The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) plans to start training students in a midwifery program by 2026. A midwife is a nurse that specializes in helping patients during childbirth.

In an interview with Arkansas PBS, Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, said this type of program is needed to help lower the maternal mortality rate in the state.

“Unfortunately for a lot of our young women in the state, all of our women really, they lack access to that care whether it be because they’re not covered through Medicaid, or they’re falling between the crack, or they’re in a rural area where they are not able to to a provider,” he said. “We hope this new program at UAMS is helping to bring that gap of care.”

UAMS working on adding midwifery program to address maternal mortality

KUAR | By Nathan Treece

State leaders met with medical experts for a roundtable discussion on maternal health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Wednesday morning. Arkansas has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the nation.

Panelists spoke on many specific issues, but said the biggest barriers to maternal health are awareness, education, and access. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says many risk factors go unnoticed because women do not meet with providers early on.

"We have a vast number of women who are not seeing a doctor," said Sanders. "In fact, one in five women in the state of Arkansas are not seeing a doctor until they are actually in labor.”

Maternal health roundtable with state leaders held at UAMS