Event to Feature Money and Motherhood Workshop
Detroit — May 12, 2026 — As part of its broader efforts to improve maternal and infant health outcomes, the SOS MATERNITY Network will host a Community Baby Shower on Tuesday, May 19, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Marygrove Conservancy in Detroit. The event will feature a special financial literacy workshop hosted by financial experts, alongside essential maternity resources, giveaways, raffle prizes, lunch and refreshments.
In November 2025, the March of Dimes issued Michigan a D+ in its annual report card for protecting the health of pregnant women and infants. Sobering statistics further underscore the urgent need for coordinated action to address the unacceptable risks facing these growing families:
- The United States reported a maternal mortality rate of 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024, far higher than other developed nations.
- Still more concerning, Michigan’s rate of 21.3 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births exceeds the nation’s staggering rate.
- Equally alarming is the fact that the state’s infant mortality rate rose to 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, surpassing the national average of 5.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The SOS MATERNITY Network is rooted in the Southeast Michigan Regional COVID-19 Collaborative, launched in 2020 as a coalition of 14 health care institutions serving communities statewide as Michigan’s largest maternal-fetal medicine obstetrical research collaborative. The network collected data on over 1,400 women and reported maternal-fetal health outcomes demonstrating higher rates of preterm birth, preeclampsia and health disparities among pregnant women with COVID-19. These health care leaders transformed this coalition into the SOS MATERNITY Network to further investigate and implement evidence-based practices to reduce maternal and infant health disparities across the state. Member institutions are responsible for more than 50,000 deliveries per year in Michigan. The Network’s coordinating center is housed at Wayne State University’s Office of Women’s Health. The Network has recently reached 2,500 SOS MOMs, further advancing its mission to improve maternal and infant outcomes in Michigan.
The Network is led by Dr. Sonia S. Hassan, a maternal-fetal medicine expert who is associate vice president and founder of the Wayne State University Office of Women’s Health.
“Our goal is to scale a coordinated, patient-centered model statewide to assist mothers and their newborns for the healthiest possible pregnancy and start to life,” Dr. Hassan said. “Our next steps include expanding to additional sites and rural regions across Michigan to address maternity care and transportation deserts, increasing ride capacity for prenatal and postpartum needs, and to continue advocating for the broad adoption of best practice tests and treatment during pregnancy.”
The Network offers a comprehensive bundle of interventions designed to enhance maternal and infant health outcomes. Implementing evidence-based strategies permits SOS MATERNITY to improve pregnancy care, reduce perinatal complications, and support the well-being of mothers and newborns alike.
“Our collaboration with the SOS MATERNITY Network builds on the work we’re already doing to bring evidence‑based care to families in Detroit,” said Dr. D’Angela Pitts, co-principal investigator at Henry Ford Health. “Continuing to use standardized best practices across our health systems is essential to reducing perinatal complications and supporting the well‑being of mothers and newborns.”
The model integrates three crucial elements:
- Standardize best practice medical tests and treatments across Michigan physicians, focusing on prevention of preeclampsia and preterm birth, the primary causes of deaths of moms and newborns.
- Increase access to prenatal care through transportation to and from pregnancy-related visits.
- Create a system of continuous support through the SOS Patient Navigator by providing resources, educational materials and reimbursements for time and travel related to prenatal care visits.
“By providing continuous support through our SOS Patient Navigators, as well as many other ongoing efforts to support mothers and babies through the Detroit Medical Center and WSU, we are eliminating significant barriers to care,” said obstetrician/gynecologist Dr. Kara Patek, Principal Investigator with the Maternal Fetal Medicine division in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wayne State University School of Medicine and the Fetal Care Center at the Detroit Medical Center.
Recognizing that comprehensive maternal care must also address economic stressors, the addition of the financial literacy workshop will provide expectant mothers with tangible tools and guidance to budget, save, and financially plan for their new arrivals.
“Community baby showers like this one at Marygrove Conservancy are crucial for connecting expectant mothers with the local organizations that can support them,” said Dr. Latisha Malcom, Principal Investigator from Western Wayne Family Health Center. “We are proud to be part of a network that actively addresses the unacceptable risks facing our growing families.”
Expectant mothers are encouraged to RSVP by scanning the QR code available on event flyers. Participants will have the opportunity to submit their questions anonymously to healthcare providers in attendance during an interactive Q&A session. For additional information or to enroll in the SOS MATERNITY Network as a patient, please visit sosmaternity.org.
“Every mother deserves access to expert care and a supportive environment,” said Dr. Dina Kassab, Principal Investigator from Serenity OBGYN. “Through the SOS MATERNITY Network, we are dedicated to preventing the primary causes of maternal and infant mortality, such as preeclampsia and preterm birth, and giving every family the healthiest possible start.”
