birth

Indiana has one of the highest rates of death for pregnant and postpartum women.

The quarterly report also provides details on patients, providers and complications.

According to a new report from the March of Dimes, 23 of Indiana’s 92 counties are designated as maternity care deserts, meaning there are no hospitals or birth centers offering obstetric care and no obstetric providers.

The non-profit saw a surge in requests during the pandemic. The Milk Bank also helped over 100 families seeking breast milk amid the infant formula shortage.

There’s concern among physicians and public health experts that pending abortion bans in places already lacking maternal health resources could lead to worse outcomes.

Fetuses have some bacteria while still in the womb, but during birth they're coated with microbes as they travel down the birth canal, including bacteria that help newborns digest their first meal.