By David Wise
FAYETTEVILLE — Between 2018 and 2019, 23 women in Arkansas died from pregnancy-related causes. According to the state’s review panel of medical experts, 90% of these deaths were potentially preventable.
Now, 33 hospitals in Arkansas are working together to prevent maternal deaths through the Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ARPQC), a joint collaborative between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and other medical institutions across the state. For the first joint initiative, hospitals will take steps to reduce cesarean deliveries for low-risk pregnancies.
“State perinatal quality collaboratives (PQCs) are leading the way toward improving the quality of maternity care and maternal health outcomes,” said William Greenfield, M.D., professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology at UAMS and medical director of the ARPQC. “With the launch of the ARPQC’s first initiative, Arkansas is joining the national effort to address the maternal health crisis.”
