This story was reported and written by our media partner the Virginia Mercury.
When Jasmine Storrs took the stage Tuesday, she didn’t hold back: She nearly died after childbirth because she ignored her body’s warning signs. Now, she wants other women to listen.
Storrs, who suffered a heart attack after days of chest tightness, shared her harrowing experience before Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced a slate of investments aimed at improving maternal health outcomes in Virginia.
“Time is muscle,” she recalled her doctor saying before nine hours of open-heart surgery — words that saved her life.
The message was echoed by Sen. Emily Jordan, R-Suffolk, who ignored eclampsia signs after the birth of her third child in September.
“I think a lot of women feel guilty going through the birthing process or pregnancy process because they have other responsibilities,” Jordan said. “We have to be empowered to ask the right questions at the right time.”
Both women joined Youngkin who wants to invest $2.5 million in perinatal health hub pilot programs, $1 million to expand support for doulas and community health workers in local health districts, $500,000 for a public awareness campaign on life-threatening pregnancy complications, and additional funding for OB-GYN and psychiatric medical residencies in the state.
The proposals are part of Youngkin’s broader budget request, which he will present to the state legislature’s finance committees on Wednesday.
Visibly emotional during the announcement, Youngkin reflected on his mother’s career as an OB-GYN nurse practitioner, calling the moment a “chance to speak for her.”
He also issued an executive directive for the state health department to include pregnancy-related data on its Maternal and Child Health Data dashboard.
Youngkin’s latest efforts build on previous work to strengthen maternal health, including his support for expanding maternal health hubs in Petersburg and signing a bill earlier this year requiring health insurance coverage for doulas.
Youngkin’s announcement comes as Democrats prepare their own push to address maternal disparities through a comprehensive “momnibus” package of bills and budget proposals — a riff on the term omnibus. The effort follows an October summit in Richmond that brought together lawmakers and medical experts to tackle maternal health challenges.
A bipartisan rural healthcare committee has also highlighted maternal health gaps in its legislative recommendations following a statewide tour.
With the 2025 legislative session set to convene on Jan. 8, improving maternal healthcare is emerging as a shared priority, offering a rare opportunity for bipartisan action in Richmond.
