Jana Richards is a Black mother who is deeply concerned about the health and well-being of her peers here in Chicago. She’s acutely aware of the statistics because she’s also an obstetrician and gynecologist with the University of Chicago Medicine.
“This country’s maternal death rate continues to increase and is three to four times higher than other developed nations,” says Dr. Richards. The U.S. is the only developed country that has a rising maternal mortality rate, according to the Black Maternal Health Caucus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that more than 60% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.
It gets worse: Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. They’re also two times more likely to experience severe pregnancy-related health conditions and 1.5 times more likely to deliver their babies before term.
A Black woman with a college degree is more likely to die from giving birth than a white woman without a high school diploma, according to information from the CDC.
The disparity in outcomes extends to babies, too. “Black babies are more than twice as likely as white babies to die at birth or in the first year of life,” says Dr. Richards. I gathered the expertise of Dr. Richards and others to share four things you need to know about the Black maternal death rate right now.
1. The cause of the disparity has nothing to do with the health of Black women.
There’s no inherent health reason for the difference in outcomes for Black women and babies and their white counterparts. Simply put, systemic racism impacts every aspect of health care, even before birth.
“There is nothing in a Black person’s genes or anything inherently wrong with their body that raises the risk for complications,” she says.
However, when a diagnosis is missed or delayed, when treatment is not given or when health education is inaccessible, treatable conditions can become more serious, even deadly. This applies to the leading causes of maternal death and complications, which include hemorrhage, embolism, infection, heart disease and high blood pressure.
2. There are bills in legislation aimed at reducing the Black maternal mortality rate.
In May 2023, State Sen. Cory Booker introduced 13 individual bills into Congress to address maternal mortality, morbidity and health disparities. Known collectively as the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, the bills increase investments in all the most important areas that impact maternal health.
When passed, these bills will extend WIC eligibility, fund community-based organizations and grow and diversify the perinatal workforce, among other initiatives designed to improve outcomes and promote equity.
3. In Chicago, changes are happening to correct this disparity
A 2019 report from the Chicago Department of Public Health found that 71% of Chicago women who experienced a pregnancy-associated death were Medicaid recipients and these rates are concentrated among Black women. In 2021, Medicaid was expanded to 12 months postpartum in Illinois; previously it covered just 60 days postpartum.
By following a whole-person model of care, health care providers can detect and treat health conditions early, leading to healthier outcomes. A full spectrum of care throughout a woman’s reproductive years can improve outcomes for Black women, says Dr. Richards. At UChicago Medicine, women receive care from a multidisciplinary team of obstetricians, gynecologists, midwives, maternal-fetal medicine physicians and neonatologists.
UChicago Medicine’s Fetal and Neonatal Care Center provides coordinated care and highly skilled nurse coordinators support women and families in every aspect of their care.
4. Health care inequity affects everyone
Our Black maternal mortality rate is a public health crisis — and it affects everyone because it signals bias and discrimination in health care.
“Race is a social construct with significant impact on the health and well-being of Black people,” says Dr. Richards. “At every stage of life, generations of structural racism impact Black people disproportionately in the form of social and health disparities, such as segregated housing, the digital divide, educational barriers, economic suppression and access to quality healthcare.”
Expertise from the University of Chicago Medicine. Learn more at UChicagoMedicine.org.
