Protecting Mom

Reducing the Risk of Maternal Morbidity & Mortality for Underserved Women

February 12, 2025

PROTECTING MOM

There’s an old joke: “If mom’s not happy … nobody’s happy”

The unfortunate reality that we face today is that if mom isn’t healthy, then we can’t expect to have healthy children, families, and communities. This is no laughing matter.

Did you know the United States is the only developed nation where the maternal mortality and morbidity rates are increasing?

We can fix this: 80% of the lives lost are preventable.

Rural and Indigenous communities, as well as Black/African American & Hispanic/Latin individuals, are disproportionately affected by maternal mortality and morbidity due to several factors:

  • Medical mistrust

  • Prejudice & discrimination

  • Lack of access to quality and affordable healthcare

  • Lack of diverse voices in research on and clinical practice of maternal healthcare

Fortunately there are a collection of laws that can protect mom the way she’s been protecting us!

The “Mom”-nibus Act

An omnibus bill is a single document that combines multiple bills or subjects into one.

(For example, an omnibus tax bill may cover changes to income, corporate, and sales taxes.)

You can come to the rescue of mothers all over the U.S. by supporting the …

Momnibus Act.

This collection of bills would provide:

  • Educational opportunities

  • Support for community based programs

  • Improved healthcare for Veteran Moms who have served our country

… and so much more!

With this legislation, we can help mothers receive care from health care providers with a shared identity. This can help improve health outcomes by reducing medical mistrust and ensuring racist medical myths are not perpetuated.

Momnibus legislation can help fund community-based programs and centers that:

  • Break down access barriers

  • Provide a place to receive routine care

  • Provide physical and mental healthcare during pre- and post-natal periods

  • Plus, provide environments that foster healthy development of the babies

By joining us in taking action, you can be a superhero for moms and babies in your community!

❝

Building resilience starts on Day 1 of life.

-Dr. Lana Ruvolo Grasser aka “Dr. Ruvvy”

The Greenhouse of the Mind:

Want a deeper dive?

Check out this article by Simisolaoluwa Oladobe with Dr. Ruvvy:

Reducing the Risk of Maternal Morbidity and Mortality for Underserved Women: A Policy BriefRead our article, published in the Journal of Science Policy and Governance, for more information on maternal health and what we can do to reduce mortality and morbidity rates in the U.S. 282.39 KB • PDF File

Science is not a spectator sport.

Remember you don’t have to be a scientist to contribute to science.

Here are some actions you can take to tell your legislators to:

Check to see if there is a Momnibus initiative in your state.

Thanks to Governor Gretchen Whitmer for recently signing the Michigan Momnibus Act into law!

Support Brain Day!

We are raising funds to send 6th graders from Chandler Park Academy to Brain Day at the Michigan Science Center!

Recent executive orders are seeking to shut down efforts to foster equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the US … including STEM!

Can you help us support these amazing kiddos eager to learn more about how our brains work?

With a donation of just $23, you can send a student to learn all about their memories, hippocampus, and more!

Please donate through our “Buy Me a Coffee” page below :

Stay Resilient!