Comitta, Pa. Secretary of Health join MCHC to discuss maternal and child health at community baby shower in Coatesville

COATESVILLE — State Senator Carolyn Comitta was recently joined by Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen and the Maternal and Child Health Consortium (MCHC) of Chester County to highlight state and local efforts to support the health of new moms and babies.

“Parenthood can be challenging. Babies don’t come with an instruction manual, but that is where our community comes in,” Comitta told a crowd of dozens of new moms, expectant moms, parents, children, and families at the Second Annual Community Baby Shower. “Chester County is home to a strong network of community partners and nonprofit organizations that work together to support new families, moms, children, and parents.

The event, held at the Gordon Early Learning Center, offered an opportunity to connect with and learn about the many resources and services available to Chester County families. More than 200 people and 30 vendors participated, enjoying free activities for children and raffle prizes, as well as the distribution of free diapers and other baby supplies collected by MCHC.

This year’s Community Baby Show event coincided with Black Maternal Health Week, an opportunity to bring awareness to maternal health inequities and to empower Black mothers, families, and communities of color.

“We know that taking a public health approach to healthier mothers, infants, and families involves addressing numerous health issues,” said Secretary Bogen. “We are celebrating the good work happening here, but we also have to understand why this work is so vital. We must not forget that we currently have an unacceptable and horrifying health disparity for black women and babies, which we have to eliminate.”

In Pennsylvania, Black women experience significantly higher maternal mortality rates compared to White women, with Black women being twice as likely to die during pregnancy, labor, or postpartum. In addition, Black women in Pennsylvania are 2.5 times more likely to experience infant death than women of other races.

Comitta, a member of the Pennsylvania Women’s Health Caucus and the Black Maternal Health Caucus, continues to work with her colleagues in the state legislature and communities across Chester County to reverse that trend.

She has worked to expand Medicare coverage for mothers to one year postpartum, helped pass legislation to extend coverage to doula services, voted for a new law to help moms with postpartum depression, secured state funding for MCHC’s doula program, supports efforts to modernize regulations governing midwives, and remains dedicated to ending racial disparities in maternal healthcare.