The United States needs to do better by its mothers and babies. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the ways our health system falls short when it comes to maternal and newborn care.
Women face a number of mental and physical challenges throughout pregnancy, at birth, and during what’s become known as “the fourth trimester.” Along with sufficient parental leave and flexible work opportunities, women require better access to affordable and accessible support to help with their own health and recovery after having a baby. But this issue goes beyond health: There are also a host of social and economic benefits of taking better care of mothers and babies.
Cornell University was founded on the goal of performing world-class research that is reflective of public needs then transferring these findings and recommendations to the public, and we aim to do just that.
