Philanthropists Olivia and Tom Walton announced last week they are giving $100 million toward a national effort to make giving birth safer in the United States.
The five-year commitment to the bipartisan initiative the couple founded earlier this year, Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America, will go to fund state matching grants, increasing access to rural health care, improving postpartum care and expanding the maternal health workforce, according to a press release.
The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among wealthy nations, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with 19 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024.
Arkansas has one of the worst maternal and infant mortality rates in the U.S., and a recent March of Dimes report found 44% of the state's 75 counties are considered maternity care deserts.
Ozarks at Large transcripts are created on a rush deadline and edited for length and clarity. Copy editors utilize AI tools to review work. KUAF does not publish content created by AI. Please reach out to kuafinfo@uark.edu to report an issue. The audio version is the authoritative record of KUAF programming.
