UnitedHealthcare and its partners are investing $250,000 to help improve maternal health in southeast Missouri’s Bootheel, where infant mortality rates are among the highest, reaching up to 11 deaths per 1,000 births.
The region also faces major gaps in prenatal care, with many expectant mothers unable to access first-trimester services. Health leaders said such barriers are driving poorer outcomes for moms and babies.
Jamie Bruce, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community and State Plan of Missouri and Iowa, said they are focusing on access to care.
"Access to prenatal and postpartum care really shouldn't depend on somebody's ZIP code or income," Bruce contended. "We really think it's important to listen to families and providers in the Bootheel and other parts of the state."
She noted much of the Bootheel is considered a "maternal desert," with some counties lacking hospitals that deliver babies or even a single OB provider. The funding will support a partnership with the Missouri Bootheel Regional Consortium to expand care access and strengthen connections between families and providers.
In recent years, data show areas without access to maternal care affected more than 2 million women of reproductive age and about 150,000 births. Bruce stressed the investment is really about making sure families do not fall through the cracks.
"This collaboration is about meeting families where they are, supporting the connections between mothers, providers, and communities that keep moms and babies healthy," Bruce outlined.
Statewide, 51% of Missouri counties are defined as maternity care deserts, compared to the national average of 35%, according to the Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative.
UnitedHealthcare contributes to the fund for reporting on Health Issues.
Missouri News Service, a partner with KRCU Public Radio, originally published this story.
