In honor of Juneteenth, we’re going to be discussing the disparities women of color face while giving birth.
According to the CDC, in 2021, the U.S. experienced one of its worst years for maternal mortality in recent history. That year we saw a 40% increase in maternal mortality from the previous year with these deaths occurring during either pregnancy or up to 6 weeks after and “occurred from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management.”
While the rate was 26.6 deaths per 100,000 live births for white moms, the rate was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births for black moms. They are 2.6 times more likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth, or in the weeks following labor than our white counterparts. And according to the CDC, an estimated 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable.
However, there is one state that ranks higher when compared to others in regards to maternal mortality: Georgia. It is estimated that of over 3.3 million Black Georgians, more than 25% live in counties with little to no access to healthcare. Close to half of the predominantly Black counties in Georgia are “maternity care deserts"—counties where there is no birth center, no hospital offering obstetric care, or no obstetric provider. And more labor and delivery units have closed in predominantly Black counties compared with white counties. At the same time, twice the number of labor and delivery units opened in white rural areas versus Black areas over the same time period.
Georgia has established itself as a state that has higher negative outcomes due to the lack of access to appropriate healthcare. This lack of access to appropriate healthcare coupled with rates of low birth weights, preterm births, and labor/delivery complications for Black moms, has left women of color concerned about their well being when giving birth.
Stay tuned next week for part 2 of this conversation!!
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