Black Maternal Health Week 2023

As a doula, I am proud to support Black Maternal Health Week, a national campaign aimed at raising awareness about the maternal health crisis affecting Black women in the United States. This week-long campaign founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Allianceis meant to build awareness, activism, and community-building to amplify the voices, perspectives and lived experiences of Black mothers and birthing people.

 This week we take an opportunity to highlight the disparities in maternal health outcomes for Black women and advocate for change.

The statistics are alarming. Black women in the United States are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, regardless of their socioeconomic status or education level. This is a public health crisis that demands our attention and action.

In 2018, the maternal mortality ratio for Black women was 37.1 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 14.7 deaths per 100,000 live births for white women. This disparity is even more pronounced in certain states, with Black women in Georgia, for example, being six times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. With modern medicine improving every day, how can we accept statistics like these? Those “statistics” are human lives and they leave families to pick up the pieces and deal with a kind of trauma that many of us will never know. 

So, what can we do to address this crisis and support Black maternal health?

First and foremost, we must listen to Black women and prioritize their experiences and voices. This means recognizing and addressing the systemic racism and bias that is present in our healthcare system and working to dismantle it. It also means investing in culturally competent care and providing support and resources that are tailored to the  needs of Black mothers.

This Black Maternal Health Week, I urge all of us to take action and support Black mothers. We can start by listening to their experiences, advocating for their needs, and working to create a healthcare system that is equitable and just for all. We can also work to raise awareness about the disparities in maternal health outcomes for Black women and advocate for policy change at the local and national levels.

Let's work together to ensure that every mother, regardless of their race or ethnicity, has access to the care and support they deserve and need to thrive.