Researchers, healthcare providers, and community organizations gathered last week in Fayetteville for the inaugural Maternal and Reproductive Community Health, or MaRCH, Research Retreat. The event focused on collaboration and sharing research aimed at improving maternal health outcomes in Arkansas. This story includes brief discussion of maternal mental health and pregnancy-related death. Ozarks at Large’s Sarah Laiche reports.
In the heart of Fayetteville, hundreds of women from all over the country — from doulas to policymakers — gathered to present research and form new relationships at the MaRCH Research Retreat. The primary theme of the retreat: finding solutions.
"We often talk about the disparities in Arkansas. Today we're going to be talking about research solutions. And so, we're so excited to bring together some of the nation's best researchers, along with community partners and health systems and local researchers, to all strategize on maternal health research solutions."
That’s Pearl McElfish, director of the MaRCH Research Center. She explains that while it's important to identify issues within the field, it's equally important to discuss how to solve those issues. The retreat included presentations on maternal mental health and policy solutions, as well as panel discussions and networking sessions for attendees. Organizations like the MaRCH Research Center and the Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative that focus on communication and collaboration between professionals are crucial to improving maternal health outcomes across the country. Doctor Wendy Davis is the president and CEO of Postpartum Support International. She says events like this are vital for connecting like-minded people.
"One of the reasons it's so important to have convenings like this is that it brings together lots of different people who are interested in the same thing, which is affects all of us, and that is the health and specifically the mental health of pregnant and postpartum mothers and their families."
She also mentions that it's especially important in this area.
"But right here in Northwest Arkansas, we have researchers and payers, insurance companies and providers, companies and individuals who are all interested in working on this together."
Another common theme at the retreat was maternal mental health. Researchers at the retreat said maternal mental health, including postpartum depression and anxiety, remains one of the biggest challenges. Much of the research presented focused on improving screening, early detection, and access to treatment. Doctor Constance Guille was one of the researchers presenting at the retreat.
"These are sort of our top six most common and frequently underlying causes of pregnancy related maternal mortality, with mental health conditions often being at the top. Um, those deaths are really due to suicide and drug overdose. So, sort of a very late outcome. And we know that many of these deaths are actually preventable."
There's a lot that people don't understand about postpartum depression, even the experts in the field. But Davis says that there are a few things everyone should know for certain.
"The mental health and the health care of moms is not just like a bad mood. It's just not. It's not just people, um, don't feel like, you know, being a parent. This is a really, this is about treatable, temporary and blameless conditions."
While the research can be a bit confusing and numbers, rates, and statistics might not be the most exciting thing to look into, Davis reminds everyone why it's important to come together and share them.
Maybe it looks like just numbers, but these are numbers about real people and real prevention.
There are many reasons that mothers don't always ask for help. Davis also mentions that one of the most powerful tools in improving outcomes for mothers is families reaching out on their behalf. Postpartum Support International has local volunteers all over the country. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health related to pregnancy or postpartum, you can visit postpartum dot net, call or text the Postpartum Support hotline at 800-944-4773, or call the federal maternal health hotline at 833-852-6262. For Ozarks at large, I'm Sarah Laiche.
