Local Assistance for Maternal Health

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

The Local Assistance for Maternal Health (LAMH) Project was designed to decrease the high rate of maternal morbidity and mortality in the County of San Bernardino. The project focused primarily on reducing elective labor inductions, which are performed for convenience or without a medical reason, and contribute to increased maternal and neonatal morbidity. At 18.35%, the overall rate of labor induction in the County was one of the highest in California (2006 data). To address the rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, the County Department of Public Health administered a project to reduce elective labor induction to near zero. The project attained its goal by reducing the elective labor induction rate from 11.0% in 2009 to 2.7% in 2012 (among 13 collaborating hospitals). During the project, the County formed and maintained advisory bodies, developed model procedures to assist hospitals adopt induction policies, and improved community awareness related to labor induction. The project successfully impacted several crucial areas:1. Change in clinical obstetrical practice2. Collection and analysis of quality improvement data to measure change in labor induction and hospital participation3. Improvement in maternity care4. Impact on community knowledge and attitudes5. Significant reduction of elective labor induction countywide