Page 4 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOPSITAL NEWS JUNE 2021

Florida’s Hospitals Focused on

Reducing C-Section Rates

Following the just-convened state legislative session,
pregnant women eligible for Medicaid can now keep that
coverage for a full year post-partum. The measure passed
as part of the state budget with bipartisan acknowledge-
ment that new mothers’ health and reducing maternal
morbidity and mortality depend, in part, on access to
quality health care.
Florida’s hospitals wholeheartedly supported this pro-
posal as it reflects their longstanding commitment to giv-
ing every baby the best start in life and every pregnant
woman the best care she needs for a healthy pregnancy
and delivery.
BY MARY MAYHEW The causes of maternal morbidity and mortality are
many and complex. In Florida, there were 28.6 maternal
deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019, according to the
Florida Department of Health. Tragically, many of these deaths are avoidable.
Florida’s hospitals are dedicated to doing all they can to reduce pregnancy risks and
promote healthy deliveries.
One example of that commitment is their ongoing work with the Agency for Health
Care Administration, Department of Health, and Florida Perinatal Quality
Collaborative to reduce C-section rates as part of the national Healthy People initia-
tive. In March 2021, that work expanded with the launch of My Birth Matters Florida,
a consumer- and health care provider-focused educational campaign on the risks of
unnecessary C-sections and to promote vaginal deliveries when possible. The cam-
paign, which is being championed by State Surgeon General Dr. Scott Rivkees, offers
free educational materials and resources for parents and providers, including posters,
brochures, videos, and social media messages.
While lifesaving in certain cases, medically unnecessary C-sections can pose seri-
ous health risks for women such as hemorrhage, uterine rupture, cardiac events, and
increased postpartum readmissions; and for babies, complications include infection,
respiratory issues, and longer hospital stays in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Women who deliver via c-section for her first birth have a much greater chance of
having a C-section for subsequent births, increasing their risk for major complica-
tions.
The national Healthy People 2030 initiative goal for C-section deliveries for low-
risk females with no prior births is 23.6 percent.
Florida has been making strides to reduce its C-section rate. Between 2015 and
2019, the rate decreased nearly a full percentage point, from 37.3 percent to 36.5 per-
cent. In late 2020, AHCA and DOH recognized 15 Florida hospitals for meeting or
exceeding the Healthy People 2020 goal for C-section deliveries (23.9 percent). An
additional 10 hospitals were given an honorable mention for being within 1 percent
of meeting the target goal.
Just like raising a baby, it takes a village to address all of the factors that contribute
to poor maternal health. Florida’s hospitals are committed to leading the way and to
delivering a healthier beginning and a healthier future for moms and babies. They are
doing their part to encourage women to talk with their physicians about avoiding C-
sections when medically unnecessary. The My Birth Matters campaign is just one way
Florida’s hospitals are making Florida the healthiest place for moms and babies.

Mary Mayhew is President and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association.

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4 June 2021 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News