYN and chief medical officer for population health at UnitedHealthcare, said things have gotten better for people seeking care, like preventive screenings.

"I think it's better, people are starting to catch up," O'Shea observed. "But depending on which age group you fall into, you have different needs and special needs for when you're in early adulthood or in late adulthood."

O'Shea noted it is important to remind women there are special needs linked to their age, such as starting to screen for cervical cancer at age 21.

America's Health Rankings Health of Women and Children report found New York's rate of cervical cancer screenings of 76.2% came in just under the national average of 77.1%.

Wisconsin policymakers have less than a month to adopt a new state budget. Advocates for extending postpartum health coverage through Medicaid hope it winds up in the final spending plan.

Through the American Rescue Plan, states have the option to extend Medicaid coverage for new mothers for up to a year after they give birth. To receive matching federal funds, states have to create their own program for this benefit.

Dr. Jennifer Krupp, maternal-fetal medicine specialist at SSM Health, said the current 60-day coverage window puts too many new mothers at risk for serious medical complications - such as hypertension disorder.

"When we only see them for two months, because that's all the coverage they have," said Krupp, "we really can't make sure all of their needs are being met to control their blood pressure."

She said depression is another chronic problem that could affect outcomes for both the mother and child if left untreated.

That's because the condition limits the mother to tend to her health needs, while impacting her bonding with her newborn.

The proposed Wisconsin extension has bipartisan support, but it's unclear if it will be included in the Department of Human Services section of the budget.

Annmae Minichiello is a UW Health pharmacist and American Heart Association volunteer. She said the issue is near and dear to her, because she developed a rare form of heart failure after the birth of her daughter.

She said she was lucky to have health coverage, noting the lengthy follow-up that was needed to avoid a dire outcome.

"I had to have several echocardiograms for months and years - and annually still, even though this incident happened about six years ago," said Minichiello. "So, if I didn't have that follow-up, it could be very fatal."

Her experience inspired her to speak up for women who need that extended coverage so that more lives can be saved.

Efforts such as this come amid recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showing alarming trends when it comes to the nation's maternal mortality rate. The rates have grown considerably higher for Black women.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Utah women.

According to the Utah Women and Leadership Project at Utah State University, Utah is among the three lowest-ranked states in the country for mammography screening rates in women aged 40 or older. According to the group, The Utah Department of Health and Human Services was unable to meet its goal of 76% of Utah women, aged 40 years and older, to be screened for breast cancer in 2020.

Chloe Bhowmick, clinical psychologist and research fellow for the Utah Women and Leadership Project, said a lot of the challenges inhibiting mammography rates are "financial and systemic."

"Having lack of insurance, not having insurance coverage through their job, not being able to get time off," Bhowmick outlined. "Those are all, I think, pretty important factors that we found or at least we surmised in being pretty significant."

Bhowmick noted other factors which have negatively affected screening rates include lack of affordable child care, discrepancies between mammography guidelines as well as varying levels of health literacy. Only 62.7% of Utah women aged 40 years and older reported having a mammogram in the last two years. The national average for U.S. women in the same group was 69%.

Bhowmick emphasized it is also important to not forget because of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical centers are still catching up on the backlog of mammography appointments, which can further delay preventive services.

Bhowmick added while the Beehive State is currently sitting 6.3% below the national average, local and state systems can take steps to increase screening rates, including having insurance systems building patient advisories into electronic record systems, tracking how often providers remind individuals of preventive care and employers implementing initiatives such as wellness programs and policies.

"I think having systems that support women, women will be able to both realize that this should be a priority with certain age groups, but also they have the freedom to go," Bhowmick explained.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services has a goal of 81% of age-eligible Utah women receiving a mammogram by 2030. Bhowmick stressed education and advocacy from community groups can help the state reach its goal.


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To wrap up Women's Health Week, doctors are urging women to take stock of their mental health.

Dr. Sharon Eloranta, medical director at the Washington Health Alliance, said COVID-19 was hard for everyone and led to a drop in health screenings.

She said with the worst of the pandemic over, some women may need to consider how to prioritize their health.

"Women experienced more anxiety and stress during the time of the pandemic," said Eloranta, "and I think that may have been reflective of the fact that they worry not only about their own health, but about health of the people in their families and others. And that can be a hill to climb if you're trying to get back into taking good care of yourself."

For Women's Health Week - which runs through Saturday - the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking women to schedule regular checkups, exercise and eat a healthy and balanced diet.

CDC data show a disturbing trend in mental health, with the rate of young girls saying they attempted suicide twice that of young boys.

Dr. Donna O'Shea, an OB/GYN and chief medical officer of Population Health at UnitedHealthcare, said parents need to be on the lookout for symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescent girls.

"Especially after COVID," said O'Shea. "We found that 57% of high school girls have experienced persistent feelings of sadness in the last year. Ten years ago, that number was only 36%."

Eloranta said it's important for people to pay attention when they aren't feeling normal.

"'I'm just down, and nothing that usually makes me happy tends to change it.' Then that's time to reach out and try and find some support," said Eloranta. "And again, it can be through your employer, it can be through your primary care. You can always call a friend and see if they have any referrals for you to go and get some assistance."