Even expert moms occasionally need an assist with parenting.

Which is why, despite her background in child development, Mary recently turned to one of three maternal health apps offered through her employer’s Capital Blue Cross healthcare coverage. Mary – a mother of two who preferred to remain anonymous – was seeking guidance in navigating her 10-year-old daughter through peer-interaction difficulties at school.

“The app put me in touch with a care advocate and a health coach,” Mary said. “They got back to me immediately, and once I shared some specifics, they sent me some really great educational resources.”

Mary’s story is just one illustration of how employer benefits can aid in overall maternal health, be it with parenting, pregnancy/post-partum issues, menopause or more.

“Investing in women’s health really results in healthier workplace populations,” said Jen Carricato, a senior health education consultant at Capital Blue Cross, “which of course impacts things such as productivity, engagement, retention, talent attraction and absenteeism.”

But concerning data suggests more – lots more – must be done to address the maternal health chasm between the U.S. and other developed countries, as well as a striking maternal mortality gap between races.

‘Disheartening’ Disparities

According to the Commonwealth Fund, U.S. women are more than twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related complications as those from any other high-income country. Black mothers bear the brunt, dying from such complications at roughly two to three times the rate of other U.S. women, regardless of income or education levels.

And the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association recently found that women from majority Black communities had a 63% higher rate of Severe Maternal Morbidities – unexpected outcomes from labor and delivery that significantly harm pregnant women’s health.

“It’s disheartening that we have so many women, particularly African American women, fighting for their lives every day during childbirth and the entire perinatal period,” Carricato said.

Such disparities significantly impact the overall well-being of employees and their families, and can have detrimental effects on employers, families, and communities.

Huge Cost – and 5 Ways to Help

The National Institutes of Health puts the U.S. price tag for maternal morbidity conditions at $32 billion from conception to five years postpartum.

The high cost, while sobering, makes sense, since 57% of the U.S. workforce is female, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – and the U.S. Census reports that roughly a third of those women are of childbearing age.

The good news is employers can help improve maternal health equity and contain costs. Carricato noted five ways employers can better support women’s health:

1. Provide access to resources like Capital Blue Cross’ trio of digital maternal/parental health apps.

2. Explore more-inclusive, wide-ranging support and services surrounding maternal health.

3. Consider parental leave to include employees who are pregnant, their partners, surrogates and parents of newly adopted children.

4. Consider part-time, remote and hybrid work options.

5. Enhance workplace supports to potentially include:

   -- Time and space to pump breastmilk or breastfeed.

   -- Flexible scheduling for sick days and medical appointments for mom and baby.

   -- An Employee Resource Group (ERG) for working moms/parents and caregivers.