The Maternal Health Crisis in the U.S.

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March 8th will be International Women's Day and this year Girl Friday is focusing on maternal health and obstetric justice. Among industrialized nations, the United States is the only country with a rising maternal mortality rate, "despite spending more per capita on health care than any other country." What is happening in the U.S. and which moms-to-be are most at risk?

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This impacts Black women the most.
The CDC's Pregnancy Mortality Surveillance System reveals that Black mothers die at three to four times the rate of their white counterparts. This means that Black women are 243% more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth, marking one of the largest racial disparities in women's healthcare in the United States.

Remember Shalon and Serena.
This maternal health disparity is not related to income or education levels. In an analysis of New York City's maternal health, Black mothers with college degrees who delivered in hospitals were more likely to have serious complications than white women who did not graduate from high school. Shalon Irving, an epidemiologist with the CDC, is a tragic example of this crisis. She died from complications of high blood pressure after delivering her daughter, Soleil. When Serena Williams complained of symptoms related to blood clots (a potentially life-threatening complication) after delivering her daughter, Olympia, the medical team allegedly dismissed her concerns. When they performed the CT scan she had requested, they found the blood clots.

What is the cause?
Some researchers believe structural racism is to blame and they point to other disparities in healthcare as proof. In "Invisible Visits" Professor Tina Sacks of UC Berkley examines the stories behind late diagnoses that contribute to high morbidity and mortality rates of Black Americans. In many cases, Black Americans' medical concerns are simply ignored. In one case, a young woman had complained of severe knee pain for more than a decade before a doctor listened and discovered tumors that could have resulted in an amputation.

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Support the Momnibus Act. Representatives Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) and Alma Adams (D-NC-12), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and members of the Black Maternal Health Caucus introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021. While Black women experience the most severe disparities, Native Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders also encounter challenges and the bill addresses the broad maternal health crisis. The bill has 12 goals, including supporting incarcerated moms and improving data collection. Endorsed by 190 organizations, the Momnibus Act still needs bipartisan congressional support. On the caucus website, check the Get Involved section for a social media toolkit with sample supportive posts.

Follow the experts. Amber Vayo, a PhD candidate at the University of Massachusetts, is a childbirth educator and the founder of Crossroads Support Service, an organization that focuses on postpartum, abortion, adoption, and birth loss support. She recently started publishing her research in popular magazines to ensure maternal health issues and disparities are widely discussed outside of academia and healthcare.

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