West Reading, PA. – On Thursday, January 23, 2020, Reading Hospital – Tower Health will recognize Maternal Health Awareness Day with a presentation for providers titled “Using innovative approaches to optimize care and outcomes in the fourth trimester.” The live streaming video lecture, available statewide, will be presented by Sindhu Srivas, MD, MSCE, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. After the presentation the community is invited to attend a Maternal Health Awareness Health Fair from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Education Rooms C&D at Reading Hospital.
Maternal Health Awareness Day in Pennsylvania was established in 2019 to raise awareness of maternal health, safety, and mortality issues. The number of women who die during pregnancy has continued to rise, despite recent advances in medicine. Compared to the United States, 49 other countries have reported lower maternal mortality rates, with the U.S. maternal mortality ratio higher than in many developing countries.
“On average two women die each day in the United States during childbirth or postpartum,” said Mark B. Woodland, MD, MS, Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Reading Hospital. “At Reading Hospital we continue to develop clinical and education programs for patients to help them during the critical months of the ‘fourth trimester.'”
During the “fourth trimester,” or three months post-partum, women can experience postpartum depression, high blood pressure, diabetes, and other health concerns. Post-partum care and mental health should be addressed by clinicians to help women transition into more routine care and follow-up services, if needed.
