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News
A new bipartisan campaign is putting serious money behind a serious problem. Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America — founded by philanthropists Olivia and Tom Walton — has pledged $100 million over five years to cut the U.S. maternal mortality rate in half by 2031. The initiative targets rural access, midwife training, postpartum care, and better data collection, with states leading the charge.
The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among wealthy nations — and a new bipartisan campaign wants to change that fast. Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America, founded by philanthropists Olivia and Tom Walton, announced a $100 million, five-year commitment to cut the U.S. maternal mortality rate in half by 2031. Campaign president Neel Shah, MD, called the problem "eminently solvable," arguing the barrier isn't a lack of medical knowledge — it's a lack of execution.
The initiative will focus on expanding rural maternal care access, training midwives, strengthening postpartum support, and improving data collection. States are central to the strategy, since roughly 40% of births are Medicaid-funded. The $100M is designed as seed capital to encourage state governments and corporations to match and scale investments. California and New Jersey are cited as proof the model works.
Why it matters: Maternal mortality in the U.S. is trending in the wrong direction, and this initiative represents one of the largest private-sector efforts to reverse it — with bipartisan political backing and a concrete, measurable goal.
