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Disrupting Maternal Mortality: Innovative Solutions to a Growing Crisis

02/13/2019 @ 12:15 pm - 1:30 pm EST

Free

The United States has the highest rate of maternal death in the developing world. And Washington, DC currently has the highest maternal mortality rate of any other state in the country. It’s a crisis that has government, business, national news and other organizations stepping up to shine a light and proactively seek solutions.

In just the past few months, Mayor Bowser hosted a first annual Maternal and Infant Health Summit in DC, with thousands in attendance. Merck for Mothers launched the Safer Childbirth Cities Initiative, committing $10 million to improving outcomes and reducing disparities in maternal health. Nestlé opened a global R&D center for women and infant nutrition. CareFirst BCBS announced plans to award “up to $2 million over the next two years to programs seeking to improve birth outcomes and lower infant mortality rates (IMRs) in Maryland, Washington, D.C and Virginia.” And locally, the Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation is using its prenatal innovation prize to uncover and support forward-thinking solutions that can improve access to prenatal care for low-income women in the greater Washington, DC area — which, in turn, can improve health outcomes for moms and babies.

On February 13, join Huge, the Jennifer Bush-Lawson Foundation, Duke in DC and other leading organizations as we discuss maternal mortality, how it affects low-income women and women of color in particular, and the push to disrupt this growing crisis through local and national innovation.

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/disrupting-maternal-mortality-innovative-solutions-to-a-growing-crisis-tickets-55528960616

Our panelists:

Wendy Johnson, PhD, MPH, RD, Vice President of Nutrition, Health and Wellness at Nestlé USA, past chair of the food and nutrition section of the American Public Health Association, and recognized public health researcher. Dr. Johnson is known for her focus on diverse communities and ensuring moms and parents have the information and resources they need to give their child a great start.

Lesley E. Daigle, RN, MA, JD, Telemedicine Coordinator, Virginia Hospital Center’s Outpatient Clinic. Daigle runs a telemedicine pilot for low-income and uninsured maternity patients experiencing high-risk pregnancies.

Christie Lee, head of product, Babyscripts. Lee represents a DC-area startup that is trying to change the landscape for maternity care, locally and nationally. Earlier this year, Babyscripts announced a $6M investment round led by Philips.

Terri D. Wright, PhD, MPH, Vice President for Program and Community, Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation. Dr. Wright has advanced equity and public health through policy, practice, and management in local and national government, philanthropic and non-profit organizations throughout her career, with a specific interest in maternal and infant health.

Moderated by Lauren Weber. A freelance reporter focused on international and national public health policy issues and their human impact, Weber is formerly a public health policy reporter for HuffPost based in Washington, DC. She reports on everything from Ebola and hepatitis A outbreaks to the health of migrant detainees. She is also a 2017 USC Annenberg Health Journalism National Fellow.

Following the moderated discussion, there will be time for Q&A from the audience.

Wednesday, February 13, 2018
12:30pm – 1:30pm (doors open at 12:15, lunch provided)
Duke in DC, Duke University
1201 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC

Media Inquiries
Sam Myers, Huge Inc.
smyers@hugeinc.com

Venue

Duke in DC
1201 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20004