While pregnancy should be a joyous occasion, that isn’t always the outcome for every woman, and even more so for Black women. Contributing to the staggering number of deaths of Black women during pregnancy and postpartum are racial disparities.
In 2022, the CDC released a report stating that about 700 people die during pregnancy or postpartum each year. Additionally, roughly 50,000 people experience complications, both long term and short term, every year. Of those deaths reported, Black women account for two thirds of them, and of those deaths, two in three of them are preventable.
Racial bias significantly impacts the level of care a person receives
Most significantly impacting the Black maternal mortality rate is racial disparities. “Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care,” a report by a division of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed that racial bias can impact the level of care received in medical settings, according to the American Heart Association.
Other contributing factors include economic circumstances like employment and workplace discrimination, gaps in medical coverage, lack of representation in the medical field, and accessibility to healthcare and mental wellness support, according to Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA). The organization reports that Black people are more likely to be impacted by social determinants including safe housing and access to nutritional food.
Black women still face medical bias regardless of income and education levels
The White House stated that pregnancy-related complications and deaths also affect Black women regardless of their income and education. This was made evident after recently retired tennis star Serena Williams detailed her traumatic experience after giving birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian.
In an op-ed published by CNN in 2018, Williams bluntly said, “I almost died after giving birth to my daughter, Olympia.
“It began with a pulmonary embolism, which is a condition in which one or more arteries in the lungs becomes blocked by a blood clot,” she continued.
She later revealed in another article, published by Elle in 2022, that “no one was really listening to what I was saying.”
The mother of one said she told her nurse that she needed a CAT scan of her lungs and to be placed on a heparin drip before she was told, “I think all this medicine is making you talk crazy.” After advocating for herself and receiving a scan, Williams’ doctors noticed she had a blood clot in her lungs that needed immediate attention.
“Being heard and appropriately treated was the difference between life or death for me,” she said, adding that she knows the Black maternal mortality rate “would be different if the medical establishment listened to every Black woman’s experience.”
What the White House is doing to address the mortality rate
The staggering data has led to the White House proclaiming Black Maternal Health Week.
The Biden-Harris administration is dedicating resources to provide 12 months of extended postpartum coverage to pregnant people with Medicaid coverage who are enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program. President Joe Biden also stated the importance of improving access to healthcare and addressing long-term systemic racism in the country.
Additionally, the administration expressed its intention to make investments that decrease the mortality rate of Black pregnant women.
The CDC recommends pregnant people and their family document their medical care
In addition to the White House’s proclamation and vow to invest in Black women’s health, the CDC has shared multiple recommendations for families to advocate for themselves. The agency suggests pregnant people ask questions and address any concerns with their medical provider, seek immediate care if experiencing any urgent warning signs, document their pregnancy medical history up to one year after delivery, and maintain ongoing healthcare and social support prenatal and postpartum.
