Safer Pregnancies for Women in Indiana
GMCHL Inspires Change for Indiana Mothers
December 2020, Governor Eric Holcomb announced his intentions to prioritize a Pregnancy Accommodation law in 2021 for workers across the state of Indiana. This new legislation will enforce clear standards for employers to ensure that all Indiana jobs will be regulated to support safe and healthy pregnancies. Although this change has been heavily anticipated and long overdue, a Pregnancy Accommodation law is a monumental accomplishment.
This news has one group of women is breathing an even deeper sigh of relief. The Grassroots Maternal & Child Health Leaders, a team of mothers on a mission, have been fighting for legislative change to better pregnancy health for parents in Indiana since their founding in 2018.
Indiana’s infant mortality rate is 20% higher than the national average, and in our black communities, infants are at twice the risk. Such metrics are why the Grassroots MCH Leaders feel so strongly about the need for change in our state.
“The infant mortality rate in Indiana is much too high,” says Deborah Fisher, a member of the GMCHL Indianapolis chapter. “With groups such as the GMCHL, working together we can make changes. We can bring hope. I would like to be a contributing factor in promoting change in our communities, bridging the gaps of social inequalities which lead to health disparities for our people of color”.
The Grassroots MCH Leaders hope to continue combating Indiana’s infant mortality rate, not only with their extensive legislative work, but also by driving change in their own communities, providing education and resources to areas with persistently high loss. They have expanded their work to include outreach to mothers and their babies in 12 different counties.
“Being a mother was a trait that I was born with. I suffered the loss of seven pregnancies. God blessed me with a miracle baby, and I became a foster and an adoptive mother. I was able to adopt seven children and raise a child who to this day calls me Mama. I want people to know that we are a group of loving individuals and our goal is to support and assist others who walk in our shoes.”
You can contribute to the GMCHL’s cause and follow their journey to bring safer pregnancies to Indiana by following them on Twitter or Instagram @IndyGMCHL.
Ollie is an English & Film major at IUPUI. She enjoys practicing wellness by hiking, doing yoga, and learning new plant-based recipes.
