New York City’s top medical officer announces new health programs for ‘birthing people’

New York City’s Chief Medical Officer Michelle Morse announced a health program for “birthing people.”

Morse tweeted about expanding the city’s doula program and midwifery initiative.

According Post Millennial, Norse announced that the Mayor’s office and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene would expand the doula and midwifery programs. The measures were announced in a series of tweets, where she specifically referred to mothers giving birth as “birthing people.”

Morse wrote, “Today @nycHealthy and @NYCMayorsOffice announced an expansion of our citywide doula program and midwifery initiative to reduce maternal and infant health inequities. The time for birth equity is NOW.”

“Too many NYC families experience life-threatening complications from childbirth, and even loss of life of the birthing person of their child. We must hold ourselves and health care delivery organizations accountable to our anti-racism mission and make health equity a realty,” she added.

In another series of tweets Morse stated that, “We need to support birthing people through all aspects of their birthing experience – perhaps the most beautiful and personal gift we can share with birthing people as they navigate the groundbreaking life changing experience of creating life.”

“That is what doulas do. The urgency of this moment is clear. Mortality rates of birthing people are too high, and babies born to Black and Puerto Rican mothers in this city are three times more likely to die in their first year of life than babies born to non-Hispanic Whtie birthing people.”

Morse continued to discuss how the Department of Health is helping connect people to resources, including childbirth education, parenting classes, and free resources.