Every woman should have the opportunity to enter motherhood to survive and thrive. Think about a world where every mom and baby is healthy regardless of gender, wealth, location, race, or gender.
However, there are some charities that help pregnant mothers in the USA to achieve better health.
Every year, over 287,00 women die from complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
The United States has a rising maternal mortality rate, which raises consistently. The number of women who die of childbirth has nearly doubled. These mothers aren’t accessible to basic primary care and reproductive health services to be healthy.
Mothers are more likely to enter pregnancies with untreated chronic health disorders, including diabetes and high blood pressure, due to the lack of continuous access to care, which increases the risk of pregnancy difficulties for both the mother and the unborn child.
Extending access to care by charitable organizations can change the course of a pregnancy. Action is needed to make maternity care a reality for all mothers and birthing people in the United States.
We need systemic change to end this maternal health crisis during pregnancy and ensure mothers and children are healthier. Let’s discuss the charities that have helped to counter this change.Â
List of Charities that Help Pregnant Mothers in the USA
- Every Mother Count
- UNICEF
- Maternity Housing Coalition
- The Maternity Group Homes for Pregnant and Parenting Youth Program (MGH)
- Embrace Grace
- The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC)
- The National Partnership for Women and Families
- Postpartum Support International (PSI)
- Mother’s Refuge
- March of Dimes
- The Homeless Prenatal Program
- Elizabeth House
- MomsRising
- Sista Midwife Productions (SMP)
- Maternity Worldwide
1. Every Mother Count
Every Mother Count is a charitable organization founded by Christy Turlington Burns to raise awareness and educate expectant mothers on pregnancy and childbirth, which should be safe, respectful, and equitable for everyone.
They work to achieve quality maternity care for all by providing grants and working with partners to increase awareness and mobilize communities to take action.
Every Mother Count has supported more than 1.5 million women and families from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.
2. UNICEF
For over 75 years, UNICEF has worked with the United Nations and its agencies to improve the lives of Mothers and their babies.
UNICEF is focused on supporting care models that address the barriers and health disparities contributing to the U.S. maternal health crisis and ensure more mothers receive the care they need.
Malnutrition is a critical problem for pregnant mothers. However, they Improve women’s diets, access to nutrition services, and nutrition and care practices before and during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
UNICEF supports programs that make nutritious foods affordable and accessible to improve the quality of women’s diets.
UNICEF also tests innovations for improving women’s nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding. They shape the food markets to help increase access to low-cost, high-quality micronutrient supplements for women.
They are the world’s largest provider of vaccines, as they support child health and nutrition treatment.
3. Maternity Housing Coalition
Maternity Housing Coalition provides expectant mothers with a safe, supportive environment during and after pregnancy.
These homes are designed to provide pregnant women with a wide range of services, including prenatal care, emotional support, delivery assistance, postpartum care, and education about parenting and childcare.
Maternity homes ensure that both mother and baby receive the care they need. Women who lack adequate healthcare, live in poverty or are homeless struggle to receive proper prenatal care, which can lead to complications during delivery and beyond.
Through classes and workshops offered by the Maternal Housing Coalition, women learn about topics such as breastfeeding, nutrition, and infant development, which can help them feel more confident and capable as they begin this new chapter.
4. The Maternity Group Homes for Pregnant and Parenting Youth Program (MGH)
MGH Program supports homeless pregnant and parenting young people and their dependent children to reduce the risk of youth homelessness, adolescent pregnancy, and domestic violence.
Youth range between the ages of 16 and 22 can enter the program. If a young woman enrolls in a program at 16, these services are offered for up to 21 months or until the child turns 18. MGH teaches parenting skills, child development, family budgeting, health and nutrition, and other skills.
5. Embrace Grace
Embrace Grace was founded by Amy Ford and Salina Duffy in 2008 to inspire the church community as they encourage single and pregnant young women with love. Women experiencing unexpected pregnancies receive practical, spiritual, and emotional support.
They make women see they can have their babies and dreams, saying no abortion.
When a woman gets pregnant, she goes to the pregnancy center for help. The center invites her to the Embrace Grace group, and she becomes part of the family.
6. The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC)
The National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC) was established in 2015 by Dr. Joia Crear-Perry as one of the nation’s advocates for change in the maternal health for blacks and infant mortality crises as they focused on the sexual reproductive health and well-being of Black pregnant women.
They aim to create safe and healthy conditions for moms and babies. This initiative reduces children dying during childbirth and the postnatal period.
7. The National Partnership for Women and Families
This organization was founded in 1971 and is a national nonprofit organization that works to make life better for women and families by advocating through the public and private sectors and at the federal, state, and local levels for health, reproductive rights, and policies.
They give access to the Childbirth Connection, which connects women with the high-quality information they need for their baby’s health and overall satisfaction.
Their organization advocates for mothers on paid leave and people who are recovering from miscarriage, stillbirth, and other pregnancy complications through ongoing initiatives.
8. Postpartum Support International (PSI)
Approximately 15% of all women following the birth of a child experience postpartum depression. During pregnancy, up to 10% will experience depression or anxiety. When the mother’s mental health is compromised, it affects the entire family.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) was founded by Jane Honikman in Santa Barbara in 1987 to raise awareness of women’s emotions during and after giving birth.
The headquarters of PSI is located in Portland, Oregon, and has volunteer coordinators in every one of the United States and more than 36 other countries. PSI provides information and resources through its volunteer coordinators, website, and annual conference.
You can contact the HelpLine, and a trained volunteer will listen, answer questions, offer encouragement, and connect you with local resources as needed.
9. Mother’s Refuge
Mother’s Refuge is a wonderful facility helping young pregnant and parenting mothers by providing services that empower them to make life successful for themselves and their babies.
They provide a safe home, access to medical care, health and fitness, clothing and personal items, baby care training, therapy, and aftercare support.
To be eligible for this service, you must be 12-21 years of age, currently pregnant, have no other children in custody, have no safe or stable place to call home, and are willing to follow program guidelines.
10. March of Dimes
This nonprofit organization is devoted to ending maternal health risks and death, preterm birth, and infant death to improve the health of all moms and babies.
They’re in communities across the USA supporting moms and babies with research, education, advocacy, and programs to be healthy and strong.
11. The Homeless Prenatal Program
The Homeless Prenatal Program in San Francisco empowers homeless and low-income families, especially mothers with or without pregnancy, to build the strength and confidence they need to transform their lives.
Their services include Perinatal services to promote healthy pregnancies, births, and bonding. Housing support, including education and resources, Nurturing Relationships, Job training, and financial education for family stability
Their wellness center is designed to help women deliver healthy babies, encourage mother/child bonding, and promote positive child development.
The Homeless Prenatal Program serves over 3,500 low-income and homeless families annually.
12. Elizabeth House
Elizabeth House was founded in 1994 by Debbie Unruh to provide housing services for pregnant women and their children experiencing homelessness as they break the cycles of homelessness, reclaim their lives, and build successful family legacies.
Elizabeth House has been a residential program that embraces pregnant mothers and their children (up to age five).
Mothers live in a welcoming, homelike setting and receive a full variety of care while pregnant and for up to four months after their kids are delivered.
Case management, rigorous professional counseling, healthcare access, parent education, career training, mother-to-mother mentorship, scholarship assistance, baby gear, and other services are included.
13. MomsRising
MomsRising is an on-the-ground and online organization Established in 2006 with more than a million individuals fighting to provide economic stability for all mothers, women, and families in the USA.
They are powered by two organizations: MomsRising Together, a social welfare organization, and MomsRising Education Fund, a public charity.
They focus on the issues women, mothers, and families face by educating the public and mobilizing massive grassroots actions by aiming for paid family leave, earned sick days, affordable childcare, and an end to many mothers’ wages.
They also advocate for childhood nutrition, health care for all, toxic-free environments, and breastfeeding rights.
14. Sista Midwife Productions (SMP)
Nicole Deggins founded Sista Midwife Productions (SMP) as an advocacy for birth training and consulting agency to reduce the risk associated with childbearing and birth experiences.
By increasing the number of Black birth workers, they hope to improve pregnancy experiences and teach mothers about their rights and options.
They also provide lectures, consultations, and training to institutions, organizations, and governments at the local, regional, and national levels.
Since 2013, SMP has trained over 600 students across the USA and four international countries, and they host online directories for birth workers.
If you are searching for a midwife or fertility support, you can search the directories to connect with the nationwide black birth workers.
Additionally, their Birth Story Project (BSP) provides a safe space for women to connect and share their experiences during childbirth for education, support, and healing.
15. Maternity Worldwide
Maternity Worldwide is a charity founded in 2002 by Adrian Brown and Shane Duffy to provide maternal health programs so that women can access quality maternal health care to safely give birth and reduce the number of women dying or injured in childbirth.
Maternity Worldwide is an organization with no religious affiliations. Regardless of their faith or background, projects and services are open to all members of local communities,
FAQs
1. What are the Causes of death in pregnancy and childbirth?
- Severe bleeding (mostly after childbirth)
- Infections
- High blood pressure during pregnancy
- Unsafe abortions
2. What are the measures to reduce maternal deaths?
Ensuring women are accessible to quality antenatal care helps pick up risks early on and can ensure women when giving birth, receive the right level of care.Â
Having support from a skilled doctor, midwife, or nurse.
Access to a well-equipped hospital or health center
3. How much does pregnancy and childbirth cost?
The health cost of pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum care is $18,865. Vaginal delivery costs $14,766 and a Cesarean cost $26,280.
4. How much does health insurance cover the cost of pregnancy and childbirth?
Pregnancy and childbirth covered by health insurance is $2,854, $2,655 for vaginal delivery, and $3,214 for cesarean births.
Conclusion
The cry of a baby in a home should be a time of great joy and hope, but every year, 287,000 women die in pregnancy and childbirth worldwide.
As much as the U.S. is facing maternal and infant health crises, these charitable organizations, with their partners and supporters, have helped end maternal health risks and death so that mothers can create a life of safety for themselves and their children.
As a pregnant woman or mother in need of resources, looking to participate in maternal advocacy, or wanting to be better informed on maternity care, these charitable health programs and nonprofit groups listed in this article will aid in providing a quality life for yourself and your baby.
Leave a comment below if this article was helpful.
