Maternal Health: The Importance of Fetal Monitoring

The United States is facing a maternal health crisis. The United States has the highest infant and maternal mortality rates out of any other high-income country and simultaneously spends the most on health care.(1) In 2024, the infant mortality rate in the US had declined slightly from the 2023 rate but still remained high at a startling 5.342 deaths per 1000 live births, as compared to Iceland who had the lowest rate at 0.966.(2)

Inadequate care and socioeconomic inequalities contributing to chronic conditions, especially in women of color, are contributing factors to these mortality rates. Despite these bleak statistics, access to maternity care continues to decline in the US, with about 36% of counties considered “maternity care desserts.”(3) Access to timely, quality maternal care, including innovative preventative care, unquestionably leads to better outcomes for mothers and babies. 

In one specific innovative offering, we have evaluated a third-party actuary and found credible studies to predict outcomes for large employers.  The Employer can expect significant improvements in claims cost savings and employee health outcomes. The anticipated results include a 15% to 20% reduction in NICU births, a 15% to 20% increase in regular (vaginal) deliveries with a corresponding decrease in c-sections, a 15% to 20% reduction in medical maternal morbidity claims, and a 15% to 20% improvement in employee presenteeism. These outcomes will lead to fewer claims for the Employer and enhanced employee presence, resulting in a one-year ROI ranging from 5.9 to 7.8 to 1, depending on the savings assumptions.(4) 

Partner with our nationwide network to increase access to healthcare solutions. 

Sources:

1. Global Perspective on U.S. Health Care | Commonwealth Fund1. 
2. U.S. Infant Mortality Rate 1950-2024 | MacroTrends2. 
3. New March of Dimes Research Shows Access to Maternity Care Worsening for Millions of Women in the U.S. | March of Dimes
4. Actuarial Intuition, LLC