Women’s Health and Wellbeing in Arkansas: A multi-platform reporting initiative
Funded by a University of Arkansas Women's Giving Circle grant, KUAF Public Radio is producing a year-long series of in-depth reports on women's health, maternal care, economic challenges and educational opportunities across Arkansas. Student journalists will research and produce stories that air on Ozarks at Large and are available online, with a focus on reaching women in rural and underserved communities.
From postpartum care to holistic wellness, this series is uncovering the people, programs and research working to improve women's lives across Arkansas. Student reports have covered a new $15 million maternal care center in the River Valley, UAMS' efforts to transform emergency room care, scholarship programs training the next generation of perinatal mental health providers and more. New stories are added regularly.
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UAMS OB-GYNs Dr. Luann Racher, Dr. Nirvana Manning explain why birth control is prescribed for heavy periods, pain, PMDD or cancer risk, plus the misconceptions that keep patients from it. -
Arkansas has the 12th highest uninsured rate in the U.S. Clinics across the state are working to reach uninsured women, including new moms who lose pregnancy Medicaid 60 days after giving birth. -
The weeks and months after birth are generally thought of as a time of abundant joy. A new member of the family joining the fold and ushering in an exciting time for parents. But, for a surprising number of mothers, the postpartum period brings with it a host of mental health struggles. -
Urogynecology is a medical field that specifically treats pelvic floor disorders. UAMS just announced an expansion of care for these disorders. -
Few bilingual doulas serve Northwest Arkansas' growing Hispanic population. Annie Brown, Rubi Madrid describe translating during labor, easing pressure to induce, building trust with clients. -
A new UAMS study finds most pregnant women who use medical cannabis started before pregnancy, with PTSD, not nausea, as the leading reason cited for use. -
A 2022 March of Dimes report finds nearly half of Arkansas counties lack access to maternity care. Doctors and health policy experts explain why and what could help. -
The Arkansas Department of Human Services has missed multiple deadlines to launch Medicaid coverage for doula services, leaving families without access, doulas without sustainable pay -
Arkansas has one of the nation's highest cesarean rates among low-risk births. A statewide initiative aimed to lower it, but the numbers held steady. Dr. Constance Chapman and Dr. Jennifer Callaghan-Koru explain what happened. -
UAMS has launched a toolkit to integrate doulas into hospitals and improve maternal and infant outcomes, piloted first at Mercy Hospital in Rogers.
