Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative

04/16/2026

📣 Clinician Webinar Opportunity
Join the National Network of STD Prevention Training Centers on May 6 at 2 PM for a peer learning session on Lentocilin implementation.

This webinar will cover key differences and administration considerations between Bicillin L-A and Lentocilin to support safe, effective care.

👉 Registration required: https://courses.nnptc.org/class_information.html?id=4345

04/16/2026

OPQIC is pleased to share an upcoming opportunity from the Oklahoma State Department of Health: the Newborn Screening Symposium, taking place June 26, 2026, at the NCED Conference Center in Norman.

This full-day event will bring together multidisciplinary partners across the perinatal continuum to strengthen understanding of newborn screening, promote timely identification of conditions, and support coordinated care for Oklahoma’s infants. With participation from providers, birthing facilities, public health professionals, and community partners, the symposium reflects a shared commitment to improving outcomes for mothers and babies across the state.

We encourage our partners to attend and take advantage of this valuable opportunity for learning and collaboration. Register here: https://opqic.org/registration/

04/15/2026

A newborn’s condition can change quickly. AWHONN’s Newborn Warning Signs handout helps families recognize when a baby may need urgent care.

Watch for signs like:
• Trouble breathing
• Fever (100.4°F or higher)
• Poor feeding
• Extreme sleepiness
• Yellowing of skin or eyes

If something doesn’t seem right, trust your instincts and seek care. Early action can save lives.

📌 Visit the AWHONN Newborn Warning Signs website to download and share:
https://www.awhonn.org/education/newborn-warning-signs-education/

04/13/2026

was proud to support two Obstetric Patient Safety (OPS) Workshops held April 8 and 9, hosted at The Chickasaw Nation Medical Center. While each session welcomed a different group of attendees, both focused on strengthening clinical skills and advancing patient safety in obstetric care. In total, 54 participants from 8 hospitals came together for this hands-on learning experience.

The workshops emphasized high-risk, low-frequency obstetric emergencies, including maternal sepsis recognition and management, early warning signs, team communication, and rapid response. Through case-based learning and practical application, participants built skills to support timely escalation and coordinated care in critical situations.

Thank you to the Ob Hospitalist Group for sponsoring meals, to instructors Greta Morgan, Christina Ney, and Tina Smith, and to Carol Payton, who traveled from Louisville, Kentucky to assist in leading the training. We also appreciate OPQIC’s Katie Morgan BSN, RN for facilitating the workshops.

Opportunities like this highlight the strength of collaboration across Oklahoma hospitals and partners, all working toward safer care for women and babies.

04/13/2026

"Infection has been a leading cause of pregnancy-related death in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System since 1987, when reporting began. For this descriptive study, we used 2012–2019 data from the Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System. Specific subclassifications of infection deaths were analyzed by sociodemographic characteristics, and pregnancy-related mortality ratios (pregnancy-related deaths per 100,000 live births) were calculated for each infection subclassification. The overall pregnancy-related mortality ratio for infection was 2.23. Sepsis was the most frequent subclassification (46.4%) of pregnancy-related infection deaths, followed by other nonpelvic infections (25.2%). Endocarditis deaths had the largest relative increase in pregnancy-related mortality ratio among pregnancy-related infection deaths between 2012 (0.10) and 2019 (0.56). Reporting subclassifications of pregnancy-related infection deaths could improve the ability to focus interventions for reducing pregnancy-related deaths and assessing progress over time."

Read the full study at: https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/abstract/2026/04000/pregnancy_related_deaths_due_to_infection_.15.aspx

04/10/2026

Attn: Doulas! This one's for you.

Registration link: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=B8xc9H7lFU2_b_bLzNLTldsNZoxVPDxHo-YAYUkOUMNURFozTlE3TTkxMFZNTUNLMjJPRE42MEJNQi4u&route=shorturl

04/09/2026

Webinar Alert!

Sign up here: https://nichq.zoom.us/meeting/register/sNseXX5fTlOTyU4dySmjTQ?utm_campaign=NNPQC%20Project%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--84RC0xR0QGhTnHO3Z2zgx0ZbOvmRr_Pq3h8oHe0X2NTKGHrq5n56QRXrrY0EBaZINIIztZTz8Vuz7_rM3SPLtMM7umw&_hsmi=413021005&utm_content=413021005&utm_source=hs_email #/registration

04/09/2026

"Most delivery hospitalizations in the United States had at least one documented condition group. Many of these condition groups are associated with adverse maternal outcomes. Our study quantifies a broad burden of complications and conditions documented during delivery hospitalization rather than only the prevalence of severe maternal morbidity. Assessing a broad range of complications and conditions can more fully describe the burden of maternal morbidity and inform programs and policies aimed at reducing differences and improving overall maternal health."

Read the full article at: https://buff.ly/J4fG8oh

04/08/2026

📊 New Data: Oklahoma PRAMS 2023 Highlights
New data from Oklahoma’s PRAMS report gives a snapshot of what families are experiencing before, during, and after pregnancy:

• Postpartum mental health matters:
11.9% reported depression symptoms and 23.1% reported anxiety

• Social needs are impacting care:
Nearly 1 in 5 mothers worried about food running out
Transportation barriers affected access to appointments and daily needs

• Postpartum care access is strong, but not universal:
86.9% attended a postpartum checkup

• Pregnancy intention varies:
Over half of pregnancies were intended, but nearly 1 in 5 were not

These data reinforce what we’re seeing across Oklahoma: clinical care is only part of the picture. Addressing mental health, food access, and transportation is critical to improving outcomes for moms and babies.

📄 Read the full PRAMS 2023 overview: https://oklahoma.gov/health/health-education/children---family-health/maternal-and-child-health-service/mch-assessment/pregnancy-risk-assessment-monitoring-system-prams.html

04/07/2026

Sharing another learning opportunity: 6th World Sepsis Congress

Throughout 15 intriguing sessions, globally renowned experts, clinicians, researchers, and thought leaders will cover the prevention and early recognition of infections in newborns, children, and women to advances in maternal and neonatal sepsis care, pediatric critical care, and health system strategies that ensure timely diagnosis and treatment across diverse settings.

Participation is free of charge and only requires an internet connection. If you can't make it live on April 22-23, don't worry, just register anyway, and links to the recorded talks will be sent after the congress. There are several talks to choose from!

Registration Link: https://www.worldsepsiscongress.org/register

04/07/2026

New Resource Alert!
NICHQ has released an updated Respectful Maternity Care (RMC) Toolkit to support dignity, communication, informed consent, and patient-centered care across the birth experience.

This work closely aligns with TeamBirth, which brings patients, support people, and care teams together through shared decision-making and structured communication during labor.

Together, these approaches reinforce what matters most: respectful care, clear communication, and patient autonomy.

Explore the toolkit:
https://nichq.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/RMC-Resource-Guide_March-2026-Revisions.pdf

Every woman giving birth deserves to feel safe, respected and involved in decisions about their care. Join NICHQ on Thursday, April 16, at 2 PM ET for Creating a Culture of Respectful Maternity Care (RMC): Introducing the NICHQ Respectful Maternity Care Toolkit, our upcoming webinar to introduce the NICHQ RMC Toolkit. Save your seat: https://bit.ly/4sSbHKv

The NICHQ RMC Toolkit provides practical tools and strategies to help clinicians, clinical teams and health system leaders integrate respectful, patient-centered practices into routine maternity care. The toolkit includes a comprehensive Resource Guide organized around five domains of respectful care and Clinical Training Modules aligned with key stages of the birth journey. Explore the toolkit: https://bit.ly/4sSK0RI

03/30/2026

From prenatal care through delivery and postpartum, physicians play a critical role in improving outcomes, strengthening patient trust, and ensuring families receive safe, evidence-based care. Their leadership in quality improvement efforts across the state continues to make a measurable difference.

At OPQIC, we are grateful for the physicians who partner with nurses, midwives, and care teams to advance initiatives like TeamBirth, support respectful maternity care, and drive better outcomes for all patients.

Thank you for your dedication, your expertise, and your commitment to Oklahoma families.