Black Maternal Health
Black
Maternal Health
The U.S. healthcare system has historically failed people of color, and these failures particularly affect Black women and their infants during and after pregnancy and childbirth. Black women are less likely to receive family planning support and other essential reproductive health services, which impacts the perceived health needs of Black women.
Getting the facts
Structural racism, including a lack of access to resources like healthy food, good housing, and high-quality healthcare, causes higher mortality rates for Black mothers and their children.
3x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes
Infant mortality among Black babies is almost 2x higher than the national average
- Black women are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to white or Latinx women; 80% of these deaths are preventable. Even college-educated Black women die more frequently than white women who didn’t finish high school.
- The rate of infant mortality (death) among Black babies is almost two times higher than the national average (5.4 per 1,000 live births, versus 10.6 per 1,000 live births for Black babies).
The United States has access to high quality health care, but it lacks culturally responsive care due to a lack of providers of color and inadequate health policies to address the needs of people of color. For Black women, the lack of culturally responsive providers often impacts the ability to receive competent and compassionate care in healthcare settings.
What's being done about it
Some nonprofit organizations are paying attention to Black maternal health and working to close the mortality gap by funding research and pushing politicians to act.
The Black Mamas Matter Alliance is a group of Black women advocating Black maternal health, rights, and justice. The Alliance works with a wide range of partners involved in reproductive justice, breastfeeding, doulas and more. If you have questions or want to take action, BMMA and their partners are a great resource.
What Black mothers can do
Trust your body and your intuition — if something feels wrong or worries, get medical help. Don’t hesitate to advocate for yourself, or if you don’t feel like you’re being heard, get a second opinion or ask for help from someone you trust.
Doulas can be another crucial source of support for Black mothers. These trained professionals understand the complications that can come with pregnancy and help you with evidence-based information. You can research and hire your own doula to help ensure you find a trustworthy person who will take your concerns seriously. Learn more
- Know and seek immediate care if experiencing any of the urgent maternal warning signs, including severe headache, extreme swelling of hands or face, trouble breathing, heavy vaginal bleeding or discharge, overwhelming tiredness, and more. These symptoms could indicate a potentially life-threatening complication.
- Share your recent pregnancy history during all medical visits for up to one year after you have your baby
- Connect with healthcare and social support systems before, during, and after pregnancy
What you should expect from your doctor
- Asking questions to better understand you and things that may affect your life
- Help you and your loved ones understand the urgent maternal warning signs and when to seek medical attention right away.
- Help managing chronic conditions or conditions that may arise during your pregnancy like hypertension, diabetes, or depression
- Recognize and work to eliminate unconscious bias in themselves and in their office
- Respond to any concerns you may have
- Provide you with respectful, quality care
Additional Reading
Risk Factors & Chronic Disease
Learn about specific health challenges pregnant people face.
READ MORE 
Caring for Yourself After Delivery
It takes time to recover — it's important to take care of you!
READ MORE
Healthy Partner After Birth
How to be a positive and supportive partner while caring for yourself as well.