Bringing a new life into the world should be a very positive and fulfilling experience.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case, especially for women living in low income, at-risk communities, where they are more likely to experience heightened levels of stress, fear and anxiety while also facing higher risks of complications, morbidity and even mortality.  The maternal mortality rate in the United States is more than twice that of the rest of the developed world, despite spending almost double on health care per capita.  Further, Black and Indigenous women are at least three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women in the U.S.

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According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, about sixty percent of all pregnancy-related deaths in this country are preventable. Research into the leading causes of deaths, morbidity and pregnancy complications is providing new, evidence-based approaches to improving the quality of care.  This underlines the conviction that it is within our power to improve maternal health outcomes and enhance the overall well-being of vulnerable young families in our communities.

 

The Joseph & Vera Long Foundation seeks to support organizations that work to eliminate health disparities by providing education about, and access to, essential maternal health care services.  By providing funding for effective programs and timely contributions for larger capital projects, we aspire to improve birth equity and reproductive healthcare in Northern California and Hawaii.

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