Photo source: Joanna Malinowska, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Maternal mortality refers to deaths due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth. Research has shown that Black women are at a greater risk of maternal mortality when compared to White women. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show that Black women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women.
The CDC noted in a review of maternal mortalities in the US from 2017 to 2019, that 84% of the recorded maternal deaths were preventable.
Each year, hundreds of people die during pregnancy or the year after. Others have unexpected outcomes of labor and delivery with serious short- or long-term health consequences. This affects both wealthy and low-income Black women, meaning the issue is not solely driven by socioeconomic status.
High-profile celebrities like Beyoncé and Serena Williams have shared their life-threatening experiences with childbirth. The death of the US Olympic track runner Tori Bowie during childbirth amplified calls for institutional support for Black women and meaningful policy change to save more lives.
It further highlighted what Black women advocates have been saying for years – that the country’s maternal health crisis impacts Black women disproportionately regardless of income, education level, or even previous health status.
If wealthy, globally recognized celebrities can struggle to receive proper care, what happens to the everyday Black woman?
Maternal mortality doesn’t just claim lives; it shatters families. These are mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends and their loss has detrimental effects on Black families and children. With each loss, another Black family is left to navigate life without a mother’s love and guidance. It means there is an infant who will never know his or her mother and an unexpected responsibility for the other parent.
Why are Black Maternal Mortality Rates so High?
The US has a higher rate of women dying in pregnancy, childbirth, or postpartum compared with all other high-income countries, at 22 deaths per 100,000 live births, according to an analysis published by the Commonwealth Fund.
The most common causes of maternal death include hemorrhage, eclampsia, obstructed labor, and sepsis.
While there is no known singular reason to explain why, multiple factors contribute to the high Black maternal mortality rate.
Some studies suggest that specific shortcomings in the country’s healthcare system, including one that especially impacts women from minority groups, could be responsible. Other factors are believed to contribute to racial disparities in maternal mortality. They include variation in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, limited postpartum care that typically ends at six weeks following delivery, delayed recognition of risk and complications, structural racism, and implicit bias.
Also, several health conditions like chronic heart disease, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes may contribute to Black mothers’ maternal mortality risk.
How to Reduce Black Maternal Mortality Rates
If we work together, we can make birth safer for Black mothers and end the disparities in Black maternal health. Everyone has a role to play in preventing pregnancy-related deaths and improving maternal health outcomes.
Hospitals and healthcare systems: We need to identify and address unconscious bias in healthcare and one of the ways to do this is by diversifying the medical workforce. We need to bring in Black doctors and nurses on the team. One 2020 study found that Black newborns had lower mortality when they were cared for by Black doctors.
A key solution to tackling Black maternal mortality might not be more technology—but a return to traditional, community-based birth support. We can expand access to midwives and doulas to assist Black mothers. They can play a critical role in reducing racial disparities in maternal health.
Doulas, non-clinical health care providers who offer physical, emotional, and informational support during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum— can be beneficial for Black patients, who often face discrimination in the medical setting.
Also, Health care professionals need to listen to patients’ concerns and educate patients regarding warning signs and their risks.
Policy change: This is essential to addressing the systemic issues that contribute to Black maternal mortality. One such is Medicaid expansion, which is key to improving Black maternal health and lowering maternal mortality. Research has shown that Medicaid expansion is associated with reduced rates of maternal death, particularly for Black women. States that took the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, allowing more people to qualify for affordable health insurance, have fewer maternal deaths than states that did not expand their programs, according to a 2020 study.
The role of community: Community-based organizations can provide culturally competent care, education, and support to Black women throughout their pregnancy and postpartum periods. They can also identify and address social factors influencing maternal health such as unstable housing, transportation access, food insecurity, substance use, violence, and racial and economic inequality.
The role of family and friends: We all need to learn how to support pregnant people in our lives to reduce factors that contribute to pregnancy-related complications and death. We can also listen to their concerns and encourage them to seek medical help.
Pregnant and postpartum women: As women, we need to be aware of potential risks during pregnancy and after delivery. It is important to watch for urgent maternal warning signs and seek medical help without delay when signs appear.
