AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The importance of prenatal care was the topic of discussion at a community meeting held tonight by the Amarillo League of Women Voters.
The meeting is part of an ongoing two year-long study by the Amarillo League about maternal morbidity and mortality in Amarillo.
The league says the United States ranks higher for mortality deaths than any other industrialized country.
“Texas ranks high and Potter county ranks high, Potter county is one of the poorer counties in the state of Texas,” said Claudia Stravato, vice president of Amarillo League of Women Voters.
They say the biggest issue with the death rates are due to the lack of care.
The league says they see too many women come into the local hospitals for delivery of their babies without ever having prenatal care, especially low-income women and women of color.
“When women present for delivery of a baby and they haven’t had any prenatal care there can be some very serious and sometimes fatal outcomes,” said Sonya Letson, president of Amarillo League of Women Voters.
Dr. Teresa Baker, Regional Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center was the guest speaker of tonight’s meeting, where she discussed why the care is so important.
“There’s a lot of things we can do to alter the outcome of the pregnancy, but only if we have access to her, so genetic screening, ultrasounds that will identify things that could be an issue at time of delivery or immediately post-partum, along with just the support that a young women needs and a mother and baby need,” said Dr. Baker.
Another issue relates to access to care.
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