Walmart heirs invest $100 million to reduce US maternal deaths
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Olivia and Tom Walton are donating $100 million through their Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America (HMHBA) to lower maternal mortality rates in the United States.
The United States has a higher maternal mortality rate than most wealthy nations, with nearly 19 deaths per 100,000 live births recorded in 2023. HMHBA intends to use this initial investment to attract additional funding from public and private sources, focusing on state-matching grants and infrastructure development.
Olivia Walton founded HMHBA, motivated by her own experience with childbirth risks and the belief that existing solutions aren’t reaching enough mothers. She and HMHBA argue that a lack of resources, insufficient postpartum care, and gaps in support systems contribute to preventable deaths. They point to data showing that nearly 90% of maternal deaths are preventable. The investment will prioritize improving care for mothers in underserved communities.
Black women experience maternal mortality rates more than three times higher than white women, and rural mothers face increased risks due to hospital closures. HMHBA is also supporting bipartisan legislation, including the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act and the NIH IMPROVE Act, to expand access to care and fund research. The organisation hopes to halve the maternal mortality rate in the next five years, and believes this investment is a first step toward achieving that goal.
