Montgomery County’s new maternal and infant health report shows strides and highlights areas for improvement.
Montgomery County health officials have provided an in-depth look at maternal and infant health trends with their updated “Report on Maternal and Infant Health for Montgomery County, 2012-2021.” This comprehensive report underscores the County’s progress in supporting maternal and infant health while also identifying critical areas for improvement, especially for underserved communities.
The report compares Montgomery County’s health outcomes to Maryland’s and national averages, and the results show that Montgomery generally outperforms both. County Executive Elrich emphasized that while the County has seen encouraging progress, they’re not stopping there:
“While we outperform State and national averages, that alone isn’t enough—we’re focused on closing the gaps we see, especially when it comes to outcomes for our non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic communities. This data will drive us to refine and expand our health programs, ensuring that we’re responding to the specific needs across our County,” said County Executive Marc Elrich.
The report highlights from the press release:
- The County’s population has become more diverse over time. The non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic populations have increased while the non-Hispanic White population has decreased.
- The County performs better on most maternal and infant health indicators than Maryland and the U.S.
- Non-Hispanic Blacks have poorer birth outcomes (preterm births, low-weight births, infant/fetal deaths) than other population subgroups.
There’s a concerning upward trend in severe maternal morbidity among these populations, prompting Montgomery County health leaders to rethink their approach to maternal health services. With this updated report, the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services aims to use evidence-based practices to develop new interventions, conduct policy analysis, and promote preventive health measures that benefit mothers and infants alike.
