A strong start in life: How public health policies affect the well-being of pregnancies and families

This report takes a holistic view of perinatal health and, as people progress through different stages of development, puts it in context as a developmental precursor to later indicators of wellness, including birth outcomes, postpartum wellness, and subsequent child development.

The five domains of social determinants of health and well-being serve as the framework for this report:

1. Health care: access to quality health care, maternal health coverage, and reproductive health
2. Neighborhood and physical environment: neighborhood health and safety, housing insecurity, environmental pollution and climate change, and barriers to services during the pandemic
3. Education: social support services that provide information and resources
4. Economic stability: employment status, poverty status, food insecurity, and supportive policies such as paid family and medical leave
5. Social and community context: considerations of discrimination related to race, disability status, gender identity, incarceration status, and community violence (abbreviated author introduction) #P4HEwebinarMay2022