More than 30 percent of Virginia is in a maternal health desert, according to the March of Dimes. This means women have to travel long distances for pre-natal appointments and to give birth.
Virginia lawmakers passed several bills this year focused on improving access to maternal health care in the Commonwealth.
At least five obstetric units have closed in Virginia over the past decade, and more are at risk of closing. A study last year by the Virginia Department of Health found in areas without a dedicated birth and delivery unit, many women travel long distances to give birth, often out of state.
“We’re not able to get enough physicians in, we’re not able to have enough physicians stay,” said Megan Parks, executive director for United Way of Southwest Virginia. “And so we’re sharing practitioners across multiple counties.”
Last year, they launched a program, called Flourish, to help transport expectant mothers in Southwest Virginia to pre-natal appointments.
“We’ve also received assistance requests to actually be picked up from the hospital after they’ve given birth because they didn’t have a ride to get home,” Parks said.
They help women buy car seats, diapers, and maternity clothes. This year, they expanded the program into the New River Valley.
United Way will also provide scholarships for people to become doulas, who are allowed by Virginia law to be reimbursed by Medicaid. Southwest Virginia is in need of more doulas, said Parks.
“The need is absolutely there. We’re trying to reach out and find partners in this space, wherever they may be, for us to be able to come together and build a network to these moms.
In addition to paid coordinators who help expectant moms, the United Way created a “mommy mentorship program”.
Experienced mothers volunteer to provide social and emotional support to expectant mothers.
For more information about the Flourish program or to apply for assistance, contact United Way of Southwest Virginia.
