BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A relatively new resource at Sisters Hospital is working to improve care, communication, and education for pregnant women, particularly those at higher risk.
Catholic Health's Maternal Health Equity Center, located on the Sisters Hospital campus, promotes maternal equity for women who face elevated risks during pregnancy, with a focus on people of color and those for whom English is a second language.
According to the New York Health Foundation, mothers across the state experience high rates of serious complications related to childbirth, with significant disparities across racial and ethnic groups. In 2018, the overall rate of potentially life-threatening complications during or after childbirth was 2.7% in New York State. Black women were more than two times more likely than white women to experience such complications.
WATCH: Maternal Health Equity Center at Sisters Hospital aims to support high-risk pregnancies
Christina Lewis, Clinical Education Manager for Women's Services at Catholic Health, leads the center, which opened about two years ago.
"The goal is to give you as many supports so that in your most vulnerable state, you also you have power, connection, resources," Lewis said.
Lewis said the disparities driving the center's mission are stark.
"We've got disproportionate numbers of women who are experiencing maternal mortality and morbidity just because of their skin tone, because of preexisting conditions," Lewis said.
Language barriers also play a significant role in maternal health outcomes. While tools like MyChart provide patients with access to their health information, Lewis said that access does not always translate to understanding.
"When all that's in English, and you speak Bengali or Arabic or you know even Spanish, that's really hard to then really know what your providers are talking about," Lewis said.
Taryne Tracey, Coordinator for the Maternal Health Equity Center, serves as a connector for mothers navigating the program.
"When moms come in, I get to sit down and talk with them and just kind of learn who they are, what they're looking for," Tracey said. "I always ask the question like, what do you want your birth to look like? We want to make sure it's the most positive experience for you."
The center also offers a nurse family partnership program that pairs expectant mothers with a prenatal educator.
"We also have a nurse family partnership program which connects you to, specifically, a prenatal educator, like an RN that is not only clinically trained but also understands the nuances of pregnancy and motherhood," Tracey said.
First-time mother Jamie Harrison Jones said the center helped ease her anxiety about pregnancy.
"They make me feel a little bit more confident in what I'm going into," Harrison Jones said. "I know it's still going to be very, very complicated and very hard to wrap my head around, but it eases me into it a little bit more. It's like going into a test knowing what type of questions it's going to be."
The center operates as a judgment-free zone, offering classes and resources on topics including car seat safety, breastfeeding, and peer support. Harrison Jones said the center connected her to a wide network of support.
"I went to a bunch of classes. They fed me...They gave me gifts. I got my nurse through here. I got my doula through here. I met amazing moms and different people that's going through different situations than me," Harrison Jones said.
Harrison Jones also had a message for expectant mothers who may not have a strong personal support system.
"I'm blessed to have family. I'm blessed to have my mom, my dad, my sister, but for those that are not blessed to have a family or a support group, find that there will be people that love you," Harrison Jones said.
The center accepts both referrals and outreach cases. It was initially funded through a two-year grant from the City of Buffalo. As it closes out its second year, Catholic Health is stepping up to support the program's expansion beyond Buffalo and into neighboring cities.
More information about Catholic Health's Maternal Health Equity Center can be found here.
