Black maternal health week highlights a crisis that highlights black mothers at a higher risk of death by complications related to pregnancy, according to centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And these deaths are often avoidable.
“In Baltimore and most places in the United States, black women die three to four times the rate of their counterparts during the birth process and during the postpartum period,” said Lashelle Stewart, executive director of Baltimore Healthy Start.
Research shows that this gap exists at all levels of income and education. Even rich black women are facing higher risks than the poorest white women in certain states.
Black women are also more likely to undergo serious complications such as preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, blood clots, premature birth and low birth weight.
Defenders say that systemic racism in health care plays a big role. Many black mothers say they are not listened to when they talk about their health problems.
“Moms are not heard, mothers are not believed,” said Stewart. “They believe in a way that our pain tolerance is greater than others or that we exaggerate, and they do not take the advice of mothers who really know their bodies.”
Solutions are pushed to the state and federal government. Many states have extended the coverage of Medicaid to one year after childbirth, instead of the standard 60 days. This is the key, since almost half of maternal deaths occur during the first year. Baltimore Healthy Start provides resources to the mother until the child is 18 months
Other states also support remunerated family leave and widening access to remote charts. But the United States still has no national parental leave policy paid.
Black maternal health week observed in April, this year, it is from 11 to 17th, and it aims to raise awareness and put pressure for change. The defenders of hope this week recall the legislators and health leaders which is at stake. For more information on resources and education surrounding black maternal health, you can visit the Baltimore Health Start website.
