NEW ORLEANS - On April 21, the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) announced the launch of Project M.O.M. (Maternal Overdose Mortality), a statewide initiative aimed at reducing maternal deaths caused by drug overdoses.
Deputy Secretary Dr. Pete Croughan introduced the Project M.O.M. (Maternal Overdose Mortality) program, for pregnant and postpartum women at a press conference, saying that maternal deaths caused by drug overdose has overtaken every medical complication since 2018 becoming the number one cause of maternal mortality in this state.
"Over the last 15 years, through the hard work of Secretary Greenstein and many others spearheaded by the Birth Outcomes Initiative, we’ve made significant progress on improving in-hospital maternal mortality," Croughan said.​ “To fix this problem, we don't need any new scientific breakthroughs. We just need the system to work."​
Project M.O.M. aims to reduce overdose deaths among pregnant women by 80% over the next three years, building on successful models like the one at Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa.​
The initiative seeks to coordinate efforts among healthcare providers, hospitals, the Department of Children and Family Services, courts, and law enforcement to support pregnant and postpartum women struggling with substance abuse. It focuses on enhancing screening and treatment practices, reducing stigma, and connecting expectant mothers to specialized medical clinics.
The Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC) is a statewide initiative led by the Louisiana Department of Health’s Bureau of Family Health, under the authority of the Louisiana Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality. It has already made strides by increasing substance use screenings for pregnant women from 70% to 93%.
By building on this progress, LDH plans to develop a comprehensive blueprint for Project M.O.M. within the next 30 days, convene a stakeholder meeting in 90 days to establish data and patient tracking plans, and implement healthcare system incentive changes to support substance use treatment within six months.
To illustrate the impact of such programs, Rachel Hernandez, a mother who overcame substance abuse with support from Our Lady of the Angels Hospital in Bogalusa, shared her experience.
"I was completely hopeless. I had nothing," said Hernandez. After receiving care during her pregnancy, she now advocates for other mothers. "You have resources, you have options," she said said.
According to LDH, 47 out of 48 birthing hospitals in Louisiana participate in at least one LaPQC initiative, covering over 98% of births in the state. Project M.O.M. builds on this existing infrastructure but specifically focuses on reducing maternal deaths caused by drug overdoses.
