Examining Gaps in Maternal Care Experience of Women Covered By Medicaid versus Private Insurance in CT

Maternal mortality is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy. The United States currently has the highest maternal mortality rate compared to other developed countries. Pregnancy-related deaths affect a disproportionately large population of black women compared to white women. Past studies have revealed that health insurance coverage may be a contributing factor to the large number of maternal deaths occurring within the U.S. This study, in collaboration with the YWCA, investigated whether there are gaps in the maternal care experience of women covered by Medicaid versus private insurance in Connecticut. Twenty-three questionnaires and six interviews were completed. The small sample, as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, did not reveal any statistically significant results. Within this sample, there was a small number of women covered by public insurance which may have masked any potential differences between women covered by Medicaid or public insurance. Implications of the interview findings were discussed, and recommendations were developed. Future research should aim to recruit a larger and more balanced population of women to better uncover any potential differences