PolicyMap and Surgo Health Partner to Drive Awareness of the Critical State of Maternal Care in the U.S.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — PolicyMap, an online data and mapping company, announced today the integration of Surgo Health’s‘ Granular Maternity Vulnerability Index (gMVI) into its platform. The gMVI is a critical tool to help tackle maternal health disparities in the U.S. by identifying where and why mothers in the United States are vulnerable to poor maternal health outcomes and facilitates more informed decision-making and targeted interventions, driving better health outcomes for mothers and children across the United States.

The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, with significant racial, economic, and geographic disparities exacerbating the crisis according to data from the gMVI. Black women, for example, are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, and American Indian and Alaska Native women are 2.6 times more likely to live under conditions that are not conducive to good maternal health. The gMVI highlights vulnerabilities and inequities faced by expectant mothers, combining over 50 indicators across socio-demographics, healthcare access, physical environment, social environment, and health behaviors.