Lets Talk Maternal Health: Event recap
If I can prevent one more mom from dying, I will | 3 min read
✨If I can prevent one more mom from dying, I will✨
That was the energy at Let's Talk Women Maternal Health today in Minneapolis—proactive, powerful, and compassionate.
Grateful to learn from leaders raising the bar for new moms:
Dr. Rachel Hardeman – Health equity researcher, TIME 100 Most Influential People of 2024
Dr. Diana Ramos – California Surgeon General, maternal health equity advocate
Ann Holder – CEO, Marani, innovating maternal healthcare tech
Moderator: Chanda Smith Baker – Nationally recognized leader in philanthropy, business, and social impact.
And a room of 150+ leaders and changemakers.
What expanded my view of care today:
Pregnancy is a window into a mom’s future health.
80% of maternal death risk is OUTSIDE the clinic (housing, food, transportation, trust).
When a mom dies, it impacts 130+ people–across generations.
Education means little without systems that actually support moms.
And practical call to actions for moving forward:
🌟 Help moms ask questions, advocate for themselves, and build support teams.
🌟 Put culturally aware, nonjudgmental providers in the room.
🌟 Design programs and funding around lived experience.
🌟 Reimburse dyad care (for both mom + baby).
🌟 Use the State of California’s PreMA tool so moms take control of their care before they’re forced to react.
🌟 Connect what’s working: doulas, midwives, data, and trust.
There’s no single fix to maternal health. But conversations like Lets Talk Women spark the kind of cross-collaboration it takes to shift systems.
Thanks to Lets Talk Women hosts—Katie Severt and Chanda Smith Baker—for creating this space to pause, reflect on what’s working (and what’s not), and refocus on what really matters:
Safety, dignity, respect, and support for every new mom.
