Mississippi continues to lead the nation in infant deaths, a Sept. 12, 2023, report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control shows.
Private and public organizations are working to save the lives of fetuses, infants and mothers alike in Mississippi—the deadliest state in the U.S. for babies before and after they are born.
Research shows that 1 in 5 women suffer from mental health conditions during pregnancy and the postpartum period, Rachel Diamond writes.
At least 5,000 more babies will be born in Mississippi each year than in the past now that abortion is almost completely outlawed and the Magnolia State is not prepared to handle it, officials say. Mississippi State Health Officer Dr. Daniel Edney shared that estimate with members of the Mississippi Senate.
Leaders should examine the accessibility of midwifery care and freestanding birth centers to improve birth outcomes, Getty Israel writes.
Advikaa Anand, 18, writes that abortion is a complex moral issue, but choosing to keep one’s baby is just as difficult a decision to make than choosing to have an abortion—a difficult decision only pregnant persons should make.
Reva Kindred shares her first postpartum experience with professional Black women doulas and a lactation consultant. She writes that being pregnant and giving birth during COVID-19 was stressful, but with the right professional team of advocates and a tailored birthing plan, Reva and her husband were able to navigate postpartum during this pandemic efficiently.
The Mississippi State Board of Health has named Dr. Daniel P. Edney the new state health officer, the highest public-health office in Mississippi. Edney will replace the outgoing Dr. Thomas Dobbs as head of the Mississippi State Department of Health on Aug. 1.
“Politicians and policy makers know the end of Roe will mean drastic changes within the state, and they aren’t doing anything to prepare or to address Mississippi’s current social woes,” sociologist Kimberly Kelly writes.
Mississippi Journalism and Education Group is a a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization (EIN 85-1403937) for the state, devoted to going beyond partisanship and publishing solutions journalism for the Magnolia State and all of its people.
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The Mississippi Free Press is a project of the Mississippi Journalism and Education Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit journalism organization (EIN 85-1403937).