Reproductive services for women at high risk for maternal mortality: a report of the workshop

Women at high risk for maternal morbidity and mortality have unique needs for reproductive health services, including prenatal and postpartum care, contraception, and abortion. However, barriers such as restrictive state legislation, poor access to trained providers, limits in insurance coverage, and clinical challenges in assessing and communicating risk often make it difficult for these women to obtain needed services. To address these issues, leaders in obstetric care, family planning, and reproductive health law gathered for a two-day workshop entitled “Reproductive Services for Women at High Risk for Maternal Mortality.” The workshop was held in conjunction with the 39th Annual Pregnancy Meeting™ in Las Vegas, NV and co-sponsored by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Fellowship for Family Planning, and Society of Family Planning. The goals of the workshop were to review the following issues, discuss recommendations, and create consensus concerning assessment, counseling, and training.