Maternal Health in New York City: Improving Outcomes Across Populations

GCIS Maternal Health Symposium

April 2nd, 2025: 11 AM-1 PM | 708 Broadway 3rd Floor | In-person

Pregnancy-related deaths–defined as occurring during pregnancy, childbirth, or up to 1 year of termination of pregnancy–have significant and broad negative public health and societal impacts. Globally, maternal mortality is on the decline. However, the United States remains an outlier among high-income continues with its persistently high maternal mortality rates. This burden is amplified among women facing socioeconomic inequities within the US. New York was ranked 20th in the country for pregnancy-associated deaths.

To shed more light on this pressing crisis and identify strategies to mitigate it, the Global Center for Implementation Science co-hosted a symposium on April 2nd 2025, titled “Maternal Health in New York City: Improving Outcomes Across Populations.”

The symposium was held at the NYU School of Global Public Health (GPH) and began with an introduction from the Interim Dean of GPH, Dr. Melody Goodman, and a keynote presentation from Dr. Zahirah McNatt, the Chief Equity Officer and Deputy Commissioner for the Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness (CHECW) at New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. In her remarks, Dr. McNatt highlighted the disparities in pregnancy-related deaths in NYC and actionable steps for reducing maternal mortality.

This symposium brought together key stakeholders, researchers, health system leaders, and community organizations for a critical conversation about the current state of maternal health.

Panelists included:

Dr. Janice Ascencio, Acting Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Dr. Leslie Hayes, Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Family and Child Health at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Dr. Wendy Wilcox, Chief Women’s Health Officer at New York City Health + Hospitals

Damalia Jackson, Program Director at CAMBA MIH Programs

Stacey Lewis, Coordinator of Doula Programs at Caribbean Women’s Health Association
Patricia Loftman, Certified Nurse-Midwife & former Midwifery Service Director at Harlem Hospital Center

Nataly Jasso Morales, Doula Coordinator at the Community Health Center of Richmond

Re Perry, Programs Coordinator at Saving Mothers

Tasha Phifer, Founder of Postpartum Love Village

With over 115 guests in attendance—including students, researchers, and representatives from community organizations—the symposium served as both a platform for elevating community voices and leaders, and a powerful reminder of the importance of partnerships between communities and health systems in public health. Through the panel discussions, attendees explored gaps in maternal care, shared strategies employed by their organizations, and examined evidence-based interventions with the potential to be scaled up.

Image of panelists

It was emphasized that 75% of pregnancy-related deaths in New York are preventable, highlighting the urgency for change. One key question echoed throughout the discussion:

We know what needs to be done, so how do we do it?

The data are clear, the solutions exist, yet systemic barriers continue to prevent meaningful action. Recommendations from the discussions included:

Situating maternal health and maternal health care into a life course approach that seeks to improve the health of minoritized women before, during, and after their experiences of childbirth.
Increasing access to maternal health care across all of New York, especially for people in underserved areas.
The need for increased funding for maternal health initiatives.
Strengthening connections between community organizations and health systems, including for diverse models of care and programming that can reach families and communities where they are.
The importance of postpartum care to prevent maternal morbidity.