It's the safest time to be pregnant, but...
I've got good...and bad...news
I am writing this as I’m mid-flight back to Portland, Oregon after a few days spent in Orlando, Florida. It is not lost on me that today is the 3-year anniversary of the fall of Roe and that we continue to have so much work to do—and that I woke up with basically no abortion rights but by tonight will have them again restored. I had the honor of discussing this with Pete Buttigieg yesterday on an Instagram live where we talked about how men MUST stand in the fight, and that freedom is an American value that belongs to us all. You can watch below (and yes, it’s OK to fangirl over Pete!)
But moving on to an uplifting data point, followed by an example of how we just might lose any ground we’ve gained based on the poor decisions being made at the government level. Sigh.
-Dr. Jen
Maternal Health News: Women are surviving childbirth more than ever—but it may not last
Wait, what? In a world of doom-scrolling maternal health headlines, here's some genuinely good news: women today are more likely than ever to survive pregnancy and childbirth.
But hold up—before we celebrate, let's talk about the "but."
(It’s a big but, and not in the good kind)
About 260,000 birthing people still died during and following pregnancy in 2023. That's progress from decades past—sure—but it's also 260,000 families shattered.
And here's the kicker: UN agencies are warning we might start moving backward because of—you guessed it—funding cuts.
Let me share an example of how this might look in one state. When you see what we are losing for such little savings—well, your head just might explode (mine almost did).
Oregon abandons 207 first-time moms (via cutting crucial program)
To illustrate the exact kind of budget cuts that will harm pregnant women, let me tell you about the most heartbreaking breakup happening in my hometown of Portland, Oregon right now.
For 25+ years, the Nurse-Family Partnership has been pairing registered nurses with first-time moms on Medicaid. Think: refugees, abuse survivors, teenagers—basically anyone the system loves to forget about. These nurses stick with families from pregnancy through their child’s second birthday, doing everything from health checks in their homes to teaching parenting skills to connecting families with resources.
The good news: It works. Really, really well.
The plot twist: The county decided to axe it to save a measly $1 million.
Why? Because Multnomah County (where Portland is) is short $77 million dollars and they need to find savings. And we know programs that help women and kids seem to be the ones that always get cut first.
While the Health Department is slimming down many programs, the Nurse-Family Partnership is the only program that was fully defunded and shuttered. This is tragic, considering:
They help the most vulnerable with a budget that in the grand scheme of things is miniscule: only a little over $1 million funds this entire program for a whole year.
Every $1 invested in the Nurse-Family Partnership returns $5.70 in community benefits. Yes—the program that works and pays for itself is the one the county has chosen to abandon.
Hannah Snyder, one of the nurses, put it perfectly: "It really breaks my heart to think about breaking the commitment that I made to my clients to be with them through the first two years of their kids' lives."
The county's solution? "We'll transition these 207 families to other programs." Cool, except when someone like Hannah calls these other programs, guess what?
They're all facing cuts and shortages too.
“We need less handouts”
This isn't charity—it's the best investment you'll find outside of crypto's wildest dreams, except this one actually helps people and doesn't crash every other Tuesday.
Now just imagine this playing out in county after county across the United States, made worse only by proposed Medicaid cuts that we know are looming large.
Remember that good news I led with?
So I opened this week’s newsletter sharing how it’s the safest it’s ever been to have a baby, right? The catch is that we're living in a country with embarrassingly high maternal mortality rates compared to other developed nations.
So when we have programs that work…and we have the data…and we know exactly what helps pregnant women and new families thrive.
We're... cutting them?
The real story behind these cuts
This isn't just an Oregon problem. Across the country, programs that actually work are getting labeled as "nice to have" instead of "essential." Meanwhile, emergency rooms are seeing more complications that could have been prevented, kids are entering school systems less prepared, and families are struggling without the support that used to exist.
But folks in the White House want us to have more babies?
They sure aren’t selling it.
Your Move
If you're in Oregon: Do not forget this. Contact folks like Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson and let them know you are not OK with them abandoning some of Oregon’s most vulnerable people. Make noise. Demand better.
Everywhere else: Pay attention to what's getting cut in your area. These stories are happening in every state, and most of them aren't making headlines. Figure out which program needs you and which politicians need to be told to stop cuts to women and their babies.
Share this stuff. Make people understand that supporting pregnant women isn't bleeding-heart liberalism—it's smart economics and basic human decency rolled into one.
The Bottom Line
Yes, global maternal mortality is improving. But progress isn't a guarantee—it's a choice we make every budget cycle, every election, every time we decide what matters.
Right now, we're choosing to abandon programs that work because they help people who don't have lobbying budgets.
That's not just bad policy. It's morally bankrupt.
Seen similar cuts in your area? Know programs that are making a difference? Hit reply—let's compare notes and figure out how to fight back.
Until next week,
Dr. Jen