POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Aisha Alayande has made it her mission to focus on maternal and infant health at Heartland Core Wellness. As a mother of seven, she remembers when her pregnancy concerns weren’t properly addressed by her doctor.
“My twins were born at 34 weeks, and at the time, I trusted my body like I did with all of my other births, but the physician did not trust me and because of that I ended up having a c-section,” said Alayande, Executive Director Heartland Core Wellness.
To reduce disparities in maternal health outcomes, infant mortality, and chronic disease rates in Polk County, the Florida Department of Health in Polk County has partnered with the League of Women Voters for the Moms with Monitors initiative. The program provides free blood pressure monitors and education to pregnant and post-partum patients.
“In Polk County, our statistics show that our Black infants die before their first birthday more than white infants. Black women have more delivery complications than white women. Black and Hispanic populations have higher risks for uncontrolled blood pressure and diabetes,” said Lydia George with the Florida Department of Health in Polk County.
This trend is not unique to Polk County. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. The agency said factors including variation in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias all play a role.
Patients are also given a log to track their blood pressure. DOH-Polk said monitoring blood pressure can help to prevent and treat severe pregnancy-related complications like pre-eclampsia.
Seven women in Polk County died during pregnancy from 2017 to 2019, according to data from the DOH-Polk. The goal is to save more moms-to-be.
“This project is a way for us to be proactive so we can bridge the gap with those health disparities,” said George.
If you are a DOH-Polk patient who is pregnant or post-partum, you can get more information at (863) 519-7900.
