Woman stroking her 9 months pregnant belly, sitting on a wooden bench. Isolated on blue clear sky ... [+]
No, it is not Black Maternal Health Week. However, Black expectant mothers are reminded daily of the grim statistics that persist when it comes to maternal mortality and how frightening it can be for pregnant Black women. It is no secret that Black women are at a greater risk of developing a pregnancy related condition such as gestational diabetes while pregnant and even dying before, during, or after labor and delivery. There are various factors that cause these disparities. Including racism and bias among medical providers, lack of access to quality medical treatment, and no or limited access to health insurance. And recent changes in legislation have only added insult to injury for many.
Overall, maternal mortality rates in the U.S. are concerning. According to the CDC, each year in the United States, about 700 women die during pregnancy or during the year after delivery. Each year, another 50,000 women have unexpected labor and delivery outcomes with serious short- or long-term health consequences. Even more disheartening, two in three pregnancy-related deaths are preventable. As if these statistics are not alarming enough, especially in a country that prides itself in exceptionalism, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women. That said, it is critical to keep in mind that many of the unique risks Black expectant mothers face are not the result of carelessness or a lack of concern about their health or the health of their babies.
It is due to structural racism which causes Black women to experience various disparities such as pre-existing chronic health conditions, wider gaps in pay than both White men and women, and racially discriminatory treatment within the health care system. Overall, Black women face risks to their health from discrimination — both from health professionals who do not take their concerns seriously and from biological wear and tear caused by chronic stress.
Despite the overwhelming research which points to glaring issues with implicit bias and flat overt racist treatment that Black women have endured at the hands of members of the medical profession, they continue to face inequitable medical treatment within a healthcare system that was not designed with the wellbeing of Black women in mind. For example, in a 2016 research study of white medical students, found that nearly half of the participants held false beliefs about biological differences in Black patients, including thicker skin and less sensitive nerve endings.
Another 2020 study found that Black babies are more likely to live if they are cared for by a Black physician. Because of this, the CDC declared racism a public health threat, and in 2021, the U.S. House Oversight and Reform Committee held a hearing on racism in Black maternal health care. Among the witnesses were the families of Black mothers who had died giving birth.
The decision to overturn abortion rights and the elimination of federal standards on abortion access in 2022 carries extreme implications for Black women. Many of which have widely discussed. This is especially true in states like Georgia with a maternal mortality rate of 46.2 and Louisiana 44.8 respectively. Limiting access to such services places women who are not prepared to have children or who do not have access to medical treatment to proceed with a pregnancy that might be otherwise harmful.
But given the persistent current risks that Black women continue to face, it is clear that much work remains to be done. Along with addressing issues related to structural racism, training multiculturally conscious and efficacious medical professionals on how to care for Black women and address their personal biases that hinder the delivery of quality and equitable care for Black women are vital. As many have pointed out, race is not the issue — racism is.
