Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is one of 26 hospitals nationwide recognized by U.S. News & World Report as high-performing in maternity care – specifically for success in supporting Black maternal health. The Camden hospital is the only acute care facility in Greater Philadelphia to receive this distinction.

“This recognition is extremely meaningful to our colleagues,” said Nicole Lamborne, MD, Virtua’s vice president of clinical operations for women’s health and a practicing OB/GYN physician. “We believe that all people are deserving of compassionate, individualized care, and therefore we must dedicate ourselves to being champions for health equity and providing our Black patients with outstanding experiences and clinical excellence.”

To earn this recognition from U.S. News & World Report, hospitals must serve at least 20 Black maternity patients per year and have newborn complication rates of less than 2.62% and c-section rates of less than 23.9% (among hospitals providing a higher level of care) or 23.6% (among hospitals not providing a higher level of care) among Black patients.

“A collaborative and inclusive care model leads to the best outcomes for our new mothers and their babies,” Dr. Lamborne said. “Our protocols and expert staff help to ensure safe, equitable, and exceptional experiences for those we are honored to care for.”

Why Black Maternal Health Week Matters:
Black Maternal Health Week calls attention to the maternal mortality rate for Black women in the United States, which is, alarmingly, two to three times the rate of women of other races and ethnic groups. Founded by Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), Black Maternal Health Week is held every April as part of National Minority Health Month; this year is the seventh annual observation of Black Maternal Health Week.

“For Black Maternal Health Week 2024, we celebrate these hospitals' success in their important work supporting and advancing Black maternal health as part of U.S. News’ ongoing commitment to health equity and our support of women’s access to maternity care,” said Jennifer Winston, Ph.D., health data scientist at U.S. News.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are many factors that contribute to the wide disparity of maternal deaths by race, including variations in quality health care, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias. Social determinants of health prevent many people from racial and ethnic minority groups from having fair opportunities for economic, physical, and emotional health. Black Maternal Health Week is an optimal time to empower Black women on the pregnancy-related complications that can lead to death.

Expert advice includes:

• Talk to a health care provider if anything does not feel right or is concerning.
• Know and seek immediate care if experiencing any of the urgent maternal warning signs, including severe headache, extreme swelling of hands or face, trouble breathing, heavy vaginal bleeding or discharge, overwhelming tiredness, and more. These symptoms could indicate a potentially life-threatening complication.
• Document and share pregnancy history during each medical care visit for up to one year after delivery.
• Maintain ongoing health care and social support systems before, during, and after pregnancy.

Virtua Health, South Jersey’s largest not-for-profit health system, is committed to advancing health equity for all patients and creating safe and welcoming spaces for parents and babies. Virtua delivers over 9,000 babies a year at its three hospitals providing maternity care and its freestanding Midwifery Birth & Wellness Center.

Virtua was among the first health systems in the state to introduce the TeamBirth NJ care model, a structured method to foster better communication through shared decision making between the clinical team and the person giving birth. TeamBirth came to Virtua Voorhees Hospital in 2022 and Virtua Mount Holly Hospital in 2023. It will launch at Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes in September 2024.