How can Louisiana tame infant, maternal mortality?

Stop financing breeders

The answer is always more taxpayer dollars and more administrative jobs for people who couldn't make it in the private sector. That's always the answer to everything according to our media and bureaucrats. And now they are hoping that the windfall from this Blue Cross sale go to a public/private sector mutant with massive overhead that doesn't really have to accomplish anything other than hiring people. There is too much nuance to this problem for entities like that to handle and produce results - and that's if they are held accountable for their results. They usually aren't.

In Louisiana the result from our state (or federal) government is almost never improved quality of life or improved return on taxes paid even if that's the stated goal. We end up just coughing up more and more of our hard earned money and never have more to show for it.

The one exception is when we finally agree on building a piece of static infrastructure like a bridge or a road. That's a tangible thing that people can see, use, and judge how its improving their lives. But those things seldom gets built these days and trust in our public sector institutions are at an all time low as a result. Maybe our state should demonstrate competency by fixing basic traffic or drainage problems where there is less nuance involved. You either build something that works or you don't.

Pass a law that you have to get your tubes tied to get welfare

It’s gotta be directly related to LA being one of the unhealthiest states.

Where do WV, MS, AR, KY, AL, & TN (other unhealthy states) rank on infant mortality?

ETA: all are just as bad as LA except TN & KY

It’s cultural, not healthcare

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Probably starts with curbing obesity. Eating flaming hot Cheetos and Blue Bell for an entire pregnancy will have some bad effects.

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According to my NICU nurse wife, drugs are a bigger problem.

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law that you have to get your tubes tied to get welfare

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Been shot down since Labruzzo brought attention to this in the 90’s.

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It’s cultural, not healthcare

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The mothers that have issues; do they drink, smoke, do drugs, over eat and not take care of themselves and their babies?

Not even close to the right answer.

Multiple problems converge to create this issue:

1. Overall lack of health/obesity/diabetes
2. Poverty
3. Diet/exercise/smoking/drugs
4. Inability to take off work to get to appointments
5. Transportation to/from appointments
6. Access to care in rural areas.
7. Access to Medicaid accepting ONGYNs

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The mothers that have issues; do they drink, smoke, do drugs, over eat and not take care of themselves and their babies?

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Yes.

I actually do think that somehow having more healthcare services around Obstetrics and gynaecology in rural areas would help with this.

But it won't solve the problem. You hit the nail on the head with what would be the biggest impact here. And that's not something that can easily be solved.