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Maternal health in rural Alaska | Line One

A baby swaddled in a blanket
In 2019, almost 1 in 10 births in Alaska was preterm. That’s as high as it’s been in the last two decades, according to a bulletin released from the state Department of Health and Social Services on March 16, 2021. (Creative Commons photo by Dru Kelly)

Alaska's rural communities are confronting a profound crisis. From 2012 to 2021, pregnancy-associated deaths in rural Alaska almost tripled, dramatically outpacing the increase seen in urban areas. Alarmingly, almost half of these deaths were linked to barriers in accessing healthcare. Host Dr. Jillian Woodruff and her guests discuss this disparity and how to address it on this Line One.

HOST: Dr. Jillian Woodruff

GUESTS:

  • Abra Nungasuk Patkotak - Full-Spectrum Indigenous Birthworker and student midwife; Co-creator and Co-director of the Alaska Native Birthworkers Community.
  • Katie Van Atta, PA-C, CNM - Midwife in the Mat-Su Borough, Physician Assistant in Naknek.

RESOURCES:

LIVE BROADCAST: Wednesday, September 25, at 10 a.m. AKDT
REPEAT BROADCAST: Wednesday, September 25, at 8 p.m. AKDT

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Dr. Jillian Woodruff, also known as Dr. Jill, is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a Fellow of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She has the distinction of being able to converse with patients in 4 languages: English, Spanish, American Sign Language and conversational Mandarin Chinese.