In this update to our 2019 report, The First 1,000 Days: The Case for Paid Leave in America, we present the latest research and data from the last two years on the opportunity to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and child health through the passage of a universal, comprehensive paid family and medical leave policy in the United States.
Nearly half of all births in the United States are financed by Medicaid, which covers women for 60 days postpartum; however, 50% or more of pregnancy-related deaths occur after 60 days, and women of color are at the greatest risk. To help ensure all women in the U.S. have a healthy first 1,000 days, women with a Medicaid-covered birth should receive postpartum coverage for 12 months.
Women need adequate support to have a healthy first 1,000 days. This brief explains the critical roles that birth doulas and lactation consultants play in improving outcomes and reducing racial and ethnic disparities during birth and the postpartum period.
There are four essential actions we can take now to prevent children from dying of severe malnutrition: Supply all pregnant women with prenatal vitamins, support breastfeeding mothers, continue large-scale vitamin A supplementation, and expand coverage of specialized foods for treatment. This brief tells a personal story of how a US Government-funded Power 4 nutrition intervention made a difference in the lives of mothers and their babies.
Find an unbranded version here.
There are four essential actions we can take now to prevent children from dying of severe malnutrition: Supply all pregnant women with prenatal vitamins, support breastfeeding mothers, continue large-scale vitamin A supplementation, and expand coverage of specialized foods for treatment. This brief tells a personal story of how a US Government-funded Power 4 nutrition intervention made a difference in the lives of mothers and their babies.
Find an unbranded version here.
There are four essential actions we can take now to prevent children from dying of severe malnutrition: Supply all pregnant women with prenatal vitamins, support breastfeeding mothers, continue large-scale vitamin A supplementation, and expand coverage of specialized foods for treatment. This brief tells a personal story of how a US Government-funded Power 4 nutrition intervention made a difference in the lives of mothers and their babies.
Find an unbranded version here.
There are four essential actions we can take now to prevent children from dying of severe malnutrition: Supply all pregnant women with prenatal vitamins, support breastfeeding mothers, continue large-scale vitamin A supplementation, and expand coverage of specialized foods for treatment. This brief tells a personal story of how a US Government-funded Power 4 nutrition intervention made a difference in the lives of mothers and their babies.
Find an unbranded version here.
In an average year, 3.1 million children die from malnutrition – more people than the population of the city of Chicago. This year, COVID-19-related disruptions to food and health systems are causing rates of malnutrition to rise substantially. Experts are especially concerned about a dramatic rise in a dangerous form of malnutrition called wasting, which increases a child’s chances of dying by up to 11 times.
Find an unbranded version here.
The 1,000 days between a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s 2nd birthday offers a unique window of opportunity to build healthier and more prosperous futures. This is when a child’s brain begins to grow and develop and the foundations for their lifelong health are built. Access to healthy, affordable food is critical to support the health and well-being of women and children during the first 1,000 days and beyond.
Evidence-based, proven programs that reach low-income families with nutrition assistance are a critical investment in the health and well-being of moms and babies. One such program is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
We conducted multiple, in-depth interviews with four low-income women in Texas throughout their pregnancy and postpartum period. Each of these women, who vary in age, race, marital status, educational attainment and occupation, have one key thing in common: they do not have access to paid family and medical leave.
Learn more about what makes paid leave a public health imperative.
