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March 2025
Volume 11 | Issue No. 94
"Our goal is steady and true: to help move Missouri
from the bottom, 44th in the nation, when it comes to
maternal and infant health, up to the top. And that
will take ongoing commitment, resilience, community
support, and a strong network of partners."
- Tonia Wright, President and CEO of
Grace Advertising & Consulting (GAC)
More than a year after its launch, The
Maternal and Infant Health (MaIH) Center
in Lexington, Missouri, continues to be a
critical resource for expectant parents
in Lafayette County and in urban areas
in Missouri and Kansas. Established by
Altruism, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, to
address maternal health disparities, the
Center provides whole-person care—
offering prenatal education, doula and
midwifery support, postpartum services,
and essential supplies such as diapers, car
seats, and clothing.
Missouri has one of the highest maternal
mortality rates in the U.S., and the crisis is
especially severe in rural areas. According
to the Missouri Department of Health and
Senior Services, nine of the 10 Missouri
counties with the highest infant mortality
rates are rural, where the absence of
adequate health care services puts
expectant parents at greater risk. For
many families in rural Lafayette County,
the nearest OB-GYN is more than 45
minutes away, making consistent prenatal
and postpartum care difficult to access.
The MaIH Project launched in 2022 as a
pilot project in the Kansas City area. A
year later, The MaIH Center, a pregnancy
center, was established to provide
relationship-based maternal care in
Lafayette County. Now, more than a year
later, staff members and partners reflect on
its progress, ongoing challenges, and the
work ahead.
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