MedStar Health expands community baby shower amid maternal health concerns
Expectant Prince George’s County families can get free diapers, screenings and referrals at MedStar’s third baby shower, now at a bigger venue with more than 40 partners.
Expectant parents in Prince George’s County can walk into MedStar Health’s third Community Baby Shower and Resource Fair on June 27 and leave with more than a celebration. The free event, set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, will offer diapers and wipes while supplies last, blood pressure and glucose screenings, car seat safety inspections, fresh produce giveaways and a Dad Den for fathers. Preregistration is encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.
MedStar is also expanding the fair in ways that signal demand well beyond a single afternoon. The event is moving to a new location, adding vendors and giveaways, and marking the first anniversary of PG Healthy Start, the program MedStar launched at last year’s community baby shower. More than 40 community partners are expected to take part, and families will be entered into drawings for essential baby items including car seats, pack-n-plays, strollers and themed baskets.
The growth comes against a stubborn maternal health backdrop in Prince George’s County. MedStar has said the county’s maternal mortality rate is 50% higher than the national average and 40% above Maryland’s average, while only about 55% of women in the county receive prenatal care. County health data and research also point to deep racial gaps. A Prince George’s County Health Department maternal and infant health report cited in academic research found that Black non-Hispanic mothers had the highest pregnancy-related maternal mortality rate in the county between 2008 and 2017, at 37.4 deaths per 100,000 live births. County infant-health materials said Black non-Hispanic infant mortality was twice the Hispanic infant mortality rate in 2017.
That is why MedStar is treating the baby shower as more than a feel-good gathering. PG Healthy Start is meant to support families before, during and after pregnancy, and to provide personalized care for up to two years after a baby is born. The program can be reached at 301-235-3410 or PGHealthyStart@medstar.net. The county health department’s maternal and infant health work, including its Healthy Beginnings program, sits alongside that effort, but MedStar’s June 27 event is being positioned as one of the clearest entry points for screenings, education, supplies and on-site support in the county.
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