Pregnancy and the postpartum period are times of profound physical and emotional change. For individuals managing chronic health conditions, these changes can feel especially daunting. To better understand how chronic conditions affect pregnancy — and how patients can be supported...

For decades, postpartum care in the United States was defined by a single six-week follow-up visit after delivery. Today, that model is evolving as clinicians and patients alike recognize that recovery and long-term health don’t fit neatly into a single appointment. SLUCare providers...

As we reflect back on 2025 and look ahead toward 2026 activities, the team at the Missouri Perinatal Quality Collaborative celebrates the successes, strong collegial relationships and growth in the momentum to improve health outcomes for moms and babies in our state. Highlights from...

Improving care for moms and babies is especially urgent in Missouri, currently ranked 43rd in the United States in women’s health and reproductive care outcomes and fourth highest for maternal care deserts. Most pregnancy-related deaths occur in the postpartum period, making it a...

Access to quality maternal care shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code. Yet for many families in rural northwest Missouri, limited health care options have long meant traveling hours for prenatal visits or delivery. Thanks to an innovative partnership between Harrison County Community...

The 2025 Missouri PQC Maternal & Infant Symposium brought together over 170 passionate professionals, advocates and community leaders for three days of learning, collaboration and bold ideas. From Dr. Kathryn Menard’s opening keynote on North Carolina’s Pregnancy Medical Home...

In today’s health care landscape, addressing a patient’s medical needs is only part of the equation. Nonclinical factors — like housing, food access, transportation and safety — play a critical role in an individual’s overall well-being. That’s where closed-loop referral systems ...

I’m Jillian Simmons, a certified nurse midwife with more than 12 years of experience in obstetrics. My journey into midwifery began with a deep passion for women’s health and a desire to support families through one of life’s most transformative experiences: childbirth.  I earned...

What is the MC LAN? The Maternal-Child Learning and Action Network brings together health care professionals, community-based organizations, state agencies, patients and other stakeholders around an evidence-based agenda to achieve rapid, widescale improvement in maternal and infant...