The U.S. has the worst maternal mortality among high income countries. This alarming reality reflects a complex interplay of medical, social and systemic factors that affect patients before, during and long after pregnancy. In this webinar, Joyce Adams, PhD, BSN, will provide an overview of maternal health in the U.S., focusing on maternal mortality rates, timing and causes of maternal deaths, the critical role of postpartum care, inequities in maternal health, as well as challenges and recommendations. Drawing from her groundbreaking research on a group postpartum care model (Focused-PPC), Dr. Adams will provide practical strategies and recommendations to improve maternal health outcomes for all patients.

Who can attend:

Registration is limited to ISMIE and SEMPIC policyholders, ISMS members, and their employed staff.

About the Presenter:

Joyce Adams, PhD, BSN, is an Associate Professor of the Practice and the Global Maternal Research Lead for the Eck Institute for Global Health at the University of Notre Dame. She received her PhD in Nursing Science from Michigan State University. Dr. Adams’ research is dedicated to improving postpartum health outcomes among women most impacted by maternal mortality. She is passionate about using research interventions to improve maternal health among populations disproportionately affected in the United States and in Sub-Saharan Africa where the burden of maternal mortality is most severe.

Dr. Adams has experience conducting patient focused research and implementing both healthcare systems and community-based interventions to improve access to quality postpartum care and education. She is focused on developing interventions that can be scaled up and adopted into existing systems of care to improve health outcomes and decrease maternal morbidity and mortality. Dr. Adams developed an innovative group model of postpartum care, called Focused Postpartum Care (Focused-PPC). It provides women with more frequent follow-up appointments for 12 months after birth, standardized education for the entire post-birth year, and peer support through group sessions. This model is available for adaptation and implementation in diverse settings. In 2025, Dr. Adams’ work was featured on an NBC commercial as part of the University of Notre Dame’s What Would You Fight For? series.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this learning activity, participants will be able to:

• Summarize the status of maternal health in the United States
• Identify challenges in maternal healthcare
• Describe how an evidence-based group postpartum care model (Focused-PPC) can improve outcomes
• Discuss strategies and recommendations to improve outcomes for all patients

Accreditation: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Illinois State Medical Society and ISMIE Mutual Insurance Company. The Illinois State Medical Society is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit designation: The Illinois State Medical Society designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit^TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure: The planners, faculty, and others in control of content have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.