According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state of Georgia has one of the worst maternal and fetal mortality rates in the country. While there is no quick fix to the problem, there are some steps being taken in the Augusta area to help pregnant and postpartum women with a new Food Farmacy program.
Dr. Chad Ray, professor in the Medical College of Georgia‘s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Dr. Marlo Vernon, associate professor for the Georgia Prevention Institute at MCG, have teamed up with Augusta Locally Grown at the Hub for Community Innovation to provide mothers and expectant mothers with not only fresh produce, but also other healthy activities, such as meeting with nutritionists, free in-person cooking classes and more.
Ray has been studying maternal mortality for a number of years and serves on the maternal mortality review committee in Georgia. He has worked closely with the CDC and knows how big of a problem it is to keep expectant mothers and new mothers in good health.