Healthy women are the foundation of healthy families and communities. Safeguarding the physical, mental and economic well-being of women is essential to all those around them, especially their children.
However, studies indicate that women and children in the U.S. experience higher rates of mortality than those in almost all other industrialized countries. In fact, maternal mortality (or pregnancy-related death) is twice as high in the U.S. as in the United Kingdom or Canada.
This alarming trend is associated with a variety of socioeconomic disparities that cause women to enter pregnancy with fewer resources. In general, individuals with lower incomes, those living in rural areas and people of color experience worse health outcomes.
The good news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the majority of pregnancy-related life-threatening complications are preventable with access to quality obstetrics care, emergency services and the attendance of a skilled practitioner during delivery.
A mother’s mental health can also affect her baby while she is pregnant. The COVID-19 pandemic, financial worries, food and housing insecurity – and even the recent shortage of baby formula – have placed additional stress on women and their families. An important way to promote women’s health is to provide comprehensive primary and preventive care, including behavioral health and family planning services.
Family planning helps patients conceive and care for their desired number of children, as well as determine the timing of pregnancies. These services also help prevent unintended or unwanted pregnancies from occurring, which could result in serious health issues for mothers and children.
Notably, women who seek maternal healthcare are more likely to use other health services and seek medical care for their children. This means investing in women’s health has a positive ripple effect, since healthier moms have babies that grow into adulthood with a lower risk of poor health, developmental disorders and mental health conditions.
SFCHC is here to help make a difference. We provide compassionate and culturally-sensitive obstetric, gynecological and family planning services to patients in the San Fernando Valley and beyond.
To request an appointment, please call 818.963.5690 or visit https://www.sfchealthcenter.org
About SFCHC
Serving patients throughout the San Fernando Valley, the San Fernando Community Health Center (SFCHC) has been a trusted, patient-centered health care home for the community since 1924. Its designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center allows it to provide state-of-the art health care services, prevention and education regardless of income or ability to pay. For more information, visit http://www.sfchealthcenter.org/.
