by Terri Reynolds, Alabama State Director for Mike Bloomberg 2020
A little over 7 months ago, I met and said goodbye to my third child. My son, Levi, was stillborn as a result of a rare genetic condition that impaired the function of his kidneys. My husband and I received the devastating diagnosis of his condition about mid-way through the pregnancy, and we spent the next 17 weeks fighting to have as much time with him as possible. We visited some of the world’s top doctors at the University of Alabama Birmingham and Johns Hopkins University, but ultimately had to accept there was nothing we could do to save Levi.
As a mother, I had every possible medical resource at my disposal and it was still, without a doubt, the most devastating experience of my life. Each day, my family and I continue to pick up the pieces from his loss. In my own grief, I began to connect with other mothers who endured the loss of a newborn and learned that many weren’t as fortunate as me. Far too many women, right here in Alabama, face avoidable pregnancy and delivery complications that put their lives, and the lives of their baby at risk.
The United States is among the most dangerous places in the world in which to give birth. In the past 20 years, severe maternal complications have more than doubled and the U.S. maternal mortality rate has risen to the highest among affluent countries. Today, nearly 700 women die each year from pregnancy or delivery complications in the United States, and the U.S. is one of 13 countries in the world where maternal mortality rates are worse than they were two decades ago.
One of the reasons I support Mike Bloomberg’s candidacy for President is because he has a plan to improve the maternal health and infant mortality crisis facing our country. His administration will standardize maternal mortality data collection, centralizing it at the CDC, and use this data to inform and improve standards of health care. Additionally, Mike will establish programs to help clinicians identify high-risk pregnancies, and require doctors to have training in understanding and countering implicit bias in medical care.
In 2003, Mike adopted the Nurse-Family Partnership model for low-income pregnant moms and helped grow NYC’s program into the country’s largest. Through the Partnership, visiting nurses work with first-time moms to achieve healthier pregnancies and births, stronger child development and a path toward economic self-sufficiency. New York City’s infant mortality rate fell to historic lows during Mike’s administration, with a nearly 25 percent overall rate decline between 2001 and 2013.
As a mom of two healthy young children, and one sweet baby boy I lost far too soon, I believe ensuring all mothers and children have access to top-notch healthcare options must be a priority. One of the things that bring me comfort in my journey with Levi is that my family and I were able to exercise every possible option to extend his life. Any family facing the loss of an infant should have that same opportunity. Mike understands this and he will fight for all mothers – no matter their story, race or background. He did it in New York and he’ll do it across America.
– Terri Reynolds, “An Alabama Mother”