CDPH Weekly Media Brief, 01/22/2026

Maternal Health Awareness Day

January 23rd is Maternal Health Awareness Day! In recognition of this occasion, CDPH reaffirms its commitment to eliminating preventable maternal deaths and improving outcomes for birthing people and families across Chicago.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, approximately 700 women in the United States die each year from pregnancy-related causes. Between 2015 and 2020, Black women were four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causesthan non-Black women. Among these deaths, 89% were preventable. CDPH is working to ensure that all birthing people and parents in Chicago have access to the medical care, resources, and social support they need to have healthy pregnancies and raise healthy babies.

How CDPH Is Taking Action:

• Family Connects Chicago : Family Connects is a free program that offers in-home nurse visits to families across Chicago following the birth of a baby.
• Nurturing You Resource Center: CDPH connects pregnant and postpartum individuals to Medicaid enrollment, maternal health resources, and urgent warning signs to watch for during pregnancy and after birth.
• Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program: The program provides nutrition education, counseling, and healthy food to pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding individuals, as well as infants and children up to age five.
• One-Stop Online Resource for Families< /a>: CDPH offers an online hub for new parents and families, providing trusted information and resources on everything from infant care and development to vaccines, nutrition, lead safety, mental health, and parenting support through the teen years.

Be Prepared for Extreme Cold This Weekend

As temperatures are forecasted to drop well below zero late this week and into the weekend, CDPH urges Chicagoans to take proper precautions to protect themselves from the extreme cold. The City of Chicago maintains warming centers on weekdays when temperatures are 32 degrees and below, and libraries and Chicago Park District facilities are open for those who need shelter from the cold. If you're in need of non-emergency health or social support, call 3-1-1 for help.

• Avoid unnecessary trips outside.
• Wear several layers of dry, loose, warm clothing.
• Do not let children play outside unsupervised or for long periods of time.
• Pay special attention to keeping your head, ears, hands and feet warm.
• Avoid drinking alcohol, which causes loss of body heat and can impair your judgment and motor skills in the cold.
• Check on friends and neighbors, especially those who are elderly, disabled and/or live alone.

If you are unable to check on someone, call 311 to request a well-being check.

Conditions for Adults with Disabilities Webinar

In collaboration with the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), CDPH invites the public to attend a webinar on its new report, Neighborhood Conditions for Adults with Disabilities in Chicago, which centers on the experiences of Chicagoans with disabilities.

The webinar will be held virtually on February 10 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. and is open to everyone. Attendees will learn about the substantial population of adults with disabilities in Chicago and the importance of healthy, accessible neighborhoods. The forthcoming report explores these topics in greater depth and includes data on individuals with various types of disabilities, including sensory, physical, and cognitive disabilities.

This event is open to the public. Click here to register.

Healthy Chicago Podcast

Wherever you go in Chicago, it seems there's somebody nearby with a cough, runny nose, or congestion. So, what is the city's status during the current respiratory virus season?

Find out when you listen to or watch a new episode of Healthy Chicago Podcast.

Medical Director Dr. Brian Borah talks with Senior Epidemiologist Stephanie Gretsch about activity levels of flu, RSV, and COVID; overall trends around virus activity levels; and how to protect yourself when diseases are at elevated levels.

Find out where to get vaccinated and current respiratory illness activity in Chicago.

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