Maternal Health Fair Aids Mothers Before And After Child Birth

By Allana Haynes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHON GARDNER // PRINCE GEORGE’S SUITE MAGAZINE

Delegate Jamila Woods hosted the inaugural Maternal Health and Resource Fair at Oxon Hill High School, July 18.

Designed to raise awareness of the programs and services available to mothers in the county, the event connected mothers and their families with resources to help them navigate pregnancy, postpartum care and family life.

Del. Woods is a champion for maternal health in the county, according to her website. In 2024, she sponsored House Bill 1078, which requires the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide coverage for remote ultrasound procedures and remote fetal non-stress tests. This legislation aims to eliminate childcare and transportation barriers, ensuring that pregnant women have access to essential prenatal care regardless of their location.

Woods said she created the fair to make maternal health resources accessible to women and families across Maryland.

“We want people to know that there are people who care and that there are resources available,” she said. “We want to see healthy thriving babies, but they have to have healthy thriving mothers that can meet their needs.”

Woods moderated a panel discussion on navigating high-risk pregnancies with local health experts, Kristen Newman, Program Manager at the Prince George’s County Health Department; Catherine Limperopoulos, Director and Principal Investigator of the Developing Brain Institute at Children’s National; Debora Whitehurst-Brown, OB/GYN at Luminis Health and Kerry Lewis, OB/GYN at the University of Maryland Medical System.

The discussion was followed by a maternal health remote patient monitoring pilot by Evan Hoffman, Director of State and Local Government Relations at Philips.

Throughout the fair, mothers and families were met by community organizations who provided them with resources on how to navigate parenthood. Organizations included Building Beyond Therapy, Children’s National Hospital, March of Dimes. and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

Stocked with bottles, diapers and wipes, they distributed supplies to help support new mothers and their babies.

Nina Everett, Chief Medical Officer at Priority Partners Managed Care Organization, said the organization supports women and families through resources such as care management services, doula programs and maternal health classes.

“Education and member empowerment is our big thing,” she said. “We’re here to advocate for our members and also teach them to advocate for themselves.”

Ethel Palle, WIC Eligibility Specialist at Prince George’s County WIC, said the organization supports women and families through resources such as breastfeeding services, education and nutrition.

“We're dealing with pregnant moms and low-income families, which may not have a lot of resources in terms of insurance or the right foods to eat to gain the right nutrients for themselves and their unborn children,” she said.

Stephanie Olebara, Prevention and Wellness Coordinator at Aetna Better Health of Maryland, said the organization supports women and families through resources such as its free diaper program and free feminine hygiene products program.

“I hope that moms are able to feel seen, to feel heard and to know how many resources are available,” she said. “I’m hoping that this will be a great place for them to start and know all the different resources available in Prince George’s County and all across Maryland.”

Chakeia Blocker, 35, attended the fair to gather resources to share with her community in Charles County.

After surviving bleeding, hemorrhaging, hypertension and preeclampsia during the birth of her fourth child, Jeremiah, 1, she hopes her experience will help other women.

“Women need to know it’s not just getting pregnant, it’s also how you take care of your health,” she said. “Pregnancy starts before the baby gets into your stomach, because how you take care of your body now, will possibly determine the outcome if you don’t change.”