Black mothers are three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy complications than white women, and saving them will require addressing structural racism in American society and racial biases in the nation’s health care system, according to a panel of congresswomen and public health experts who spoke Thursday at the University of Minnesota.
Nationally, nearly 700 women die each year of pregnancy complications, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the need to improve medical care for black mothers has gained heightened attention amid increased activism among reproductive justice advocates, media coverage and revelations by singer Beyoncé and professional tennis player Serena Williams of their own life-threatening experiences during pregnancy and after delivery.