Cook County Launches EveryMotherEveryChild.org to Address Maternal Health Disparities

Photo Credit: Getty Images Maternal health disparities in Illinois are staggering. According to state data, nearly 90 women in Illinois lose their lives each year while pregnant or within a year of giving birth. Black women in Illinois and Cook County face an even grimmer reality—they are two to three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related conditions like blood pressure disorders, heart disease, and infections.& The stark reality? Ninety percent of these deaths are preventable. Source: Illinois Department of Public Health, 2023. This urgent public health issue is why the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) has launched EveryMotherEveryChild.org, a microsite designed to empower expectant mothers with vital information for achieving better health outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy. “Pregnancy-related deaths are a public health crisis in Cook County, and so are the disparities in maternal health outcomes,” said Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, Chief Operating Officer of CCDPH. “EveryMotherEveryChild.org is a tool that raises awareness about the importance of maternal and child health and gives expectant mothers, regardless of their socioeconomic status, information that can help them have better health outcomes for themselves and their new babies.” A Resource to Combat Disparities The disparities in maternal...