Yesterday, Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson joined with birth justice advocates and healthcare leaders for a press conference announcing over $400,000 in City Council funding to combat high rates of infant and maternal mortality in the Bronx. $150,000 was allocated in the New York City Fiscal Year 2021-2022 budget to Gotham Health, Morrisania to support their Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Program that provides low-income mothers with comprehensive lactation services, and over $200,000 to Bronx Health Link, Inc. for their doula programming. Both programs were funded this year with the intent to reduce poor health outcomes for Bronx birthing individuals and children, as the Bronx continues to have one of the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in the city.
Data shows that New York State has a relatively high rate of maternal mortality relative to other states in the country, with 20.8 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018. In 2017, most pregnancy-related deaths in NYC occurred in residents of Brooklyn (33% of all pregnancy-related deaths in NYC) and the Bronx (29%). The data also highlighted a significant racial disparity with Black women 8 times more likely than White women to die from pregnancy related complications as a result of several factors that include: systemic racism and discrimination in the healthcare industry, comobdities that can affect a mother`s health during childbirth, access to patient affirming care from a culturally competent healthcare profession, and a myriad of other risk factors that can disproportionality impact a woman of color`s health.
Doula services have been shown to greatly reduce poor health outcomes for birthing individuals and their infants by offering crucial emotional and physical support before, after, and during childbirth. Bronx Health Link, Inc. is one of a few organizations in the Bronx that offer Doula support to birthing individuals.
“We know there is healthcare injustice that disproportionately impacts American-American and Latina women in the Bronx and throughout the United States. Too many women of color have died from maternal complications that could have easily been avoided if they had the necessary support and patient-centered care before, during, and after childbirth. It is important that we fight for equity in our healthcare system for all birthing individuals that want to be treated with fairness and that simply want to receive quality care. Today`s allocation of over $400,000 to Bronx Health Link, Inc and Gotham Health, Morrisania is the first step towards ensuring women of color in the Bronx have access to doulas and lactation services without their race or socioeconomic status being a barrier to accessing these crucial life-saving programs. I am proud to join with the birth justice advocates and our healthcare professionals in calling for systemic changes to address these issues and for a birthing system here in the Bronx. Our work is not over, but just beginning,” said Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson, Co-Chair of the NYC Women's Caucus.
“There is a biased agenda that has infiltrated our system that has violated our human/ civil rights. There is no fixing something that wasn’t designed to work for us. We need to completely revamp and reimagine this system. If we truly want to save lives then we need more access to midwifery care and doula services covered by insurance providers through universal healthcare. We need midwifery led birthing centers,” said Bruce McIntyre, Founder of Save A Rose Foundation.
" We are grateful to the NYC Council and in particular, Councilmember Gibson for, Chair of the Women's Caucus for her responsiveness to the women and families of the Bronx. In 2017, most pregnancy related deaths in NYC occurred to residents in Brooklyn with 33% and the Bronx with 29% of deaths per 100,000 pregnancy. As for infant mortality, from 2016-2018 the Bronx experienced high rates. as well. Eight of the 11 Bronx Community Districts have higher infant mortality rates than the NYC average. The East Tremont area has an infant mortality rate of 7.0 per 1000 live births, followed by Unionport/soundview area with 5.9 per 1000 live births and both Mott Haven and Williamsbridge area with 5.7 infant deaths per 1000. This crisis of maternal and infant mortality in the Bronx is due to decades of structural racism, poverty and poor health accessibility to the Bronx community. It is crucial that we take action quickly to help address these health care disparities in the Bronx. The most important thing on the Bronx Health Link's agenda in the coming year is to advocate for Medicaid to extend the postpartum coverage for upto a full year after birth. Comprehensive care and continuous care during the postpartum period are essential, especially for women with chronic medical or mental health conditions. Additionally, it is crucial for the Bronx to have a Birthing Center where none has existed in many years except for private paying clients. Medicaid should cover the costs of a free standing licensed Birthing Center available to everyone regardless of the ability to pay with accessibility to midwives and doula services. Lastly, more multiculturally and multi language doulas and midwives from the community should be trained. SUNY and CUNY could be an ideal resource to provide the training to area residents at little to no cost at the community college level,” said Paulette Zalduondo Henriquez, Executive Director of the Bronx Health Link, Inc.
In addition to poor maternal health outcomes in the Bronx, the borough also has high rates of infant mortality with eight of the eleven Bronx community districts having higher infant mortality rates than the NYC average. Children are also not immune to racial health inequities with babies born to Non-Latina Black mothers experiencing an infant death rate of 7.9 per 1,000 live births, compared to 2.3 deaths per 1,000 live births born to Non-Latina white mothers.
Breastfeeding can greatly reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, acute otitis media, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal diseases, asthma, allergies, lower respiratory tract infections, obesity, and diabetes (Type I and II), and other life-threatening illnesses for infants. There are also benefits for the mother that could reduce the likelihood of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, ovarian cancer and breast cancer.
Gotham Health/Morrisania is thrilled to receive this funding to enhance and expand comprehensive lactation services to Bronx families and beyond. What a way to celebrate National Breastfeeding Month and Black Breastfeeding Week!
Every major health organization in the world recognizes the importance of breastfeeding. Once viewed as a lifestyle choice, we now know that breastfeeding is a public health imperative. Breastfeeding is the ‘great equalizer’ contributing to health equity for marginalized communities, like ours. It gives every baby a healthy start in life – regardless of their zip code, economic status, ethnicity, race or religion.
Breastfeeding and its impact on reducing racial disparities and inequities in maternal/infant health has never been more apparent or more important than during the Covid-19 public health crisis. This pandemic has tragically exposed the disproportionate impact illness and disease has on our most vulnerable families,” said Thersea Landau, WIC Program Director, Morrisania WIC Program.
“I am very pleased to celebrate the acknowledgement and receipt of the grant award of $150,000 to the Morrisania WIC department in support of their Breastfeeding Peer Counselors and Baby Café Program from the City Council. I want to thank Theresa Landau who leads our WIC department, our staff, and especially thank Council Member Vanessa L. Gibson. We really appreciate your support of this program and of our mission at Gotham Health, Morrisania to provide high quality, affordable care to our community,” said Joaquim Santos, Deputy Director of Ambulatory Care Services at Gotham Health, Morrisania.
