20.04.19

U.S. Black Women 243% More Likely to Die During Pregnancy, Childbirth and Postpartum

A year long investigation by ProPublica and NPR has revealed that in addition to the U.S. having the highest rate of maternal death of any industrialized country, black women are 243% more likely than whites or hispanics to die during pregnancy, childbirth or the postpartum period. The revelation that black mothers are dying at an alarmingly higher rate than other ethnicities also comes from  data supplied by the CDC. The dramatic difference is considered to be indicative of the fact that black women are exposed to stress longer and more frequently and are also more prone to chronic diseases that can impact their overall health. Other experts speculate that it is also due to a disparity in the access to healthcare for black women, as well as a difference in how black women are treated by healthcare providers. Each year in the United States, about 700 to 1,200 women die from pregnancy or childbirth complications, and black women like Saba are about three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy or delivery complications than white women. The racial divide in maternal deaths has been persistent for decades. Historically, black women in low-income communities haven't had the same access to quality care as white women in high-income communities. Credit: NOW THIS