The Black Maternal Health Crisis

We must protect Black women from the broken healthcare system. 

by Meron Nephtalem 

Graphic by Melissa Lemieux

Black women were found 2.6 times more likely to die from childbirth than white women in a 2021 CDC study. This statistic is staggering. Racial disparities and bias in society have led to Black women being ignored about their pain and symptoms, directly reflecting the inequities within our healthcare system. 

Institutional racism is highly prevalent in the U.S. healthcare system. Black communities have less access to quality care, making Black women susceptible to preexisting health conditions—a consequence of being ignored and provided with inadequate care.      

To put it simply, doctors don’t take pregnant Black women seriously. 

According to AP News, Angelica Lyons, a Black woman in her first pregnancy at the time, experienced debilitating stomach pain. She sought urgent medical attention and was repeatedly sent home. She was told that her severe abdominal pain was just normal contractions. It wasn’t until her baby’s heart rate dropped drastically that she was rushed to surgery for an emergency C-section and later found out she had suffered from sepsis—a life-threatening condition. 

If she had been listened to earlier, she and her baby wouldn't have brushed death, and she could have had a normal, healthy pregnancy. Instead, she experienced a traumatic pregnancy journey, one that many Black women currently go through. 

Black women should not have to fear for their or their babies’ lives during pregnancy. They have the right to a safe pregnancy, in which they can rely on a healthcare system that will cater to their needs. Unfortunately, this is not the reality, but it must become one. 

With more awareness and action taken to increase holistic approaches to healthcare, especially in Black maternal health, we can prevent the deaths of Black women and their babies. Furthermore, addressing implicit biases in medicine and providing patient-centered care is critical. 

Several groups are dedicated to bringing equity to Black maternal health, including Black Mamas Matter Alliance, National Birth Equity Collaborative, Sistersong, and the CDC Hear Her Campaign. If you are interested in making a positive change, I urge you to get involved. 

A brief writer's note: 

This article was written with the intention of bringing awareness to the Black maternal mortality rate, but it would be a disservice if I did not mention the current state of our democracy. To every Black woman reading this, you matter. This country has failed Black women time and time again, and we are constantly told not to lose hope, which is easier said than done. However, in these uncertain times, one thing remains clear: we must continue to show up for one another above all.