Reforming Women’s Health Care: A Call to Action for Lifestyle Medicine Practitioners to Save Lives of Mothers and Infants

Abstract

Maternal and infant mortality are fundamental indicators of a society’s health and wellness. These measures depict a health crisis in the United States. Compared with other rich countries, women in the United States more frequently die from pregnancy or childbirth, and infants are less likely to survive to their first birthday. Most of these deaths are preventable; disproportionately affect diverse, low-income groups; and are perpetuated by social and health care inequities and subpar preventive care. Lifestyle medicine (LM) is uniquely positioned to ameliorate this growing crisis. The article presents key prescriptions for LM practitioners to build health and health equity for women. These prescriptions, summarized by the acronym PURER, include action in the areas of (1) practice, (2) understanding/empathy, (3) reform, (4) empowerment, and (5) relationship health. The PURER approach focuses on partnering with diverse female patients to promote resilience, promoting social connection and engagement, facilitating optimal family planning and advocating for culturally responsive, equitable health care systems. Through PURER, LM practitioners can help women and partners resiliently overcome the harmful challenges of discrimination and stress characterizing present-day American life. Over time, the equitable and collective practice of LM can help ameliorate the health care barriers undermining the health of women, families, and society.

Views of Nurses, Obstetricians, and Mothers Regarding Independent Nurse-Midwifery Practitioner: A Mixed-Method Study

“…This model has been impactful as it lowers maternal and infant mortality rate and also enables them to provide better health-care services to women during their reproductive period. 3, 4…”

“…This model has been impactful as it lowers maternal and infant mortality rate and also enables them to provide better health-care services to women during their reproductive period. 3,4 The Nurse Practitioner in Midwifery (NPM) course was formally introduced by Indian Nursing Council (INC) in 2000 to 2003 in West Bengal as a pilot project. In 2017, the INC introduced a 1-year Post Basic Diploma for NPM.…”

Lifestyle Medicine 2019: Deeper, Broader, and More Precise

“…The article by Krishnaswami et al 4 as well as the companion piece by Krishnaswami and Colon-Gonzalez 5 offer important insights into the role of lifestyle medicine in underserved populations. The recommendation of what the authors describe as community-engaged lifestyle medicine is an important way for lifestyle medicine practitioners to engage their community particularly for the benefit of vulnerable populations.…”

“…The article by Krishnaswami and Colon-Gonzalez 5 explores another aspect of pursuing health equity—namely, using lifestyle medicine as a way to lower morbidity and mortality for mothers and infants. As the authors point out, as the richest nation in the world, it is not acceptable that the United States ranked 12th among developed countries in infant mortality.…”

Translation of Lifestyle Into Clinical Practice: Making the Case, Providing the Cure

“…As a solution, they suggest community-based interventions. 10 This emphasis on community engagement, collaboration, and a multidisciplinary approach is also reflected in the 2 articles by Dr Janani Krishnaswami et al 11,12 A socialecological approach is necessary to make strides in uptake of lifestyle medicine interventions. 4,5 Dr Krishnaswami suggests the PURER approach in her session on reducing maternal and infant mortality, with a focus on culturally competent care, resilience, the need for social connection, and advocacy.…”