Integrating Lawyers Into Perinatal Care Teams to Address Unmet, Health-Harming Legal Needs.

MedStar author(s):
Citation: Obstetrics & Gynecology. 142(6):1310-1315, 2023 Dec 01.PMID: 37884009Institution: MedStar Health Research InstituteForm of publication: Journal ArticleMedline article type(s): Journal ArticleSubject headings: *Lawyers | *Perinatal Care | Child | Delivery of Health Care | Female | Humans | Infant Mortality | Infant, Newborn | Parturition | Patient Care Team | Physicians | Pregnancy | United StatesYear: 2023ISSN:
  • 0029-7844
Name of journal: Obstetrics and gynecologyAbstract: Across the United States, historically imposed structural, social, and environmental variables are intimately connected to poor obstetric outcomes and high maternal and infant mortality rates among Black pregnancy-capable people. Efforts to diminish the effect of these variables include integrating screening for social determinants of health during the perinatal period and treating them with social services, mental health support, and other referrals, including connections to community-based resources. Although helpful, some of these social determinants cannot be overcome without legal advocacy. Medical-legal partnerships, which integrate lawyers into health care, fill this gap. This commentary by an interprofessional team of authors relies on the experience of an established MLP. We posit that unmet legal needs of perinatal patients merit ongoing monitoring and intervention. We explain the rationale for perinatal practice medical-legal partnerships and share implementation suggestions from a high-intensity safety-net urban hospital. Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.All authors: Patchen L, Richardson R, McCullers A, Girard VFiscal year: FY2024Digital Object Identifier: Date added to catalog: 2024-01-16
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Journal Article MedStar Authors Catalog Article 37884009 Available 37884009

Across the United States, historically imposed structural, social, and environmental variables are intimately connected to poor obstetric outcomes and high maternal and infant mortality rates among Black pregnancy-capable people. Efforts to diminish the effect of these variables include integrating screening for social determinants of health during the perinatal period and treating them with social services, mental health support, and other referrals, including connections to community-based resources. Although helpful, some of these social determinants cannot be overcome without legal advocacy. Medical-legal partnerships, which integrate lawyers into health care, fill this gap. This commentary by an interprofessional team of authors relies on the experience of an established MLP. We posit that unmet legal needs of perinatal patients merit ongoing monitoring and intervention. We explain the rationale for perinatal practice medical-legal partnerships and share implementation suggestions from a high-intensity safety-net urban hospital. Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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