March Of Dimes members meet with SC lawmakers on better maternal care

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) —  Director of Maternal and Infant Health with March Of Dimes, Tameca Wilson, says at least two women in the U.S. die everyday from complications with pregnancy or childbirth, and two babies die every hour.

“Seventy-two percent of all pregnancy related deaths are preventable,” Wilson says.

As part of their annual March For Change, Wilson and other members met with lawmakers at the state house to address the need for better healthcare for moms and babies.

This years top initiatives include increasing access to quality healthcare, improving health equity, increasing mental health services for mothers, and allowing for more innovative medical research.

“Research and surveillance is really just finding out opportunities of what care we can change at the bedside or before. What things we can change in the health of Moms before they become pregnant to improve their pregnancy, or what research can be done to see what’s happening prenatally to ensure the positive outcome of a pregnancy,” says Wilson.

Acting Chairman of the Board, Scott Ferguson, says another concern in South Carolina is what’s known as maternity care deserts — areas with no hospitals or birth centers nearby.

According to the March Of Dimes website, Newberry, Kershaw, and Orangeburg Counties are considered to have low access to maternity care. Lee County is listed as a maternity care desert.

“There’s a lot of counties in this state that need more help than others. I know, like for instance, Spartanburg County, we just opened a NICU there, and we’re looking to do that in other parts of the state as well,” says Ferguson.

Wilson says March Of Dimes is now in its 85th year of championing to improve the health of Moms and their babies. She hopes today’s meetings with lawmakers helps move initiatives forward.

The organization will also hold its annual March For Babies during the month of April in different cities across the state.