Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders highlight maternal health investments

Politics NewsMaryland Gov. Wes Moore and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders highlight maternal health investmentsSanders said she raised alarms about working on maternal health projects in Arkansas after noticing the state had one of the highest maternal mortality rates.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00From left, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee, journalist Kristen Welker and philanthropist Olivia Walton, the founder of Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies America.NBC NewsShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 10, 2026, 9:03 AM EDTBy Alexandra MarquezMaryland Gov. Wes Moore and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday highlighted the importance of investing in maternal health initiatives aimed at supporting mothers before and after they give birth.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Sanders, who has three children, said she raised alarm bells about maternal health in Arkansas after she became governor because the state consistently ranked among the worst in maternal mortality rates.“If we can see these women and help them and support them from the very beginning of their pregnancy all the way through, then we can help address some of these problems and we can change maternal health,” Sanders, a Republican, told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” in an interview alongside Moore, a Democrat, and philanthropist Olivia Walton, which aired Sunday. “Not just in our state, but across the country.”Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she raised alarm bells about maternal health because her state consistently ranked among the worst in maternal mortality rates. Andrew Harnik / Getty Images fileSanders said she convened a strategic working group to identify ways to improve maternal health outcomes throughout the state and was “pleasantly shocked by how many people showed up.”“People that I know actively campaigned against me were some of the most helpful people in developing our stra...