As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to highlight the ongoing need to improve access to health services for new mothers and their babies. The issue demands widespread advocacy, making awareness efforts like Maternal Health Awareness Day all the more vital.

This annual observance, happening on Thursday, Jan. 23, carries the theme “Know What’s at Stake” for 2025. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the day’s sponsor, is calling on its members, partners, and the public to spotlight the maternal mortality crisis, reproductive health challenges, and other critical maternal health concerns.

While these critical issues remain pressing, significant progress is being made – particularly in addressing maternal mental health. For instance, late last year the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) launched a nationwide campaign to promote the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline (1-833-TLC-MAMA).

This hotline, a key initiative within HRSA’s broader maternal health strategy, aims to reduce maternal mortality and health disparities. According to the CDC, mental health conditions are the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths, yet more than 80% of these deaths are preventable.

Available 24/7 in English and Spanish, the hotline provides free, confidential support from professional counselors. Callers receive a safe space to share their concerns, access to local support groups, referrals to health care providers, and more. As HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson noted in a press release:

“The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is a safe space for pregnant women and new moms to get the emotional and mental health support they need. We are excited to partner with grocery stores, pharmacies, and other organizations to help get the word out about this important resource for communities across the country.”

Promoting the hotline is essential, but it’s also heartening to recognize the exceptional maternal health care providers in our local communities. Among them is Maternal & Family Health Services, which consistently delivers outstanding care.

Here at The Wright Center, we take pride in offering exceptional pediatric services, including newborn check-ups, vaccinations, school physicals, and developmental guidance. We’re committed to supporting families as they navigate their children’s health from infancy to young adulthood.

We’re also proud of the incredible work being done by the Healthy MOMS (Maternal Opiate Medical Support) Program. This collaborative effort helps pregnant women and new mothers overcome addiction and embrace recovery. The program combines medication-assisted treatment, behavioral health services, case management, and social services to support mom and baby through the child’s second birthday.

Research shows that mothers who engage in recovery services before their due dates are less likely to give birth to babies affected by neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) – a painful and costly condition caused by prenatal exposure to opioids.

I promise we’ll continue working hard to ensure local mothers and their children have the care and resources they need. Truly, it’s one of the most important things we do as a community health center

Manju Mary Thomas, M.D., board-certified in pediatrics and obesity medicine, serves as deputy chief medical officer and medical director of pediatrics and school- and community-based medical home services. A physician faculty member of the Family Medicine Residency Pediatrics Program at The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, she provides primary and preventive care for pediatric and adolescent patients at The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley.