The program helped Robles gain health-care coverage as she and her husband seek asylum in the United States. Her comadrona helped her find a doctor who treats low-income patients and connected her with other services. "One of the things that we do here at Hispanic Council is provide birthing classes, in their own language," said Bianca Noroñas, the Comadrona program manager. Noroñas said coaching and social services have helped the mothers in the nonprofit's program avoid medical complications during childbirth. In the U.S., the rate of maternal morbidity — medical complications in childbirth — and maternal mortality is nearly twice as high as in other developed nations.

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Persons: Zaza Cristina Robles, —, Robles, comadrona, Bianca Noroñas, Noroñas, We've, Marie Thoma Organizations: Hispanic Health Council, Latina, Hispanic, University of Maryland School of Public Health Locations: Peru, U.S, Hartford , Connecticut, United States