By Linda M. Dixon, MCJ Director of Health Justice
Welcome to the introduction of IMPACT Mississippi: Improving Maternal Perinatal Access to Care Together, a new initiative dedicated to strengthening maternal health in Mississippi, and the beginning of our Maternal Health Blog Series. Our goal is to provide insight that clarifies policy, strengthens advocacy, and fosters community—empowering women, families, and policymakers across Mississippi to drive lasting change in maternal health.
Women in Mississippi continue to encounter significant barriers to the care they need and deserve. Yet the data shows a devastating truth: Black women in Mississippi are dying from pregnancy-related causes at disproportionately high rates. These inequities are not accidental; they are systemic and demand urgent attention.
Recent policy improvements, including the extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage and the expansion of presumptive eligibility, have made significant progress. However, these steps alone are not enough. Every woman in Mississippi deserves compassionate, comprehensive, and affordable care throughout pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and beyond.
Through this blog series, we spotlight the urgent challenges that fuel Mississippi’s infant and maternal health crisis that mothers face across our state. This blog amplifies the voices of impacted mothers and families, advocating for meaningful changes that expand coverage and ensure greater access to quality healthcare throughout the state.
We invite you to read, reflect, and share your thoughts. Whether you are a mother, father, daughter, parent, healthcare provider, policymaker, or a concerned community member, your voice matters in the fight for maternal health.
Share your maternal health story here.
Check out our other blogs in this series:
Understanding Presumptive Eligibility for Pregnant Women and Access to Prenatal Care