Pitt Medcast

Why are new mothers dying at an alarming rate in this country? We sat down with Jada Shirriel, the CEO of Healthy Start, which is charged with improving maternal and child health in Allegheny County, and three Pitt professors who’ve been appointed to Pennsylvania’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee. We wanted their perspectives on why the incidence of maternal deaths and morbidity is so bleak in this country compared to other industrialized nations and what can be done to spare families from these tragedies. The print version of this story (bit.ly/2w4SfQj) appeared in the Winter 2018/19 issue of Pitt Med magazine. This episode was produced by Elizabeth Martinson, Luisa Garbowit, and Elaine Vitone with production coordination from Gavin Jenkins. Reporting by Susan Wiedel. Interview by our executive producer and Pitt Med magazine editor in chief, Erica Lloyd. Our music was by Lee Rosevere, from the Free Music Archive.