Why so many Black women die during pregnancy

Black women in the US are 3x as likely to die from giving birth and other pregnancy related complications than white woman.

84% of maternal deaths are preventable…  So why are black women three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related causes?

I’ll give you a hint - it’s not just socioeconomic status. 

Racial bias also plays significant factor, even when it’s unconscious.

Studies have proven black patients are less likely to be believed when they say they’re in discomfort or experiencing pain. They’ve also shown that doctors are more likely to express skepticism about the symptoms black patients report. 

And in the maternity ward - when women are their most vulnerable - it’s even worse. 

Tennis star Serena Williams said this happened to her when she experienced a pulmonary embolism after giving birth to her daughter via cesarean section. Williams said medical employees initially dismissed her concerns. 

The CDC says Black women are more likely to be pushed into unwanted procedures like C sections, or epidurals.

With so much mistrust and worry over what could happen to them in the hospital, many Black women are opting to give birth at home, like CNN’s Abby Phillip

From 2019 to 2020, home births among Black women increased 36%.  The following year they increased another 21%. 

But even if mothers-to-be opt for a hospital birth, there are ways they can advocate for themselves.  

Dalili Gonzales, a doula with the Partnership for Maternal Health, says education is key. “When you go to the doctors, you automatically assume that the procedure they are presenting you with is the only option” she said. “We try to instill in the moms that we work with is that they are able to ask about the benefits, able to ask about the risks, are able to ask about other alternatives.”

With all of the statistics out there, would you feel safer giving birth at home? Or in a hospital?

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