Health report: Women and children in North Carolina at risk

The United Health Foundation's annual report on the health of women and children reveals trends -- both positive and life-threatening -- across the country and right here in North Carolina.

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According to the report, the U.S. has the highest death rates for women related to pregnancy and childbirth among all high income countries.

A few northeastern states rank as the healthiest, while a few southern states, along with Oklahoma and Nevada, rank lowest.

"We have high rates of well women visits, high rates of well child visits and high rates of developmental screening," said Bucknor, who also cited 13 percent fewer teenage pregnancies in the state.

Challenges include a high prevalence of diabetes among women and a high death rate among newborns.

According to the report, 11 percent more women in the state drink excessively and, in the past three years, drug-related deaths among women increased by 54 percent. "We don't know if it's opioid related or not," Bucknor said. "It's just drug related deaths as an overall category."

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"That way, you can pick up patients before they exhibit symptoms," she said.

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She said a new Medicaid Managed Care program in the state starting in 2020 may help reverse these trends.