Observing Maternal Health Awareness Day

By Office of Communications & Marketing | Jan 23, 2026

Downstate joins the nation in recognizing Maternal Health Awareness Day and reaffirming our commitment to protecting the lives, health, and dignity of birthing people. For this fifth annual observance, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has selected the theme Holding Ground on Maternal Health. We stand with ACOG in underscoring our unwavering dedication to preventing maternal deaths and advancing respectful, evidence-based care for all.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 80 percent of deaths during and after pregnancy are preventable. Evidence-based, actionable solutions save lives—solutions such as equitable access to prenatal and specialty care; birthing facilities equipped to meet the needs of all patients, including those facing pregnancy-related emergencies; and the widespread adoption of patient-safety and quality improvement approaches that better prepare care teams for the full range of challenges that can occur during the perinatal period.

While we know what works, progress is at risk. Federal investment in maternal health programs has waned, and efforts that have helped reduce preventable deaths—particularly those addressing racial health inequities—have increasingly come under scrutiny or been dismantled. As a result, we face the very real threat of losing ground on the progress made toward improving maternal outcomes nationwide.

Here in Brooklyn, maternal health disparities are especially stark. Black individuals are eight times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts. The postpartum period, spanning the first 12 months after delivery, is a particularly vulnerable time, when some of the most serious and life-threatening complications can occur. Continuous access to care during this period is essential—especially for individuals experiencing maternal mental health conditions, who too often face systemic barriers to receiving timely and appropriate treatment.

New York State benefits from relatively strong access to reproductive healthcare services, contributing to lower overall vulnerability to adverse maternal outcomes. Still, persistent inequities demand continued vigilance and action. At Downstate, we remain deeply committed to advancing equitable maternal health outcomes through education, research, clinical excellence, and compassionate, patient-centered care.

The maternal access crisis in our country is heartbreaking—and it calls for collective action. On Maternal Health Awareness Day, each of us can play a role in helping to reverse course by raising awareness, supporting evidence-based care, and advocating for policies and programs that protect access to maternal healthcare. The lives, health, and safety of our patients depend on sustained commitment and leadership.

Together, let us hold ground—and continue moving forward—to ensure that every person has the care, respect, and support they deserve throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond.

Please check out a video featuring our very own Mudar Dalloul, M.D., FACOG, Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Interim Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, on the significance of raising awareness for Maternal Health Awareness Day and working together to advance care.

Tags: Obstetrics and Gynecology