Catalyzing a Reproductive Health and Social Justice Movement

Abstract

Objectives The maternal and child health (MCH) community, partnering with women and their families, has the potential to play a critical role in advancing a new multi-sector social movement focused on creating a women’s reproductive and economic justice agenda. Since the turn of the twenty-first century, the MCH field has been planting seeds for change. The time has come for this work to bear fruit as many states are facing stagnant or slow progress in reducing infant mortality, increasing maternal death rates, and growing health inequities. Methods This paper synthesizes three current, interrelated approaches to addressing MCH challenges—life course theory, preconception health, and social justice/reproductive equity. Conclusion Based on these core constructs, the authors offer four directions for advancing efforts to improve MCH outcomes. The first is to ensure access to quality health care for all. The second is to facilitate change through critical conversations about challenging issues such as poverty, racism, sexism, and immigration; the relevance of evidence-based practice in disenfranchised communities; and how we might be perpetuating inequities in our institutions. The third is to develop collaborative spaces in which leaders across diverse sectors can see their roles in creating equitable neighborhood conditions that ensure optimal reproductive choices and outcomes for women and their families. Last, the authors suggest that leaders engage the MCH workforce and its consumers in dialogue and action about local and national policies that address the social determinants of health and how these policies influence reproductive and early childhood outcomes.

Laws Restricting Access to Abortion Services and Infant Mortality Risk in the United States

“…Our results support SRJ assertions by suggesting that unintended, and differentially strong adverse effects associated with abortion policies that restrict women's reproductive decision-making. Governments should promote sexual health policies that respect women's reproductive decisions as part of their efforts to enhance population health [31,32]. Furthermore, it could be argued that preventing unwanted pregnancies itself and the consequent need for abortions is crucial for reproductive, maternal, and infant health.…”

A Practice‐Based Research Database to Study Perinatal Nurse Home Visiting to Pregnant Women With Diabetes

“…Maternal hyperglycemia affects fetal programming for diabetes and obesity. Obesity and diabetes disproportionately affect minority women, and the intrauterine environment contributing to the epidemics will perpetuate and widen health disparities between racial and ethnic groups (Verbiest, Malin, Drummonds, & Kotelchuck, ). Adverse intergenerational life course trajectories with diabetes and obesity will continue to spiral, unless this cycle is interrupted (Kaseva et al., ).…”

Preconception Care in the Veterans Health Administration

“…Although limited research examines the role of PCC in reducing pregnancy-related health disparities, high-quality preventive health services and optimization of chronic conditions before pregnancy may have a role in narrowing gaps in outcomes. 101 In 2012, the VA established the Office of Health Equity (OHE) with the task of developing and leading national policy efforts to eliminate disparate health outcomes and assure health equity across VA. Building on work by the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities sponsored by DHHS, OHE developed the Health Equity Action Plan to outline programs, initiatives, and outreach strategies that can promote equity in VA system. 102 This emphasis on health equity within VA offers important opportunities for research and operational partnerships to investigate the potential of health services interventions in the prepregnancy period to promote equity and address disparities in maternal and neonatal outcomes.…”