HHS Issues Challenges to Find Best Practices in Maternal Health

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health announced two challenges to improve maternal health. The first challenge will address care for women with hypertension who are pregnant and/or postpartum, while the second challenge will address breastfeeding initiation and continuation disparities among breastfeeding mothers. The partnership will bridge data gaps in maternal health outcomes across the country.

HHS Hypertension Innovator Award Competition: Innovative Methods of Blood Pressure Monitoring and Follow-up in Women during Pregnancy and/or Postpartum.

The $3.3 million dollar competition will identify pre-existing programs that care for women with hypertension who are pregnant and/or postpartum. The competition looks for programs that provide effective monitoring and follow-up to improve rates of hypertension control.

HHS Reducing Disparities in Breastfeeding Innovation Challenge

The $800,000 competition will identify effective, pre-existing programs that increase breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates and decrease disparities among breastfeeding mothers in the United States. This competition seeks programs that target gaps in breastfeeding education, instruction, and/or support for breastfeeding mothers.