Giving at-risk mothers support before and after the birth of babies can dramatically improve outcomes, according to new research from a program called Moms2B at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
Women who attended at least two Moms2B sessions may have lower rates of preterm birth, low birth weight and infant mortality compared to women who only received individual care.
“The outcomes have been positive in every realm we’ve tested, which is the really good news,” said Moms2B founder Dr. Patricia Gabbe.
There was a 14% reduction in relative risk of preterm births and a reduction of 47% in preterm births at less than 28 weeks — which are the babies most at risk for not surviving their first year of life, according to Gabbe, a pediatrician.
“This is what’s most rewarding — our infant deaths were reduced,” Gabbe said. “It was a 55% reduction in risk of dying in your first year of life.”
The findings come from comparing two groups of mothers: 675 who participated in Moms2B, and twice as many who didn’t. They all shared 17 of the same characteristics, and 70% identified as being Black.
The infant mortality rate is twice as high among Black babies compared to white babies.
The program takes a two-prong approach of providing access to medical care and information, along with social support.
Participants learn about nutrition, stress reduction, signs of labor and current thinking about heathy pregnancies.
The program also provides items, such as car seats. It serves a heart-healthy hot meal every week at all eight of its sites. And, it makes sure moms have enough food, transportation and safe housing.
“And again, the emotional and mental support that all moms deserve,” Gabbe said. “And we’ve now transitioned to virtual, so those same moms that came in-person are now receiving the program through groups virtually.”
The program started with two moms, but it now provides services to more than 2,500 women in Columbus and Dayton, with goals to expand to additional cities throughout Ohio.
“When we started the program 10 years ago, the infant mortality rate was as high as 19 per 1,000 births in some of these neighborhoods. Now it’s down to 10 per 1,000,” she said.
Gabbe believes the success of Moms2B is replicable anywhere under the right conditions that would include an anchor institution — such as a health system or hospital — community support, volunteers, and commitment from government leadership, such as mayors, governors and city councils.
“And it takes a passion for achieving equity,” she said. “That’s our whole goal — that every Black baby has just as good a chance of having a healthy pregnancy, healthy delivery, full term baby and first year of life as a white baby or any other baby.”
Black mothers die at three to four times the rate of their white counterparts. To address that concern, the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 currently is making its way through Congress.
